Land of My Dreams by Norma Gail

Land of My Dreams

Norma Gail

Norma Gail’s debut contemporary Christian romance, Land of My Dreams, is set in Scotland and New Mexico and released in April 2014.

About the Book: 

Alone and betrayed, American professor, Bonny Bryant longs for a haven of peace. She accepts a position at a small Christian college in Fort William, Scotland, craving escape from her painful past. The passionate love which develops when she meets fellow professor and sheep farmer, Kieran MacDonell, is something she never anticipated.

Kieran harbors a deep anger toward God in the face of his own devastating grief. When Bonny’s former fiancé reenters her life, Kieran’s loneliness draws him to a former student.

How will Bonny decide between her rivals? Can they set aside the past to make way for a future, or will it drive them apart?

Land of My Dreams spans the distance between New Mexico’s high desert mountains and the misty Scottish Highlands with a timeless story of overwhelming grief, undying love, and compelling faith.

Buy the Book:

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Brief Interview with Norma Gail

Norma, what do you love the most about Land of My Dreams?

Land of My Dreams is my debut novel. It is the fulfillment of a life-long dream to see my name on a book. I love having told a story that ministers to the reader, because I know God gave it to me. I have had so many comments about the book touching people’s lives through situations they can relate to, and God’s purpose for the things He allows into our lives. When someone says that your fictional story taught them God is big enough to take our questions and doesn’t send pain and hardship because we messed up or don’t have enough faith, it takes your breath away. I love that people see themselves in the characters and get lost in the setting, laughing, crying, getting angry, and ending up feeling fulfilled. Reviews like that make all the hard work worthwhile.

What do you hope readers will tell other people about Land of My Dreams?

One reader recommended it to her sixteen year-old granddaughter to help her learn what to look for in a relationship. She recommended it to people who were planning to get married for the same reason. One reader said it is so much more than a love story; that it will speak to anyone who has suffered loss, pain, divorce or death. I hope readers tell their friends that it takes them through the full range of emotions, makes them read with a Scottish accent, hear the bagpipes, smell green chili roasting, and feel the raindrops on their faces. I love to hear things like that.

What two things did you learn from publishing your first book?

I learned so much it is difficult to condense into two things.

1) It is so much more difficult than you ever imagined. It is definitely not glamor and get rich quick. It’s hard work even after it is released. It requires taking tough criticism, and working with many different personalities. There are a lot of late nights editing and more social media than anyone should have to learn, but in the end, you have something you always dreamed of. It makes you a stronger person and teaches perseverance.

2) I learned that attending writer’s conferences is a necessity. It is important to take workshops to improve your skills. Meeting other writers, getting critiques and feedback on your writing, and meeting with your publisher are valuable opportunities. If you work hard enough and show a willingness to take direction, you can get a contract with a traditional publisher. It takes time.

  

About the Author:

Norma Gail is a former Bible Study Fellowship discussion leader who established the first weekly women’s Bible studies in her church in 2003 and continues to lead a weekly small group. Her devotionals, poetry have appeared at ChristianDevotions.us, the Stitches Thru Time blog, and in “The Secret Place.” She has led weekly women’s Bible studies for 19 years. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, FaithWriters, and the New Mexico Christian Novelists. She is a former RN and homeschool/soccer mom who loves family research, history, and Scotland. Norma lives in the mountains of New Mexico with her husband of 38 years. They have two adult children.

Connect with Norma at:

Web and Blog

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Debut author Keely Brooke Keith and The Land Uncharted

Book review for The Land Uncharted

By Keely Brooke Keith

Lydia Colburn is a young physician dedicated to serving her village in the Land, a landmass in the South Atlantic Ocean undetectable to the outside world. When injured fighter pilot Connor Bradshaw’s parachute carries him from the war engulfing the 2025 world to her hidden land, his presence threatens her plans, her family, and the survival of her preindustrial society. As Connor searches for a way to return to his squadron, his fascination with life in the Land makes him protective of Lydia and her peaceful homeland, and Lydia’s attraction to Connor stirs desires she never anticipated. Written like a historical, set like a scifi, and filled with romance, The Land Uncharted weaves adventure and love in this suspenseful story of a hidden land.

As a young physician, Lydia Colburn is dedicated to serving her village in the Land. Day and night, she rushes by horseback to treat the ill and injured, establishing a heroic reputation as the village's new doctor.

Naval Aviator Connor Bradshaw is flying over the South Atlantic Ocean on a mission to secure any remaining sources of fresh water in a 2025 world torn apart by war. A malfunction activates his aircraft's ejection system, parachuting his unconscious body to the shore of a hidden land.

