Sunday, May 31, 2015

Love is in the Air: Author interview with Raelee May Carpenter

Welcome my super talented writer friend whose pen name is Raelee May Carpenter to the blog today! She's here to talk about the release of her new novel, Liberation Song and I think her words will inspire you. 

Enjoy the interview! :)

Questions from Alexis in bold, answers from Raelee not in bold...

~*~

Alexis: Congrats on the soon to be released book Liberation Song! Is it a novel or novella?

Raelee: Liberation Song is a novel but (at about 54,000 words) is shorter than the average nowadays.

Tell us about the heroine in Liberation Song. What is her name? What are her strengths and weaknesses? What are her hopes and dreams? What is her biggest fear? What was your favorite part of writing her character?

Alexandra Adelaide is a highly intelligent, motivated, analytical lady with lots of compassion and a strong sense of right and wrong…and she is afraid of basically everything. She wants to atone for a deadly mistake in her past and keep her four-year-old daughter Aggie safe and happy.

Alex has a good sense of humor belied by an inner social awkwardness. She’s hardcore tough, but only because she’s afraid. I enjoy expressing the paradoxes of her character.

Who is your hero in Liberation Song? What is his name? What are his strengths and weaknesses? Who does he love? What does he not like? What was your favorite part about writing his character?

Matthew Gold’s tender-heart is contradicted somewhat by his dark, tattoo-covered appearance. He’s extremely attractive but wears thick glasses that obscure his face. He has a habit of asking extremely personal questions of near strangers and butts heads with Alex over this early on in their relationship. He loves Alex, her daughter Aggie, his family, and Jesus. He also still has an affection for his late wife whom he lost to an ectopic pregnancy several years ago.

Matt is so committed to Alex and so patient with her insecurities. I enjoyed writing about the tender and tireless way he chips at the walls she builds around her heart.

Describe the plot of Liberation Song without giving the story away.

Here’s my mini-blurb: Three years after anti-human trafficking Operation: Free Bird goes south, Alexandra Adelaide is beginning to put the pieces of her heart back together. Then a new kind of tragedy strikes: she falls in love.

Did you create the plot as you write or do you take time to go into great detail before you start writing the story?


I always have a general idea of the plot before I start writing, but most of the story comes alive, instinctually, along the way...though I don’t always write everything in order.

What is your favorite feature of the creative writing process? Explain.

I love the way stories can inspire people. I write about grace, and my hope is my stories teach people how to let more of it into their lives. When a reader tells me one of my stories affected them or helped them understand God’s love a little better—Wow! Those moments are worth every hour I put into the writing, editing, and marketing of my books.

Describe your writing space. What makes it special to you?


I will write anywhere. My most common space is on my couch, but I’ve been known to pull out my laptop or a pad of paper in bed, at the store, at someone else’s house. I’ve become more disciplined at writing in recent years. I will make time for it even if I don’t feel super-inspired, but I also will catch the spark of an idea wherever it happens to occur to me.

What is your go-to food or drink when you are on deadline?


Leftovers, cold cereal, or frozen meals from Trader Joe’s—anything that’s easy and quick to prepare. Sometimes I’ll splurge on a sandwich from the gourmet deli near my apartment.

How did you learn of your traditional publisher eLectio? Share your story. 

Liberation Song
is being released by eLectio Publishing, a mid-sized faith-based traditional press based in Texas.

I found out about eLectio when they followed me on Twitter! I’d gotten several rejection slips before, like all authors do, but when I visited their website, I realized Liberation Song might be a good fit for them. I prepared the submission packet and sent it along, prepared to wait the requisite three to six months to hear.

Well, two weeks later, I had an e-mail from eLectio’s COO Chris Dixon. We scheduled a phone call, and I had no idea what to expect, but I did further research on the company and prepared a few questions to ask.

When the time came, he greeted me, introduced himself, and said, “We want to publish your book.”

It was a relief to have questions and info prepared, because I was absolutely reeling after that! Three weeks after I sent my submission, my contract arrived in my email box. The day after returning the contract, I had a release date.

After that came what Chris called the “hurry up and wait” stage. Waiting for the edits. Waiting for the cover. Waiting for the galley. eLectio is a great company to work with, though. They produce incredible books, and the artists and editors know how to capture the spirit of the work. Chris and Jesse Greever (the CEO) have been so supportive along the way, as have the other eLectio authors. I’m so glad to be part of the eLectio family.

When did you know you wanted to be a writer? Share the story.

I honestly don’t remember a time when I didn’t want to be a writer. I wrote a novel when I was seven-years-old. Not that it was worth publishing, but I did write it, and writing books that people would read has always been my dream.

What advice do you have for aspiring authors?


Write. You need to edit and market, and writers’ groups and conferences and classes can be great, but in the end none of it matters if you don’t make time to put your words on the page.

Who is your favorite Christian author? Why?

Oh, my, there are so many. Francine Rivers is awesome, and her book Redeeming Love is a title I will go back to again and again. Susie Finkbeiner, a Michigander like me, writes these intense books that will make you laugh and cry, sometimes both at once.

Recently I’ve gotten in to Lisa Samson, and I adore her contemporary literary stuff. She finds the extraordinary in ordinary life and inspires you to reach out and make the world a better place. Francis Chan and Philip Yancey write great nonfiction. Honestly, I could go on forever.

How does your belief in God affect your storytelling?

Without Him, without His love and all He’s done for me, I wouldn’t have a story to tell.

What is the one thing you want your readers to remember about Liberation Song?

I hope readers come away thinking about God’s grace and how it can give them greater freedom and hope in their everyday lives. I hope they’ll be asking Him to knock down the walls they’ve built to keep Him out.

Complete this sentence: When I wrote “the end” to Liberation Song, I ______________because _________________.

When I wrote “the end” to Liberation Song, I cried because saw myself in it so much, and I was so grateful for God’s grace.

Thanks for the interview, Rae!

~*~
Author bio: 
Raelee May Carpenter is a Christian and an author of contemporary fiction, inspirational essays, and modern mythology. 

Her work is passionate, descriptive and just a little edgy. Raelee's three lifelong passions are faith, people, and words. 

She's a tone-deaf music fan and "Mumma" to a young-at-heart, rescued Beagle mix. 

Raelee's favorite thing to write about is the force that saved her life: Grace.
~*~
Blurb for Raelee's book, Liberation Song:

When we first meet Aili MacIntyre, she’s doing what she’s been doing all her life: running in fear. She flees through a foreign jungle with two young girls and tries to save them from the forced prostitution ring that has held them in a virtual hell-on-earth. But tragedy meets them under the trees, and only one child escapes.

