Romantic Reads: Permelia Cottage

Interview with Carole Lehr Johnson about her novel, Permelia Cottage:

Alexis: What is the significance of the title of your story?

Carole: Permelia is the name of one of my ancestors, and since it’s such a unique name, I thought I’d use it for my cottage.

Alexis: How did you research this story? Did you visit an old cottage in England?

Carole: In 2013, my writing partner and I stayed in Blue Cottage in Wiltshire, England. It was built in the sixteenth-century. I’d already formulated the story, and this cottage fit. Although I did alter the floor plan, etc.

Alexis: Why are the themes of faith and healing central to this story?

Carole: That God works behind the scenes, guiding circumstances to bring about His will, which is always for our good.

Alexis: Tell me about your story’s heroine, Susannah. What is special about her? Describe her looks, personality, and heart. What is her greatest strength?

Carole: Her fortitude. She’s been through a lot in her life but has held onto her faith in God. She’s medium height, dark blonde hair, even-tempered. She has compassion for others. Her greatest strength is staying the course with God.

Alexis: Why did Susannah leave her country? Where does she go?

Carole: She is estranged from her son and has always longed to live in the UK. A small village in the north of England.

Alexis: Why does Susannah’s son not want to be around her? Explain the reason for the adversity.

Carole: Ryan holds her responsible for his father’s abandonment when he was a child. I’d rather not include any spoilers and ruin the story for those who have not read it.

Alexis: How did Susannah first discover Permelia Cottage? Why is it her dream to own it?

Carole: She’d done an online search before her trip to the UK, and this cottage was on the list. Her English ancestry was very close to her heart, and she had fallen in love with this particular area of England from her past travels there and wanted to revisit it.

Alexis: Describe the village of Neville. Why is it special to the people who live there?

Carole: Neville is a picturesque English village with many charming historic buildings, houses, and cottages and a family-like community of closeness.

Alexis: Tell me about your story’s hero Colin Heard. What makes him a remarkable man? Describe his looks, personality, and goals. What is his greatest weakness?

Carole: Colin is tall and lean, has dark-wavy hair, and holds great respect in the community. He is a man of principle. His company is very successful, and he uses his wealth to help others, but he does sometimes overstep his boundaries to help someone.

Alexis: How did Colin and Susannah meet? Why was their attraction so instant and mutual? Explain what drew them together like a magnet and share what threatens to tear them apart.

Carole: The story of Colin and Susannah’s meeting is near to my heart, and I’d rather the reader discover this on their own. I will say that Susannah’s insecurities cause some turmoil between them, along with misunderstandings and issues from Colin’s past.

Alexis: Tell me about Susannah’s son Ryan. What is it about the past that he longs to forget? Why does he believe that he needs to have a structured life in New York City. What is his motivation? Describe the deeper meaning to all of this without giving away the story.

Carole: Ryan is an up-and-coming marketing executive in New York City. He longs for the success and prestige of moving up the corporate ladder, but he also is haunted by the hurts of his childhood and confusion in his teenage years. He is struggling with a lot but burying it deeply until a special encounter in England starts him to question many aspects of his life.

Alexis: Who is April Conyers and why is her role in this story of great significance?

Carole: April is a young woman from the village of Neville, who owns a bookshop in a nearby village. She becomes intertwined in the story when she meets Ryan in England and realizes her connection to his mother. She is also grappling with a painful past.

Alexis: What is it about April that makes Ryan feel drawn to her and want to know her more?

Carole: April is friendly and straightforward. She also seems to see more into his past than he wants anyone to do.

Alexis: What is April’s first impression of Ryan? Is it a lasting impression? Why or why not?

Carole: Her first impression is that he seems a bit too focused on his career and a bit uptight, and that he is uncomfortable speaking about his mother.

Alexis: Why did you as the author put Ryan on a path to redemption? How will this help him?

Carole: When the story starts, Ryan thinks he has his life figured out and has just what he wants out of that life. But he needs to grapple with the past, and he does not want to do so.

Alexis: What do you want readers to remember the most about your story?

Carole: That God is a God of second chances and redemption and no matter how far we run from the truth He will reveal it to us if we will seek Him.

Alexis: Thanks for the interview, Carole! Would you like to share closing comments?

Carole: Thank you for having me as your guest, Alexis. I have enjoyed our chat about my debut novel. I want to mention that my next novel, A Place in Time, is set to release on May 26, 2021. It is a bit of a departure from Permelia Cottage as it involves time travel to the 17th century, but it is still set within the heart of England at a manor house. If anyone would like more information, please visit my website, www.carolelehrjohnson.com.

~*~
Author Bio:

Carole Lehr Johnson is a veteran travel consultant of more than 30 years and has served as head of genealogy at her local library.