Lydia risks her safety to help the injured outsider despite the shock of his mysterious arrival and the disastrous implications his presence could have for her peaceful society, which has gone undetected for seven generations.

Connor searches for a way to return to his squadron, but his fascination with life in the Land makes him protective of Lydia and her peaceful homeland. And while Lydia's attraction to Connor stirs desires she never anticipated, it also pushes an unwanted admirer to stage a dangerous attempt to win her affection.

As Connor tries to keep the Land off the radar, he learns the biggest threat to Lydia lurks in her village. But when Lydia's greatest passion and darkest fear collide, will she look to the past or the future to find the strength to survive?

About the Author:

Born in St. Joseph, Missouri, Keely was a tree-climbing, baseball-loving '80s kid. She grew up in a family who frequently relocated. By graduation, Keely lived in 8 states and attended 14 schools. Keely's many adventures include: being an exchange student, recording with a former Beatles producer, being chased through the New Mexico desert by a rattlesnake, jumping out of an airplane at 14,500 feet, and sleeping under the open sky in the Australian outback.

Keely is a bass guitarist and plays on worship teams and for solo artists. She is married to singer/songwriter John Martin Keith, and they frequently perform and tour together. When she isn't writing stories or playing bass, Keely enjoys dancing, having coffee with friends, and sifting through vintage books at antique stores. Keely resides on a hilltop south of Nashville with her husband and their daughter, Rachel.

Paperback: 308 pages
Publisher: Edenbrooke Press; 1 edition (October 1, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-13: 978-0692267516

$11.69

Buy on Amazon

E-book version releases October 21 - today 

$3.99

Buy on Amazon

My review:

I never know what to expect when I pick up a new book by a new author. The Land Uncharted about knocked my socks off. So much so that I had to email the author to ask her about it, like, why she didn’t try the traditional publishing route. There were a few things I wish she’d had some different advice on, but truly, those who like to read or watch stories the likes of M. Night Shyamalan will love Keith’s eventual series.

That said, there are many things I’d like to explore, but that would give away the story. As with all good tales of introspection and growth, the love interests, Connor and Lydia, have some decisions to make, some threats to overcome, and some realizations to come to. Set in the near future, as mentioned on the back of the book, the reader is unaware of time as a mysterious uniformed man washes ashore on an island populated with people living as though time stood still one hundred and fifty years ago. Did he travel back in time, or had time simply stopped in this place?

The Land is not exactly the Paradise it may seem to outsiders, should any be allowed to enter. Connor learns that he must make the best of things, though that doesn’t mean allowing Lydia to be victimized. This strange society has a culture that makes it difficult to protect the innocent, or mete justice according to contemporary views. Right and wrong, good and evil don’t mix…at least not very well. Connor overcomes prejudice to earn a place in this society, but how long can it last?

Intended as the first book in a series, The Land Uncharted is sure to raise many more questions than it answers. While not completely left hanging, the reader will find this unique adventure satisfying, yet wanting more. I have to say the author’s method of resolving conflict was slightly flat, yet served the purpose. I will nevertheless be on the watch for the sequel.

A new take on the story of Esther: For Such a Time with Kate Breslin, & Giveaway

Hi, there, fortunate reader friends and fans. 

Today I offer a special new book, author, and giveaway!

Leave a comment about this post to enter a drawing on Saturday morning, April 5, for an author review copy of For Such a Time from Kate.

About the Book:
Powerful Retelling of the Story of Esther

A young, bitter, Jewess-in-hiding must send her own people to Auschwitz in order to survive, or put her trust in God by giving her heart to the man responsible for their doom.

In 1944, Hadassah Benjamin feels abandoned by God when she is saved from a firing squad only to be handed over to a new enemy. Pressed into service by SS-Kommandant Colonel Aric von Schmidt at the transit camp of Theresienstadt in Czechoslovakia, her Aryan-like looks allow her to hide behind the false identity of Stella Muller. However, to maintain her cover as von Schmidt’s secretary, she is forced to stand by as her own people are sent to Auschwitz. 

Suspecting her employer is a man of hidden depths, Stella appeals to him on behalf of those in the camp. Aric's indulgence gives her hope even as she risks discovery with every attempt to help the prisoners. When her bravery brings her to the point of ultimate sacrifice, she faces an excruciating choice. God may have brought her to the camp for such a time as this, but how can she save her people when she cannot save herself?

Buy the Book:

Barnes and Noble

Amazon

Watch for my review coming up in a couple of weeks.