Three years later, Alexandra Adelaide has acquired a new identity and a radically different scene: the metropolitan jungle of Greater Los Angeles. She, though saved by Grace, has invented what she believes is the appropriate way to suffer for her own sins. Alex is raising the child who was orphaned by her insecurities. And she never, for a second, lets herself forget the pain caused by her mistakes.

Then the real tragedy strikes: she falls in love.

Matthew Gold is everything she needs and a lot more than she could’ve imagined. Bright, attractive, generous, and with his own vested interest in Grace, Matt works hard to earn Alex’s trust and a place in her life. He even loves and seeks to protect her daughter, who is the key to breaking open the biggest human trafficking case in recent history.

But Alex has lived in fear since she took her first breath. So how does she let Love start a new day? How does she choose courage even as very real dangers draw closer to her barred doors?

~*~
Buy Raelee’s book:
Direct from eLectio Publishing: Paperback (with free e-book) or e-book (multiple formats)
Also available from Amazon: Kindle or paperback

~*~
Connect with Raelee:

Website - raeleemaycarpenter.com
Twitter - @RaeleeCarpenter
Facebook -  facebook.com/raeleemaycarpenter

Amazon Author Central - http://amzn.to/1FVNirW

Thursday, May 28, 2015

Love is in the Air: Why I love writing about love

Erica Vetsch is our special guest today! She's here to talk about why she loves writing about LOVE!

She's also going to share details about her new novel, The Cactus Creek Challenge which will be released to readers on July 1. 

So let's welcome our new guest Erica and make her feel at home by leaving your thoughts about what she has to say, in the comment section.

~*~
Why I love writing about love
A guest post written by Erica Vetsch

I love writing about love, about God-honoring, heart-stirring, happily-ever-after love. There is something so satisfying about a man and woman surmounting problems, struggling through difficulties, and realizing they are much better together than apart.

I love to write about the quickening of the heart, the desire to know one another better, to matter to one another above any other person on earth, about the need to be together that comes when you find the person with whom you were meant to share your life.

I love exploring the journey of a hero and heroine who desire to please God first, and who were not necessarily looking for the love of their life, but who found them in an unlikely-gift-from-God place.

I love that writing about people who fall in love means I get to hang out with people who become better versions of themselves by the end of the book.

I love writing about characters transformed by love, first by the love of Christ, then by the love of another person.

I love writing about love that personifies all the aspects of love we are taught about in Scripture. Love that is patient, kind, not envious, not boastful, not proud. Love that honors others and doesn’t seek glory for itself. Love that doesn’t keep score or delight in the downfall of others. Love that is slow to anger, that protects, that is trustful, hopeful, and persevering. Love that never fails.

I love that writing about love reveals the wonder and thrill of my own love story. I love that my heroes all have things in common with my husband, the love of my life. I love that I am inspired to be a better wife to him through writing about love.

I love writing about love.

As a Christian romance novelist, I am aware of the detractors, those who would say I am creating an unrealistic world that makes women discontent with their lives. I contend that reading God-honoring romance is a powerful tool to teach us how to love, about the value we should place on each other. I contend that storytelling is an effective way to reinforce and illustrate principles that we see in Scripture, and that the love between a man and woman is a gift created by God for our edification and enrichment.

I recently attended a wedding, and the pastor in his devotional, pointed out that the bride and groom shared a love that was to be a mirror of the love Christ has for us. That their marriage was a shadow of that great marriage of Christ and His Church. What beautiful pictures of what our love for one another is supposed to be.

I feel privileged to write stories of love and hope, stories that show what love should be and can be, stories that shine a light in dark places.

I LOVE writing about love!

~*~
Author bio: 


Erica Vetsch is a transplanted Kansan now residing in Minnesota. She loves history and romance, and is blessed to be able to combine the two by writing historical romances. 

Whenever she’s not immersed in fictional worlds, she’s the company bookkeeper for the family lumber business, mother of two, wife to a man who is her total opposite and soul-mate, and avid museum patron. 

~*~
Book blurb for The Cactus Creek Challenge: Anything he can do, I can do better. At least that was what Cassie Bucknell thought before she pinned on Ben Wilder’s badge and took to patrolling the streets of Cactus Creek, Texas. Cassie has been in love with Ben since primer school, but Ben treats her like a little sister. When they are picked to swap jobs for a month as part of the annual Cactus Creek Challenge in their Texas hometown, the schoolhouse is thrown into an uproar, the jail becomes a temporary bank vault, and Cassie and Ben square off in a battle of wills that becomes a battle for their hearts.

~*~
Buy Erica's book The Cactus Creek Challenge:
Amazon.com - http://amzn.to/1FdwTdN
Barnes and Noble - http://bit.ly/1FR5oeO

~*~

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Love is in the Air: Star Song by Katheryn Haddad

Welcome Christian author Katheryn Haddad to my blog today! 

She contributed a devotional last Christmas (2014) but today she's here to share an excerpt and review of her book, Star Song.

Katheryn's book is her creative telling of the inner thoughts of Mary the Mother of Jesus and Joseph who was engaged to Mary before God revealed to her that she would be the mother of Jesus Christ, you know the Savior of the World?

Ah yes, and the plot thickens...

~*~
"I'm awed by the author’s writing skill. It is evident that she is a seasoned writer with great talent. Katheryn Haddad delves into the inner thoughts of Mary and Joseph on a personal level. By including modern concepts with authentic details of New Testament times, she demonstrates the relevance of the events of Christ’s birth. The author tells the story of Jesus in such a way that those who may not know the details of the scripture will be lead to read the gospels and those who are Bible scholars will hunger and thirst for the insights found in Star Song." 

~Review written by Mary Cheatham, author of Secret PromiseCourtship of Miss Loretta Larson, Dream Bucket and Abi of Cyrene 

~*~
A note for God is Love blog readers from Katheryn Haddad: Okay, here is the excerpt from Book 1, Star Song, Chapter 1, "Joseph: Two Fathers, One Son." The first part is where he discovers she is pregnant, the second is after his vision and God telling him to marry her. I think you can tell that when you read it. 

Star Song Book 1 excerpt written by Katheryn:

“Joseph, I love you with my whole heart. I have always loved you. You are the only man I have ever loved.” Mary then lets her cloak slip down to her feet. “Joseph, I am pregnant.”

Joseph stares in disbelief. Confusion takes over his eyes, his lips and his demeanor. Deep breathing builds up as if getting ready to fight an unknown, unseen enemy.

His fists clinch.

He puts a hand up to his forehead. He turns and looks away and then back again, hoping he only imagined what he was seeing and what he has just heard. But the love of his life is still pregnant.

Mary does not say anything. She just stands there. Tears. Waiting for him to say something.

“Mary! How could you do this to me?”

Joseph turns, jumps down the stairs four at a time, and bounds out of the house, leaving the gate open behind him. He throws the gift he’d brought her at the wall of her house.