Her love of tea and scones, castles and cottages, and all things British have led her to immerse her writing in the United Kingdom, whether in the genre of historical or contemporary fiction.

She is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and the president of her local chapter. She and her husband live in Louisiana with their goofy cats. Permelia Cottage is her first novel.

For more information, visit www.CaroleLehrJohnson.com.

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Back cover copy for Carole’s book, Permelia Cottage:

Can an old English cottage bring renewed faith and healing to several broken hearts?

Susannah Wilkinson leaves her country, and the son she no longer believes wants nor needs her, and flees to England to fulfill her lifelong dream of owning a centuries-old cottage.

Life in the quiet village of Neville is everything she dreamed of, though an interest in the charming Colin Heard was never on the agenda. Their mutual attraction comes to an abrupt end when Susannah finds herself in an unexpected life-altering situation.

Two years later, Ryan Wilkinson travels to Neville to settle his mother's affairs. He longs to forget the past and return to his structured life in New York City. During his days in the village, he meets local bookstore owner April Conyers. He unexpectedly feels drawn to her as they work together for her to purchase his mother's beloved cottage. 

Ryan returns to the U.S. after his interactions with April have shaken him to his core and pulled down walls between him and the painful past. Although, there may be a path to redemption if he is willing to step out in faith.

~*~
Buy Permelia Cottage (book) on Amazon or Indie Bound

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Connect with Carole:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCaroleLehrJohnson/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17978290.Carole_Lehr_Johnson
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/carole-lehr-johnson
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolelehr/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/carolelehr/boards/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/carolelehrjohns

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Devotionals for the Heart: God's Plan

Trust God’s Timing And Plans
A devotional by Julia Wilson

“For I know the plans I have for you” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.” –Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

God has a plan for your life and He has a plan for mine. Sometimes He reveals His plans many years in advance. Other times, we do not even realize that we have glimpsed the plan for our future.

Let me share with you the plan that God showed me though I did not realize it at the time and I was too young to even know about God. My twin brothers are three years younger than me. This event happened before they were born. I do not know how old I was.

I remember my Mom dressing me in an all-in-one winter suit and my parents popping me in the car. We drove somewhere. We got out of our car and walked. I remember seeing a bridge across a river with rows of houses either side. I felt drawn to that place.

Bewdley in England (Photo Credit: Julia Wilson)

The longing for that place with the river, the bridge and the houses never left me. As I grew up I would constantly question my parents, asking, “Where did we go?” The answer never changed: They had no idea where it was nor did they know what I was talking about.

I got married, had a family and we lived in four different houses in three different towns. The sense that I desired to go back to that place never left me. I walked my children to school every day. It was about a mile and a quarter up to school and back. I did it twice a day.

One day as I was walking to collect my children, I rounded Beales Corner (as I always did). Suddenly, it was as if the scales fell from my eyes as I looked ahead.

There was the river with the bridge and the houses either side! The place I had been longing for all my life was the place I now lived, and had lived in for several years. Wow! I had done that walk so many times yet never seen it like I saw it that day. Years and years of yearning to return … and yet, I was already home.

Bewdley in England (Photo Credit: Julia Wilson)

I do not know why God put that desire on my heart as a very small child. I do not know why I did not recognize the place of longing the first time I walked to school. But what I do know is God was with me, even when I was too young to know Him. He planned my life out. He put a desire in my heart. And He fulfilled that yearning all in His timing.

I never need to worry about my life because God holds me in His hands. God holds us all in His hands and in His heart. Even when we do not know God, God knows us. He loves us and He cares for us.

If you do not know my caring and loving God, you can know Him today. You can trust His timing and you can trust His heart.

May I lead you in a prayer to help you get to know God?

Let’s Pray: Dear Jesus Christ, I know I am a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust You and follow You as my Lord and Saviour all the days of my life. In Jesus’s Name I pray, Amen.

~*~
Author Bio:

My name is Julia Wilson but I also go by Christian Bookaholic. 

I live with my husband and five cats in a small town in Worcestershire on the banks of the River Severn (England). We have four grown up children and three granddaughters.

I have always loved reading and have always been surrounded by books. I used to work as a teaching assistant for special needs in the local high school. Ill health forced me to stop working in December 2015. I have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (known as M.E.) and fibromyalgia. I now have plenty of time to read and review books!

Our eldest son set up my Christian Bookaholic blog. I review every book I read. I read over 300 books a year. I read Christian and mass market. I prefer stories set from 1850 onwards. My favourite type of books to read is stories set in WWI and WWII, and Russia under Czar Nicholas II.

I am a historian, having a Combined Humanities degree where I majored in History and minored in English. I also love swimming. I only learned how to swim in 2017 and go swimming four mornings a week for 90 minutes before breakfast, it keeps my joints going.