About the Author:

A Florida girl who migrated to the beautiful Pacific Northwest, Kate Breslin lives with her husband, John, and a very spoiled cat named Coco. Kate has written several travel articles, published award-winning poetry, and her first manuscript, a Scottish historical romance, was an RWA Golden Heart finalist. FOR SUCH A TIME is her debut novel. Kate’s writing journey has been one of faith as well as success; after years spent writing novels aimed at the general romance market, she finally heeded God’s call to write stories of how His love brings two hearts together. When not plotting her next novel, she loves spending time with author friends, reading from her mountain of books, or watching anything Jane Austen on BBC. Kate’s also an avid gardener and enjoys taking long walks in Washington State’s many forests. A traveler as well, she’s toured most of the country at one time or another and also been abroad–Paris, Munich, Rome, Pompeii, Athens, even a day trip to Turkey. She’d love to hear from you so please stop by www.katebreslin.com and say hello! 

Enjoy an interview with the author:

Our Interview:
Lisa, thank you so much for hosting me today. It’s an honor and pleasure to be here!
Lisa says, My pleasure!

Kate, welcome. What do you love about this book?

I love first and foremost that it’s my “coming home” story—when I got the idea to write about Queen Esther in the more modern venue of WWII, I believe God was already at work on me. As I wrote this novel and explored Stella’s journey of faith, I realized how in many ways, it resonated with my own. And in a time when I was trying to “write to the market,” For Such A Time worked to strengthen my conviction—I found the courage to start crafting stories that inspire and show how God changes our lives, teaching two hearts to love more deeply and meaningfully. I also love this story because while writing it I developed a most heartfelt compassion for those who suffered during the Holocaust, and so I became very attached to my story characters—including my hero and heroine!

Two things I learned through the writing and publishing process:

I learned that in order to write this story, it was imperative I do the research—not only on Hitler and the Nazi State, and the camp where this story takes place—but also on the subject of Judaism. I couldn’t afford to sound trite or unrealistic in my characterization, or in the magnitude of what the prisoners went through; the Holocaust remains a sensitive issue to this day, and I strove to be respectful, and as believable as I could be in writing a fictional love story involving a Jewess and an SS-officer.

As far as publishing, while my novel was finished and polished when I sold it, my publisher nonetheless did a triple-check of my grammar, use of foreign words, and some historical details, etc. to make certain we handed the reader a clean copy to enjoy. Of course, if there are still any errors lurking after all of that, it’s my fault! J

What do you hope readers will tell other readers after they finish this book?

Well, Lisa, that they simply must read it! J I do hope they’ll tell others they enjoyed the parallels between the Biblical Esther’s story and Stella’s journey, and how much more they came to understand the Holocaust of WWII. That the relationship between hero and heroine, while a bit different from Queen Esther and King Xerxes, is nonetheless fraught with uncertainty, and there are a few surprises along the way!

Where can people find you on the internet?

Either my website: www.katebreslin.com

Or Face Book: https://www.facebook.com/KateBreslinAuthor

I’m also on Pinterest and Goodreads!

Anything you’d like to add?

If you like, you can sign up on my website to become a “Kate’s Crusader” and receive information on future events, books, giveaways, and/or blurbs from me. There’s also a contact form, or you can email me direct at katebreslinauthor@hotlink.com. I’d love to hear from you!

  

“We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” Rom. 8:28 (NRSV)

Debut Novel: Winter Watch by Anita Klumpers

ISBN: 1940099471

Ebook: $3.99

Paperback: $13.99

About the Book:

What’s worse than being stranded in a small town in northern Wisconsin? Being stranded during the worst winter in recent memory. Claudia Alexander’s problems are piling up faster than the snow on Lake Superior’s shore. Her noble mission to find the owner of an old pocket watch is complicated by incessant snowstorms, a mysterious vandal and the appearance of an old flame. The local dogcatcher, a blind street preacher and an arthritic bloodhound come to Claudia’s aid. A promising romance warms up even as the temperatures drop. But something evil is at work in Barley. As another blizzard approaches, so does a killer. Claudia must choose between her mission and saving the lives of the people she has come to love. Even if it means losing her own.

Buy the Book:

Amazon

Smashwords

Barnes and Noble

All Romance

What do you love about Winter Watch, Anita?

The people. Even the local mass murderer. The setting. I wish Barley really existed. I would move there in a heartbeat. Even with the never-ending snow.

This is your debut novel. How does it feel to be an author in print?

Like I am missing something. As though I should either be Jessica Fletcher with sudden insight into solving murders and globetrotting—I would especially like to trot the globe—or in a garret somewhere with cobwebs in my hair shaking my fist at the world and saying ‘Someday you will appreciate me!’