He stumbles down some street in some town somewhere. Somehow, eventually, in a time where there is no time, a familiar gate appears. He staggers toward it, not completely aware that he is doing it.

Joseph puts his head down on his still-closed front gate. With his fist he pounds it relentlessly. “Mary! Mary! Not you! Why? Why?” he cries out to an unseeing and uncaring world. And though he is talking to Mary, he is glad she is not around to hear him. He is now aware that he never wants to see her again.

He sobs uncontrollably. Betrayed by innocence. But not innocence after all. The ultimate betrayal.

His voice, his sobs, swirl through his head and rush to the ears of Satan who laughs in sadistic excitement.

God wants to reach down and comfort him, but Joseph is not yet ready.

Somehow Joseph manages the lock and stumbles through the gateway to his courtyard, and toward his little living quarters, the living quarters he had thought he and Mary would be making into a home. But he cannot go inside.

“Oh, Jehovah God, why? Why, God? Why did it have to happen? Oh, God, not this,” He bellows at the sky.

Stumbling around the his hand lands on a bowl of water where he’d washed less than an hour earlier. He pushes it over and down onto the ground in retaliation. Retaliation on Mary. He works his way from object to object, throwing everything he can see with young, strong arms. The arms that once held Mary protectively.

He turns and, tramping over the mud and broken pottery on the ground, he finally makes his way into his quarters.

The man! Who’s the other guy? Who did this to her? He kicks the stool in the middle of the room.

Did Mary consent? Was she raped? He takes hold of the stool and throws it across the room.

He picks up a piece of fine clay on which he had sketched a picture of her and throws it at the wall. He drops to his knees and remains there a few moments as though begging providence to back up and start all over again with this morning.

He sits now in the floor with her picture. All broken. Crushed. Cut to the heart. Unhealable. Inconsolable. Betrayed with the ultimate betrayal.

Sprawling completely prostrate now, he hits his fist against the floor. He is bleeding. Bleeding from the broken pottery. Bleeding from the broken promise. The broken heart. The broken life. “Oh, Mary... Oh, God...” he groans.

Joseph opens his eyes and it is dark. No sounds on the street. It must be very late. Too late. Too late to do any work. Too late for Mary. Too late for him. Too late for happiness. 

...

He struggles to comprehend all the angel has just explained to him.

His hair in shambles, sawdust still permeating his clothes, tear stains crisscrossing his rugged face, he runs out the gate without locking it.

“I must get to Mary. She needs me.”

Bolting down the street, he races toward the home of his bride. Seemingly the homes and shops he passes jump out of his way. Seemingly the wind picks up his feet and delivers him to the familiar gate. He pounds on it and rattles the latch. Deliriously, he pounds on it.

“Mary! Open up. Forgive me, Mary. Please, you’ve got to come to the gate.”

The gate is opened. Joseph once more takes the stairs three at a time, spots Mary, and kneels in front of his beloved, his bride, the mother of God’s baby.

He puts his head in her lap and sobs. Mary sobs. Their tears mingle and rise higher and higher through the universe. At last they reach the throne of God and swirl restlessly at his feet.

God reaches down and touches those tears. Now, somehow, the young couple way down on earth, feels peace like a river.

~*~
Author bio:
Katheryn Maddox Haddad was born in the north, but moved to Arizona where there is no snow. She lives with her palm trees, cacti, and computer with the key names worn off. 

With a B.A. degree in English and Bible, she earned part of an M.A. in Bible, including Greek studies. She spends half her day writing and the other half teaching English using the Bible as a text book to Muslims around the world. 

She has converts to Christianity in hiding in Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Yemen, Uzbekistan, and Palestine. “They are my heroes,” she says.

~*~
Buy Katheryn's book:
Amazon.com - http://amzn.to/1SB15JN
Barnes & Noble - http://bit.ly/1Rm64MX
~*~
Connect with Katheryn:
Twitter - @KatherynHaddad

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Music as an act of worship, A devotional written by Ellie

My guest today, Ellie, has a unique but perhaps common take on music--she sees it as an "act of worship." Curious to know why? Read on and enjoy this devotional written by the same woman who writes novels for the Christian book market! :)

~*~
An Act of Worship
A devotional written by Eleanor K. Gustafson a.k.a. “Ellie”

I sometimes listen to high and holy music, such as John Rutter’s Gloria. A deliberate act, done alone, with no one watching—no one to see the first tears that turn into violent sobs. No one to see but God.

A deliberate act of worship.

I sit in the middle of that musical maelstrom, caught up, whirled around, shaken and wrung, emptied of self and filled with the glory of God that burst through the temporary tear in the fabric of the universe.

I don’t do this often. Such moments of pure worship cannot be borne easily. They exact a cost, as Daniel and Ezekiel and other prophets well knew. In Daniel’s encounter with a heavenly being, he says, “I was left alone, gazing at this great vision; I had no strength left, my face turned deathly pale and I was helpless.” (Daniel 10:8) The angel began speaking to Daniel, but the latter cried, “I am overcome with anguish because of the vision, and I am helpless. How can I, your servant, talk with you, my lord? My strength is gone, and I can hardly breathe." (Daniel 10:16, 17) After at least one of his visions, Daniel lay exhausted and ill for several days. (Daniel 8:27)

Prophets in general were prickly—not the sort you’d invite to afternoon tea. But when you consider their occupational hazards—Moses’ thunderbolts atop Mt. Sinai, Ezekiel’s UFOs, Isaiah’s burning coals—we can understand their lack of patience for banalities. Standing as they did at the interface of heaven and earth, such details as an altered order of worship or too-loud drums wouldn’t have mattered to them.

Worship music is different for different people. People who love contemporary praise songs might hold their ears against Rutter, whereas Rutter lovers are often bored by praise songs. I often find myself weeping through praise music, as well as classical, but then, God seems to have given me the gift of tears.

Might I suggest that the higher we reach both spiritually and musically, the closer we get to heaven’s musical interface. God spoke music into the world; music continues to speak his word.

God’s musical language penetrates every fiber and bone of my body. It is physical. It is emotional. It is spiritual. It knows me. It finds my weaknesses. It cannot remove weaknesses; only the blood of Jesus can do that. It can only touch sore points and make me weep. It gathers all human sorrows and joys from every land and every time. I see these sorrows and joys and cry out, “Lord God, King of heaven, thou that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us.”

~*~
Author bio:
Ellie grew up in Branchville, N.J. in a county that had more cows than people. She loved horses and the annual County Farm and Horse Show.

Ellie studied music at Wheaton College in Illinois until she "shoved off of music, tried on the cloak of writing and found that it fit quite well."