I am also a crazy cat lady. I absolutely love my cats. I have grown up with cats and cannot imagine life without them. My dream is to own an old fashioned seal point Siamese … but not while we have our young rescue cat as she hates other cats!

I love God and love going to a large lively church called Lifecentral. I cannot imagine life without God. He gives a peace even when life does not. He guides my life. He is my Rock.

Falling for Books: Pepper's book

Interview with Pepper Basham, author of Jane by the Book:

Alexis: Welcome to my blog, Pepper! I'm delighted to host you today! 

Pepper: Thanks so much for having me on your blog today, Alexis! I LOVE talking about stories and characters and…all those wonderful things.

Alexis: Why did you decide to call this story, “Jane by the Book?” 

Pepper: Well, for two reasons: Jane is a rule-follower so she lives ‘by the book’, so to speak, but ALSO, this novella involves a mystery about a journal…so another book is involved. 😊

Alexis: Jane Warwick is the heroine of your story. What are her dreams and fears? 

Pepper: I don’t think she really knows her dreams before the book begins. The hero helps her find them, but her fears are pretty obvious early on. She’s afraid of being hurt again – and being played a fool too. 

Alexis: How is life for Jane after being left at the altar by the man she wanted to marry? What led her to Simeon Ridge?

Pepper: Being left at the altar led her to Simeon Ridge. After the very public wound of being jilted, she wanted to ‘hide’ from the world, so she took a job, at first, as a maid at the inn (unassuming) and then did such a good job she was promoted over the years. Her love for control and tidiness really suits her job as housekeeping manager of the Inn at Simeon Ridge.

Alexis: Paint a picture with words of the Inn at Simeon Ridge. Why is it special?

Pepper: It’s a beautiful mountain inn featuring a stone and wood exterior with tall glass windows. The back part of the house (where the library and breakfast rooms are located) has floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook a view of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Alexis: In what ways do the members of the Simeon family help heal Jane’s broken heart? 

Pepper: They provide her a ‘family’ and an opportunity to grow into her gifts. There are safety and love in them. We all heal better and more quickly when given those two things – safety and love. 

Alexis: Why does Jane go to Bath, England and what happens there that upsets her “peaceful monotony”?

Pepper: She goes to Bath to help her friend Nora Simeon’s fiancé, train the staff of his new inn. What happens to break her monotony? Titus Stewart

Alexis: Describe the meet cute between Jane and historical detective author Titus Stewart. What were their first impressions of each other? Why?

Pepper: Well, really people would enjoy this more by reading the book. It’s a pretty cute meeting. He ‘sees’ her as a fictional character model. She sees him as the nuisance who lost parts of a centuries’ old journal. It’s not the best first impression.

Alexis: Titus Stewart is the hero of your story. What is he like? Describe his looks, personality, and heart for writing. 

Pepper: Titus is sweetly odd and wonderful good-hearted. As a writer, he tends to see the world in, sometimes, a fictional way – but he’s grounded in his faith and confidence. He’s kind of trying to ‘save’ his writing at the beginning of the story, but you’ll really have to read it to get a better idea of him.

Alexis: Why does Titus work Jane into his fictional novel that he’s writing? How did she become a muse that he cannot forget? 

Pepper: He needed the perfect heroine for his fictional hero and Jane ‘fit’ what Titus was looking for…THEN, her personal mystery drew them together so that Jane became the heroine for Titus’ life.

Alexis: What role does a “mysterious journal” play in bringing Titus and Jane together?

Pepper: Titus LOVES stories and Jane brought this journal along that binds her to Bath, U.K. – so, of course, Titus wants to help her solve the mystery of the journal because he can’t stand an ‘unfinished’ story. 

Alexis: Titus is one of those authors who talks to his imaginary characters from his fictional stories as if they were real people. How does Jane feel about that? 

Pepper: As you can imagine, at first, she thinks it’s pretty weird. I think it begins to grow on her as she sees what a sweetheart Titus is. 

Alexis: Jane is strict and Titus is a total free spirit. How does that affect their relationship?

Pepper: Well, he helps loosen her up and she helps encourage his dream. At first, it’s not the most likely pairing, but they end of seeing how they work well together. 

Alexis: What do you want readers to remember most about this book? 

Pepper: The beauty of stepping out into your fears and being brave enough to try. There’s such a reward (and in this case a romance) in being authentically who you are and then being loved. 

Alexis: Thanks for the interview, Pepper! Do you have closing comments? 

Pepper: Again, thanks so much for having me here today. Jane and Titus were so much fun to write – and if any of your readers want to start from the ‘beginning’ of this little series, they can begin with Second Impressions. Bath, U.K. is a wonderful place to visit, both in real-life and through a book.