The biggest ‘feeling change’ is appreciation for family and friends and complete strangers who are willing to encourage me with kind comments and wonderful luncheons. I know all the nicest people.

Share three things you learned during the writing and publishing process.

Oh Lisa. You don’t know me very well. ‘Slow learner’ would be a kind adjective to apply. I did learn the importance of proofreading. It is so aggravatingly easy to miss little details. I usually worked my waitresses in the book to death. They would take orders twice, deliver meals twice, clear away dishes twice. And I never caught it. My editor Susan Baganz and publisher Joan Alley had their work cut out. So I learned one thing of triple importance: get others to read the manuscript. Several others. Maybe faster writers don’t have this problem but if you are a protracted, stop-and-start writer like me you will need help.

What do you hope readers will tell other readers about Winter Watch?

That the people were real to them. That they won’t regret the money and time spent on reading this book.

What are you working on now?

Funny you should ask. I’m picking up the action in Barley about a week after ‘Winter Watch’ ends. Many of the same people will show up and so will some new characters.

~Lisa: Yay! We were just talking about that on BarnDoor.net

What do you like to read?

Fiction. Suspense, mystery, good writing in most genres. Martha Grimes is an incredible writer. Some of her work is dark, some a bit more lighthearted, but all is excellent. Mary Stewart, especially her older suspense/romance. I read and reread, among others, Airs Above the Ground, My Brother Michael, This Rough Magic. Elizabeth Peters/Barbara Michaels. PG Wodehouse. Catherine Aird books are hard to find but she is a delightful mystery writer. Agatha Christie. Dickens.

I avoid self-help books like the plague, which may explain a lot.

About the Author

Winter Watch is Anita Klumpers’ first novel, but she has previous experience writing skits and short plays. These have been performed for dozens of audiences and hundreds of people. Lately she has been doing some technical writing and editing and content marketing. Romantic suspense is her favorite genre, especially when a bit of humor is interjected. In an attempt to make the world a tidier, more civil place, she blogs as The Tuesday Prude. Anita lives with her husband and mutt in south central Wisconsin. Spare time is spent meddling in her grown children's lives, spoiling grandbabies, teaching drama class and acting in an independently produced movie.

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

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

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

PURCHASE on Amazon

About the Book:

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

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

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

 

Jerusha, what do you love about this book?

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

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

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

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

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

About the Author:

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

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

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

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

Tammy Hill's debut book, Knowing

Knowing: a series of gifts

By Tammy Hill 

©June 2012

Charisma House

·         ISBN-10: 1616389265

·         ISBN-13: 978-1616389260 

Paper 13.99

Kindle 9.39

Genre: YA, contemporary paranormal 

 

 

From the publisher:

Ember Matthews has a gift...
Sixteen-year-old Ember Matthews is tired of being the person everyone else wants her to be. Although she is nervous about moving to a small town and leaving behind the comforts of her old life, Ember welcomes the opportunity to escape the mistakes and pain of her past. Ember truly wants to change, but when faced with temptation and peer pressure from some new friends, she finds herself slipping into the same old patterns. As she reconnects with God, Ember begins to realize that she is no ordinary teenager. She sees things that no one else sees, and knows things she has no business knowing. Will Ember learn to use her God-given gift, or will the burden of her calling be too much for her to carry?

 

My review:

Stick with this story! Sixteen-year-old Ember has a troubled history that’s only hinted at and frustrating nightmares that seem to have no basis. Through the first half of Knowing, the reader lives with Ember as she settles in a new town—her temptation to stay a “plastic,” to wow the boys and impress the new kids—the type of girl she wishes she left behind. 

 

Getting the news her mom had divorced her stepdad and was moving them away from Atlanta, Georgia, is both a shock and a blessing. Ember has a close relationship to her mom, but is also a typical teenager with moodiness, and equal bouts of thoughtfulness and thoughtlessness.  They move a few weeks before school starts and Ember gets acclimated to the new town quickly when she meets Cade, a young man who stops to help unload boxes. Cade and Ember become an immediate item, and Cade’s gal pal, Missy, and Ember hit it off as well. As Ember starts getting to know more kids and getting involved in church activities, the reader may wonder where all this is going…but hang on, Knowing is not your typical teen angst story.

 

Ember is endowed with a special gift, as the title implies, and choices to make. Those choices are engagingly revealed through the second half of the book.

 

Hill’s book flows very realistically with natural dialogue and believable characters, from the teenagers to the adults in all situations. I appreciated learning about both sides of the debate regarding the Spiritual Gifts, which are shared without judgment. Nicely done. Teens and their parents who are curious about or are involved in charismatic faith practices will find much to like about this book.