"God first touched me through a story, and he has molded and kneaded me all my life," Ellie said. "I love Him passionately." A writer of huge influence on Ellie's life is Eugene Peterson. "His books are meaty and challenging," she said. "Having endorsed my novel on King David, The Stones, he is my forever friend."

Ellie and her husband enjoy their 3 kids and 8 grandchildren. Ellie's husband works as a pastor, college professor, tree farmer, organist, writer, etc.

~*~
Buy Ellie's books:
The Stones: A Novel of the Life of King David - http://amzn.to/1Pbpm4P

~*~
Connect with Ellie:
E-mail - egus@me.com
Website - www.eleanorgustafson.com

Sunday, May 24, 2015

Love is in the Air: Author interview with Deborah M. Piccurelli

It's an honor to host Deborah M. Piccurelli, author of Love Comes Calling, on my blog today.

If you love stories about forgiveness, second chances and romance then you will truly enjoy this book by Deborah. Here's the best news--Deborah is giving away not one, not two but three copies of Love Comes Calling! So that means a total of three people can each win a book in this particular book giveaway contest! 

So read on, enjoy the author interview of Deborah and remember to follow the instructions in the Rafflecopter widget (found at the end of the interview) for your chance to WIN a book! :)

*Please note: Interview questions by Alexis are in bold, answers from Deborah are not in bold.

~*~
Alexis: I loved your book, Love Comes Calling! It’s such a delightful read. What can you tell my readers about your book? Speak to those who have not read it yet.

Deborah: Thank you for the compliment, Alexis! What I want to tell your readers about my novella is that they will enjoy the story if they are fans of tender, sweet love stories. They will also like it if they enjoy reading stories of forgiveness and redemption. Also, this book has what I hoped is a unique story line. How could a woman forgive a man who almost killed her two years before, let alone fall in love with him?

What did you love the most about writing Love Comes Calling?

It was just a fun book to write. The characters were fun and took over the story almost from the beginning.

Share your favorite memory from writing and publishing Love Comes Calling.

The publishing of this book was sort of a surprise. I heard that Prism Book Group was holding a contest. I didn’t have anything currently completed, but the first thing that came to my mind was this novella, Love Comes Calling I had written years before, so I checked it out to see if it was ready to submit the portion the publisher requested. I found that it needed a good bit of editing, so did a first edit myself. Then a friend, who is a professional editor, also critiqued it. I was one of three authors to win and get to send the complete manuscript in. After a few suggestions to revise, the editor then offered me a contract. I was so excited to see that a little novella I never thought would go anywhere would be published!

The first character we meet in Love Comes Calling is Derek Spencer. Tell my readers about Mr. Spencer. What do you hope readers will respect about him? Is there anything to not like about him? What is his purpose in your story?


I hope that readers will respect the fact that Derek is caring, kind and dashing. And that he wants to make things right, once he has become a Christian. I don’t know if there is really anything to not like about him. Maybe that he deceived Charlie from the beginning? Or that he almost caused her death two years before they met? But he was changed, so he sought forgiveness from the Lord and Charlie, too. But then he lies . . . Derek’s purpose is to be the love interest for Charlie, and an example of the redeemed.

Charlotte "Charlie" is your leading lady. She’s been through trauma but survived. What makes her so strong? What are her hopes, dreams and desires?

Charlie’s strength comes from the Lord, first and foremost. Then she has a strong and loving support system in her family. Her dream was to be a ballet dancer for most of her career life, but that dream has been crushed by Derek. Now, her hope is that, if she can’t dance herself, she’ll teach children to dance. 


Charlotte’s character in Love Comes Calling addresses an issue many women deal with—acceptance. Charlotte does not believe a man will love her just the way she is—scars, flaws and all. Why did you choose to allow this to be Charlotte’s journey? What are you hoping female readers will learn as they read Charlotte’s story?

For people who feel inferior because of looks, lack of talent or social skills can learn that, first, God loves them. They are his workmanship. Next, I would hope the story will encourage them and show that there are people in the world who don’t care what the outside looks like, but will look inside a person to find the beauty there. Lastly, I would hope this story will give them confidence in themselves, and help them to be exactly who God created them to be.

What would you say is the main theme of your novel, Love Comes Calling?

Forgiveness. Forgiveness of self, and forgiveness of one who has offended.

Let’s pretend your book is being made into a movie. What would be a few songs on the soundtrack to Love Comes Calling?


Ah, the first song that comes to mind is from the 70's, I think, and I don’t remember who performed it, but it’s "I Love You Just the Way You Are."

If you book really were made into a movie, who would you want to play Charlotte and Derek? Explain why.


Goodness, I’m not up on the young stars, since I don’t watch a lot of current TV shows and movies. The best I can do is Channing Tatum for Derek, even though Derek has blonde hair and Channing doesn’t. Maybe Rachel McAdams for Charlotte. These two have worked together before, so I know there’s an on-screen chemistry there.

Complete this sentence: As a writer, I love to _______________because
_________________.

As a writer, I love to read because it’s like my own personal, little vacation, and helps me to keep my skills up to par.

Alexis: Thanks for the interview, Deborah! If you’d like to give away a copy of Love Comes Calling, please leave a question for my readers.

Deborah: Thank you so much for hosting me, Alexis! Great questions. 

Deborah's question for the book giveaway contest is: What would you do if the man who almost killed you and ruined your life showed up on your doorstep two years later?
a Rafflecopter giveaway
~*~
Author bio: 
After years of reading books and watching movies with an element of romance, Deborah M. Piccurelli’s desire to write romance novels came naturally. She is active in her church and is an advocate for sanctity of life. 

Deborah is the author of two novels, a novella and several cause-related newspaper articles. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, and the New Jersey Society of Christian Writers. 

As one of the winners in a contest by The Christian Authors Show, details of Deborah’s writing journey can be found in the 2013-2014 edition of the book, 50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading. Deborah lives in New Jersey with her husband and their two sons. 

~*~
Blurb for Love Comes Calling:

The day new Christian, Derek Spencer, shows up on Charlie Parkes’s doorstep to make up for what he’d done, is the very day he falls in love with her. But Charlie’s sister mistakes him for a home improvement contractor, and he decides to play along until he finds a way to tell her who he really is.

Charlie is attracted to Derek, but knows the attention he pays her is only flattery. How could such a great-looking guy fall for someone with a face like hers? Nevertheless, the two form a relationship that brings a joy to Charlie that’s way beyond her wildest dreams.

But what will happen when Derek’s true identity is revealed?

~*~
Buy Deborah’s book:
Amazon.com - http://amzn.to/1FIENAj
Barnes & Noble - http://bit.ly/1ErjNsC

~*~
Connect with Deborah:
Facebook - www.facebook.com/deborah.piccurelli
Pinterest - Pinterest.com/DebPiccurelli
Twitter -@DebPiccurelli

Thursday, May 21, 2015

Love is in the Air: Sally Bradley, indie author of the award-winning Contemporary Christian novel, "Kept"

Meet Sally Bradley:

She's the author of this book:

It's received 197 reviews on Amazon.com as of today and most are five-star! Here's a classic example of reader reviews for Sally's novel

“Vibrant characters, compelling questions, modern-day issues... Kept is a contemporary Christian classic along the lines of Redeeming Love. Impossible to put down, this story pulls us into the heart of Chicago and shows us how God’s hand can work, even when we repeatedly make the wrong choices. Sally Bradley’s voice is gripping and clear, and her debut is a shining beacon of how very relevant Christian fiction can be.” ~Heather Day Gilbert, author of God’s Daughter, Miranda Warning, and Trial by Twelve

~*~
Blurb for Kept:

"Gutsy and fast-paced."—Laura Frantz, author of Love's Reckoning 

"One of the most surprising and best books I’ve read this year."—MaryLu Tyndall, best-selling author of Legacy of the King's Pirates series

Life has taught Miska Tomlinson that there are no honorable men. Her womanizing brothers, her absentee father, and Mark, the married baseball player who claims to love her—all have proven undependable. But Miska has life under control. She runs her editing business from her luxury condo, stays fit with daily jogs along Chicago's lakefront, and in her free time blogs anonymously about life as a kept woman.

Enter new neighbor Dillan Foster. Between his unexpected friendship and her father's sudden reappearance, Miska loses control of her orderly life. Her relationship with Mark deteriorates, and Miska can't help comparing him to Dillan. His religious views are so foreign, yet the way he treats her is something she's longed for. But Dillan discovers exactly who she is and what she has done. Too late she finds herself longing for a man who is determined to never look her way again.

When her blog receives unexpected national press, Miska realizes that her anonymity was an illusion. Caught in a scandal about to break across the nation, Miska wonders if the God Dillan talks about would bother with a woman like her—a woman who's gone too far and done too much. 

~*~
Sally is so nice, she provided an excerpt from Kept:

Sally says: This scene comes very close to the middle of Kept. Miska, our heroine, has just come off a really bad, no-good, awful, horrible week. She’s really close to hitting bottom—and is beginning to realize it. For the first time she’s admitting that life the way she’s doing it just isn’t working, and while this is a dramatic, somewhat painful moment for her, it’s necessary for her to face in order to change. Now she’s home after a not-so-wonderful lunch with her dad. She’s upset about something he did and has called him to let him know how she feels.

Excerpt: 

Dad sighed on his end of the phone. “You know it’s awfully hard to be a good dad when you didn’t have one yourself.”

So there it was. It wasn’t his fault, just like it wasn’t Wade’s fault or Zane’s fault that they couldn’t make a marriage last. “You know, Dad, I’m sorry you had a rotten family life. I am, because I know what that’s like.”

“Don’t throw that back at me.”

“I’m not. Honestly. But don’t you think someone needs to stand up and say enough? That it’s time to quit passing on the mistakes of our parents? Don’t you get tired of that?”

He didn’t say anything.

“I have a nephew I never see because he lives with his mom who hates Zane’s guts. And Zane thinks his son will be fine without him because he was fine without his dad. And I wonder what that little boy will grow up to be, what he’ll do to a woman twenty years from now. And all I wish is that some man out there would step in and be his dad and show him how to be the right kind of man.”

“Like I wasn’t, you mean.”

“It’s the truth, isn’t it?” She groaned. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to rub your past in your face. I’m just thinking out loud. Wishing I could make things better.”

“Some things can’t be fixed.”

“But we can’t give up on the future either.” What did her future hold? True love? A hot, faithful man who’d love her no matter what? Could Mark be that for her?

What about Dillan?

She pushed that idea away. Dillan would be faithful to his wife, just like he’d said. She tightened her grip on the phone. “I really have to go.”

“Miska—”

“No, Dad. I’ll talk to you later.” She hung up. Already she hated some woman she didn’t know, some woman who’d end up with a crazy-tall, decent-looking guy who’d love her in ways Miska couldn’t imagine.

She set the phone aside. “Enough,” she whispered.

Nothing changed. Mark was still coming back. And Dillan—

Dillan would never look at her again.

~*~
Author bio: Sally Bradley writes big-city fiction with real issues and real hope. A Chicagoan since age five, she now lives in the Kansas City area with her family, but they still get back to Chicago once in a while for important things—like good pizza and a White Sox game. Fiction has been her passion since childhood, and she’s thrilled now to be writing books that not only entertain, but point back to Christ. 

~*~
Buy Sally's book:
Kept is available for purchase on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

~*~
Connect with Sally: 
Website - sallybradley.com 
Twitter - @SallyBWrites

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Love is in the Air: Is Falling in Love An Unavoidable Dive?

Today's special guest married the man of her dreams when she turned Sweet 16. True story, Ada became Mrs. Brownell on her 16th birthday! 

The married couple are celebrating 62 years of wedded bliss that produced five children, eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

You'd think a couple who share such a remarkable life story would have good advice to share about matters of the heart. So today, I invited Ada to share her story and invite your mind to ponder the whether or not falling in love is unavoidable.

Enjoy! :)

~*~
Is Falling in Love An Unavoidable Dive?
Written by Ada Brownell

I’ve studied and written about love many times, but writing my historical romance, The Lady Fugitive, was an exceptional experience. As with my own, that love takes a while to burst into full bloom.

Truth is, I wasn’t looking for romance when for some reason I caught the eye of my future husband. He’s my brother-in-law’s brother and I at almost 15 barely noticed him, except I knew several girls in our church were crazy about him. He was handsome, but nearly five years older and working for the railroad.

I was president of the youth group and busy with a job, school, and ministry. I’d had a couple of dates but I didn’t like either of the guys much. I didn’t expect romance until later. After all, a freckled redhead would never have a bunch of handsome suitors.

I’d noticed L.C. watching me before, but it was at a Sunday school ice skating party that I knew something was going on. He had taken skating lessons while in telegraph school in Minneapolis. My dad found skates at an auction for me and my brother and I spent part of every winter on frozen ponds and canals.

L.C. and I were about the only ones at the party who knew how to skate. Others spent their time wobbling on their blades and drinking hot chocolate around the fire.

This young man began talking to me as we went around the moon-lit curves in the canal. I wondered why he was talking to me. Then he asked if he could take me home. Afterward, he asked me for a date. Flattered, I accepted, but I didn’t expect love. After all, my sister was engaged five times before she married.

I didn’t know he was smitten and hunting for a wife.

That led to a year of dating, breaking up, making up, and then a proposal and engagement. But even then I broke up with him and almost refused to have anything to do with him. He wanted to tell me what to do. I wanted no part of that. Yet, he persisted and finally we married on my 16th birthday.

We’ve had a wonderful life together, have five children and have been married 62 years.

I finished high school, later earned my college degree, and I’ve studied love a long time.

Falling in love is an act of the will. Cupid doesn’t shoot you with a poison love arrow and “twang!” you’re a goner. Love happens because of several circumstances.

1. You are around the person of the opposite sex frequently (that’s called propinquity—what happens when you are near in time and space).

2. You desire someone in your life.

3. Your God-given instincts are telling you to create a family.

4. The person will build your ego.

5. Because you decide to fall in love to create excitement in your life.

6. Because no one better is available.

7. Because you have similar interests.

8. Because you are lonely.

9. Because someone else thinks it’s a good idea.

10. Most important: Because while you were in the womb God had a plan for your lives, and your love is so strong you feel you can’t live without one another (Psalm 37:23).

Finally, long marriages happen because you decide to continue to love one another, obey God’s Word, and honor the vows made before God to cherish only each other until death—the most romantic words ever spoken.

~*~
Author bio:

Ada Brownell, a devoted Bible student, has written for Christian publications since age 15 and spent much of her life as a reporter for The Pueblo Chieftain in Colorado. She also is a veteran youth Christian education teacher. 

After moving to Missouri in her retirement, she continues to write books, free lance for Sunday school papers, Christian magazines, write op-ed pieces for newspapers, and blogs with stick-to-your-soul encouragement. 

She is the author of six books. She is a member of Ozarks Chapter of American Christian Writers and American Christian Fiction Writers. She and her husband have five children, eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

~*~
Blurb for Ada's book, The Lady Fugitive: 


How does a respected elocutionist become a face on a wanted poster?

Jenny Louise Parks escapes from the coal bin, and her abusive uncle offers a handsome reward for her return. Because he is a judge, he will find her or he won’t inherit her parents’ ranch. 

Determination to remain free grips Jenny, especially after she meets William and there’s a hint of romance. But while peddling household goods and showing a Passion of the Christ moving picture, he discovers his father’s brutal murder. 

Will Jenny avoid the bounty hunters? Can she forgive the person who turns her in?

~*~
Buy Ada's book, The Lady Fugitive, on Ada's Amazon Author page:

~*~
Connect with Ada:
Blog - http://inkfromanearthenvessel.blogspot.com Stick-to-Your-Soul Encouragement


Twitter - @AdaBrownell

Monday, May 18, 2015

Love is in the Air: The Appeal of Happily-Ever-After

Women who love reading books about love, believe in the beautiful fairy tale of boy-meets-girl stories that end with "and they lived happily ever after." But how attainable is such a happy ending in real-life?

Today, I invited inspirational romance author Amanda Cabot to my blog in order to talk about happy endings in real-life and on the page. 

Enjoy! :)

~*~
The Appeal of Happily-Ever-After
A guest post written by Amanda Cabot

“And they all lived happily ever after.” For as long as I can remember, the stories that caught my fancy were the ones that ended with those words. They didn’t have to begin with those other famous words, “Once upon a time, many long years ago,” because I was just as happy reading books about happily-ever-after in modern times, but one thing was definite: I wanted a happy ending. I loved the books and the movies where the hero and heroine walked off into the sunset, hand in hand, leaving no doubt they would have their happily-ever-after. Why? Maybe it’s because I’m a hopeless romantic. But then so are many others. That’s why romance is the best selling form of genre fiction.

Love is definitely in the air … and on the page. Though romance novels are often considered the Rodney Dangerfields of the literary world, not getting much respect and being dismissed as little more than cotton candy, they have literally millions of loyal readers and represent sales of more than a billion – yes, that’s a “b” – dollars each year.

Were you surprised by that? That would be a lot of cotton candy, wouldn’t it? But romance novels aren’t cotton candy. They’re books that celebrate a fundamental aspect of human life: the need to be loved. Embedded inside each person is the desire to find that one special person who knows us better than anyone else, who puts stars in our eyes, who makes us feel complete. And when we do find that person, the world seems a better place.

My friend and fellow romance author, April Kihlstrom, says, “The message of romance novels is that one can be true to oneself, really true to oneself, and find love and acceptance. It’s about men and women coming together in ways that empower both and diminish neither. It’s about love and fidelity and commitment – too rare in our society these days – and it’s about empowering women to imagine all the possibilities open to them to live fulfilling lives.” Wow! That’s a mouthful, isn’t it? And it’s true.

There are other reasons why romance novels are so popular and why they outsell other forms of genre fiction. The first is that readers know what to expect when they pick up a romance. The contract we authors make with our readers is twofold: first, we promise that our protagonists are admirable characters. They may be flawed, but they’re intrinsically good people. You won’t find a serial killer or a psychopath as the hero of a romance novel. The second promise we make is that there will be a happy or at least a satisfying ending. In a world of ambiguities, we provide certainties, and that’s satisfying to readers.

But just because we have basically honorable people who will eventually find their happy ending doesn’t mean that the books are fluff. No, indeed. Some romance novels deal with heavy subjects, everything from domestic violence, death and serious illness to PTSD and drug abuse. That doesn’t sound like cotton candy, does it? It sounds like real life. But it’s real life within what some refer to as a “safe” framework.

What do I mean by safe? It’s that contract we authors make with readers, that there will be a happy ending. Including serious and sometimes heart-breaking subjects in a romance novel gives readers the opportunity to confront their fears and to overcome them by indentifying with fictional characters who face the same problems but manage to surmount them. Knowing there will be a happy ending allows readers to experience the pain and sorrow that the fictional characters endure, because no matter how dire the circumstances, readers know that at the end they will find healing along with the characters. For some readers, this is therapy without the high price tag. For others, it’s an affirmation that while their lives may not be perfect, they’re better than the fictional heroine’s. In either case, these serious romances deliver the message that love heals, and oh, what a powerful message that is.

Whether they celebrate the sometimes humorous bumps on the road to true love or the way love can heal even the deepest hurts, romance novels share several characteristics. They are powerful; they are empowering; they celebrate a fundamental human need. That’s why I love reading and writing them. So, let’s celebrate, because love is in the air.

~*~
Author bio:
 
Amanda Cabot is the bestselling author of more than thirty novels including the Texas Dreams trilogy, the Westward Winds series, and Christmas Roses. 

A former director of Information Technology, she has written everything from technical books and articles for IT professionals to mysteries for teenagers and romances for all ages. 

Amanda is delighted to now be a full-time writer of Christian romances, living happily ever after with her husband in Wyoming.

~*~
Blurb for Amanda's book, In Firefly Valley:


She’s lost her dream job—but has she found the man of her dreams?

Devastated by a downsizing, Marisa St. George has no choice but to return to the small Texas town where she grew up. Though it means a giant step backward, she accepts a position as business manager at the struggling Rainbow’s End resort. The only silver lining: Blake Kendall, a new guest who might make her believe in love at first sight. But will Marisa’s dreams of happily-ever-after be turned upside down when she discovers Blake’s real identity?

This warm and witty story of dreams deferred and mistaken identity will have you believing in second chances.

~*~
Buy Amanda's book, In Firefly Valley:
Amazon.com - http://amzn.to/1Fi3AtM
Barnes & Noble - http://bit.ly/1IK0mBu
Christianbook.com - http://bit.ly/1JRlCUs

Sunday, May 17, 2015

Love is in the Air: Author interview with Caryl McAdoo

Let's welcome traditionally published author Caryl McAdoo who is here today to visit with us again, this time to talk about two of her latest books! :)

Caryl's new novel, One and Done, releases this July. However, her current novel Sins of the Mothers released earlier this month of May. The exciting news is, Caryl is giving away one copy of her novel Sins of the Mothers! You can enter the book giveaway contest by answering Caryl's question in the comment section and filling out the option on the Rafflecopter widget which you will find below after Caryl's author interview.

Enjoy your time with Caryl as you discover more about her love for writing, insight into how she creates the characters of her books, tips she shares for aspiring authors, and reasons why she loves her family.

*Please note my questions are in bold and Caryl's answers are not in bold. 

~*~
Alexis: Tell me about your next book. What is it called? When does it release?

Caryl: My next novel, One and Done, debuts in July just in time for baseball’s All-Star Break. It’s book three of the Red River Romance contemporary series and its hero George Herman Walter Johnson is phenom on the pitcher’s mound, playing for a Mexican team, but the Rangers have scouted him and the rumors are…His heroine is Samantha Danielle, the cutest weather girl on Dallas TV, is sent south of the border to get ahead of the story…if there is one. His charm and debonair bowls her over, but turns out, he’s such a goody two-shoes, she can’t even get him to first base.

Why did you write it?

My husband is a huge baseball fan—and a writer, too, so we thought it would be fun. He kept me straight on all the baseball lingo. I love doing projects with him, whether shopping for groceries, building a new room onto the house, or writing a book. He never liked romance because everyone knows who’s going to get with who, so I figured with a baseball backdrop…um hum.

What is the inspiration behind the title?


I birthed three boys and a girl, then almost as soon as those were reared and I had me an empty nest, God filled it right back up with four more boys. All of them played baseball as did all my other grandsons, and O’Pa coached them and Grami was usually team mom. I thought if I told them I wrote a baseball book, they might read it.

Who are your main characters? What are their names? What do they like and dislikes? What are their flaws, strengths and motivation?


Sammi Dan is a young woman who grew up in Dimples, Texas, a little community in Red River County. Her mama divorced her daddy and married her old high school sweetheart when Samantha was only eight, and she stayed with her daddy. So she’s not so sure about committing, and is caught up in her career and partying. She’s an avid reader, too. Her hero in One and Done was reared by his grandfather, so they have something in common, except that Gij (his nickname from George after Babe Ruth) had a father figure whose first love was God, and he’d trained his boy up in the way he should go. This becomes a huge source of conflict for the unlikely couple.

If you could spend a weekend with one of your characters in your latest book, how would you spend it? Why?

Oh, yes, my latest book is Sins of The Mothers. It debuted May 3 and I’d love to spend a weekend with Henry Buckmeyer visiting Jethro Risen’s orphanage outside San Francisco. I love children and would enjoy hugging and telling stories and singing songs with all the little ones growing up there. Be an honorary Grami to them.

Share insight into your creative process. When do you write? How much time per day do you spend writing? How do you write, what inspires you?

The real writing goes on in the mind, working out the story and back story, thinking about the characters and their motivations. It has to be believable. So by the time I sit down to go to work, it’s already written and that’s when I fix sentence structures and add the sensory detail and bring my friends to life on the page. I write all times of the day, depending on the set plans, like writers workshop at noon on odd Wednesdays, the Brown Bag Book Club on the second Tuesdays, and gathering with my Luncheon Ladies once a month. I write to give God glory and advance His Kingdom, sharing the Truths He’s shared with me. My stories come from Him, and so He is my inspiration.

What’s the best advice you can give to aspiring authors on character creation?


Base them on people you know, putting a lot of yourself in them – at least I do in my heroines. My heroes are a lot like my husband of forty-seven years. Give them flaws, no one is perfect. Do not make them all sound like you. Everyone doesn’t talk like you do, we all have nuances to our ‘voice’ and sound different. You need to know their back story, so work all that out, but do not dump it on your readers. Use it like salt – sprinkled through your story. Too much in one place spoils it. Write villains you love to hate, but they can’t be all bad either. Give your hero a sidekick and a mentor. Make them your friends, fall in love yourself, and your readers will, too.

As an author, what’s your specialty? Do you only write one genre like historical or contemporary romance? Explain.

One of my favorite mentors—Berkley’s bestselling western author—told me one time, “Caryl, pick a genre.” But I never could until I found Christian fiction. Within that wide covering, I write historical and contemporary romance and Biblical fiction. I also love writing Christian fiction for Mid-Grade readers. Why do I write what I write? To bring God glory and advance His Kingdom on earth!

Describe your writing space. What makes it special to you?

I have a large armoire in my master bedroom, a window that looks over the front of the house on my right and a fireplace on my left. We live in the woods, so I see lots of green shades in the trees and birdies and some of the flowers I’ve planted, and my dogs and cats walk by some, too.

What makes you strong as a writer?

My faith in God. I have studied to shew myself approved and learned my craft well—because God led me (that’s most important) to an awesome writers’ workshop where I attended once a week for fifteen years barely missing a handful of meetings (commitment) and gave me a brain able to soak up the knowledge shared there. I understand point of view, the difference between passive and active, characterization and the necessary growth of my characters. I continue to study and learn, always seeking to improve. It is the best compliment when one of my regular readers says, “This one is even better than the last.” That’s music to my ears!

How did you start working with Simon & Schuster?

My agent Mary Sue Seymour told me to write her a historical Christian romance set in the 1800s and she’d sell it. I wrote the novel in nine weeks and sent it to her, and two months after she signed me, she sold my Vow Unbroken (manuscript) to Simon and Schuster’s Howard Books division. My editor there was awesome and I enjoyed working with her and all the other editors they ran the manuscript through. In many ways, they did improve it, but they also made it fit into their ‘formula’ for success. My proofreader, when after much prayer I decided to go Indie (publish my own stories), told me, “Caryl, I truly loved Vow Unbroken. It was a wonderful book, but book two, Hearts Stolen…it’s the cat’s meow.” Book three Hope Reborn, debuted this past January, and book four, Sins of The Mothers, launched May 3. So many are saying book four is the best of the series.

What advice do you have to aspiring authors who want to be traditionally published?

Pray. Study your craft. Be faithful to a GOOD writers’ group – not one where the members always tell you how great your writing is, find one where they almost make you cry tearing your work apart. Then when…if…you finally hear a “Good Read” you’ll know you earned it. Attend conferences to learn more about the craft and get comfortable speaking with agents and editors. Keep writing and if you know God brought you to it, never give up.

What is your go-to food or drink when you’re on deadline?


Don’t have a go-to food. I’m fine just not eating until I’m done, and will stay in my seat. Now if anyone brings me something, I’ll set my keyboard up top and eat a bite while I work. But that’s come-here food, so I’m never picky. Whatever anyone brings, I’ll eat and be thankful!

How do you get over writer’s block? Or do you never have that problem?

Not really what I’d call writers’ block. I would never say I get that. I believe that God creates the fruit of my lips so I try my best not to ever speak negatively over myself. BUT, I’ve discovered if my characters stop moving the story along and nothing is working, if I go back to where they were happy and the words flowed onto the monitor, and let them take me in the direction that’s right, I’m able to go right on ahead. It’s fun to say my characters, but I know it’s Holy Spirit.

Why do you love writing about love?

God IS love, and He is my everything. Romances have blessed, happy endings. I love instilling through my stories that only with God as a third party in the love between a man and woman can true joy be found.

How does your faith in God play into your storytelling?

I pray my story gives God glory. Every word, paragraph, page, scene, and chapter from beginning to end, plays into my storytelling by my faith which in itself is a gift from my Beloved.

What do you hope your readers remember most about your latest book?


How it drew them into a closer love-walk with Him, encouraged them to be bolder in their faith, taught them a Biblical principal they hadn’t thought of or had never seen before. How much they can’t wait to read every book I write! And what they can do to be sure this novel is made into a movie to bless even more people!

Complete this sentence: As a writer, I _____________ because __________________________.


As a writer, I always pray because without Him I am nothing.

Thank you for the interview, Caryl! Would you like to give away a copy of your latest book? If yes, please leave a question for my readers to answer.

I’d be happy to give away a copy of Sins of the Mothers.

Caryl's question: As a reader of Christian fiction, what do you enjoy most in a story?


a Rafflecopter giveaway
~*~
Author bio:
Simon & Schuster published Christian hybrid author, Caryl McAdoo is currently writing three series: her historical Christian ‘Texas Romance’; the contemporary ‘Red River Romance’; and ‘The Generations’, her Biblical fiction.

The novelist loves singing new songs the Lord gives her, and she paints. In 2008, she and her high school sweetheart-husband Ron moved from the DFW area—home for fifty-five years—to the woods of Red River County.

Caryl counts four children and fourteen grandsugars life’s biggest blessings believing all good things come from God. Praying her story gives God glory, she hopes each one will also minister His love, mercy, and grace to its readers. Caryl and Ron live in Clarksville, the county seat, in the far northeast corner of the Lone Star State.

~*~
Book blurb for Sins of the Mothers


Blind love propels Mary Rachel to defy her father and elope to California with Caleb Wheeler where betrayal and murder drive her to despair. Who will ever love her enough to cover her sins and deliver her from the pit she’s dug for herself?




Excerpt from Sins of the Mothers:

With everyone on the porch for the clan’s sendoff, Mary Rachel decided for sure and for certain and could wait no longer. She took a deep breath and hugged his neck. “Daddy, I’m sorry. I really am, but I can’t go. No, I mean I’m not going. I can’t leave. I won’t.”

He leaned back and stared at her for too long a minute, his face suddenly stone cold. “What did you just say?”

She grimaced; steam rose to her cheeks. He softened just like he always had when her mother turned on him. Saying it aloud made it all the more real, strengthened her resolve. “I cannot be gone for seven months. I thought for a while maybe I could, but I can’t, Daddy.”

Her new mother stepped close. “But Mary Rachel, why? It’s the trip of a lifetime. I promise you’ll adore Europe.”

“It’s just Mary now, please. No Rachel. That’s what Caleb calls me.”

His voice lowered to almost a whisper, he slipped some of the steel back on. “So. This is about that boy.”

“He’s a man, Daddy, and you know it. We love each other.”

“If he loves you, baby, then he’ll wait. It’s only seven months. He should be thrilled you have this opportunity to travel Europe.”

“Well, I’ve made my decision, and I’m not going.”

“We’ve booked your passage.”

“I know, and I’m sorry. I should have told you sooner, but I knew you wouldn’t be happy about my decision.” She looked off at the tree line, hating the disappointment in his eyes. But that was a coward’s way, so she faced him again. “Like I said, I thought I could. Anyway, let Bonnie take my place.”

From somewhere, her youngest sister burst into the middle. “Can I, Daddy? Please take me! I’ll be good. Mama, tell him how good I’ll be.” She turned those doe eyes on him. “Pleeeease.”

* * * * *
Six miles, north by northwest as the turkey vultures soar from Clarksville, Texas, the very reason Mary stayed home, rode his best mule as he skidded the black walnut saw log back to his cabin. Caleb looked behind. “Slow, girl, almost there.”

He nudged the animal a bit further, the timber only feet from his makeshift hoist. Two more steps, then he eased Harley Sue to a stop. He hopped down then rubbed the old girl’s near ear. “You sure are a good mule.”

The distant rattle of trace chains turned him east, for a minute he stared, then she waved. “Well, look here what the cat drug in.”

~*~
Book reviews for Sins of the Mothers:

"I've often wondered if the past can repeat itself in a person's life and Mary Rachel Buckmeyer gave me my answer. Love, betrayal, despair, the sweet faith of little children, and the perseverance of a miner. These all made for a wonderful story of what life was like in San Francisco during the gold rush of the 1850's. When I finished the last page of Mary's story, I smiled and thought... I loved this story! But... There had better be another book coming because I want more of these Buckmeyer's! I'd recommend this story to anyone who enjoys reading a good Christian, historical fiction of the 1800's."- Deanna Stevens, Nebraska reader

"Sins of the Mother. Caryl McAdoo does it again with what I think is the best book yet in this series. The characters are so real and have a heap of real issues on their plates from page one. Pick it up and you won't be able to put it down." - Holly Michael

~*~
Buy Caryl's books:

Connect with Caryl:

Website - http://www.CarylMcAdoo.com  (All First Chapters are offered here)

Newsletter - http://carylmcadoo.com/sign-up-to-the-caryler/ 
(Get FREE books for subscribing!)

Reviewer? - http://carylmcadoo.com/christian-evaluaters/
(Join Caryl’s Street Team!)