~*~
Author Bio:

Pepper Basham is an award-winning author who writes romance peppered with grace and humor with a southern Appalachian flair. Her books are seasoned with her Appalachian heritage and love for family. 

Pepper's stories have garnered recognition in the Grace Awards, The INPSY Awards, and the ACFW Carol Awards. The Thorn Healer was selected as a 2018 finalist in the RT Awards. 

She currently resides in the lovely mountains of Asheville, NC where she is the mom of five great kids, a speech-pathologist to about fifty more, and a lover of chocolate, jazz, hats, and Jesus.

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Blurb for Jane by the Book:

A Jane Austen-inspired novella

She’s level-headed and ordered. He talks to imaginary characters.

She keeps to the plan. He never has one.

Will true love find a way to color outside the lines but inside God’s love to create a story they can write together?

Four years ago, Jane Warwick escaped the shame of being jilted at the altar by becoming a housekeeper at the secluded Inn at Simeon Ridge. Predictable and quiet, the inn and large Simeon family help Jane find a place to heal but also cultivate her natural strengths for order and planning. But an unexpected visit to Bath, England, upsets Jane's peaceful monotony and sends her out of her comfort zone, directly into the harrowing path of historical detective author, Titus Stewart.

The only plans Titus sticks to are family holidays and the ones that send him careening into his story worlds, but when an uptight innkeeper stumbles into his life - and his latest novel - nonfiction begins to take on a much more interesting gleam.

With the help of a mysterious journal, will they both uncover a romance that stands the test of time?

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Buy Pepper’s book on Amazon or Barnes and Noble

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Connect with Pepper:
Website - www.pepperdbasham.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pepperdbasham/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/pepperbasham/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/pepperbasham
Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/pepperbasham/
The Writer's Alley (Pepper’s group blog) – http://www.thewritersalleyblog.com

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Summer Stories: Reluctant To Wed

Interview with Anneliese Dalaba about her book, Reluctant To Wed:

Alexis: Who is Emma and what is her role in this story? 

Anneliese: Emma is the main character, the heroine of the story. Although born and raised in America, she is the granddaughter of Baron Houlton, who plans to use her to secure greater prestige for his progeny. 

Alexis: Why does Emma leave her parents’ farm in Pennsylvania and travel to England? 

Anneliese: Baron Houlton investigates the family of his younger son living in America and uses their adversity to offer a bribe. He will save their farm if Emma will agree to an arranged marriage in England to the Earl of Devonport. The family does not coerce Emma to comply, but after much prayer Emma feels she should accept.

Alexis: Who is Earl of Devonport and what role does he play in this story? 

Anneliese: The Earl of Devonport, also known as Devon, is the hero of the story. His father and Baron Houlton were close friends who arranged a marriage between the earl’s son and the baron’s oldest granddaughter. However, Devon dragged his feet for too long. The oldest granddaughter falls in love and marries another man, much to the baron’s displeasure. Although Devon’s father has passed away and Devon is now the Earl of Devonport, he feels obligated to fulfill his father’s promise to Baron Houlton’s family.

Alexis: Is Emma a hopeless romantic? Why or why not? 

Anneliese: I don’t find Emma to be a hopeless romantic. She is an optimist. She finds good in every situation. But she is greatly challenged to maintain such an attitude in this story. She hopes for love, of course, and longs for it desperately, but seeks for it in prayer and in obedience to God’s Word. 

Alexis: Why does Devon want to keep Emma at arm’s length as his wife, with no emotional ties? 

Anneliese: Although Devon honors his father’s wish for a marriage alliance with Baron Houlton’s family, he assumes Emma is a fortune hunter or an opportunist since she is willing to come to England leaving behind all she knows. His experience in London society has not given him a good impression of wives. He sees how his friends and even his brother have to dance to the tune of their women. Devon wishes to maintain his independence. Although he agrees to marry, he plans to leave his wife in the country while he spends most of his time in London with his friends.

Alexis: Devon sounds kind of coldhearted. He’s willing to provide a home and allowance for Emma but not share his heart in love. How does his coldhearted nature affect Emma? 

Anneliese: Devon is not as coldhearted as he seems. Emma is unaware of his plans, so she continues to hope for more. 

Alexis: What is it about Emma that starts to draw Devon to her? 

Anneliese: Emma is not a pushover. She is honest and direct about her opinions but in a graceful and respectful manner. Her unpretentious attitude draws Devon from the start. He enjoys being around her but fears she is weaving a web that will cause him to become like all his married friends.

Alexis: Why does Emma think that she has to let go of her dreams? 

Anneliese: Something unexpected happens in the story just when Emma’s hopes are high that she and Devon have found love after all. It is so devastating to her. She wants to have hope in the situation but one thing after another dashes any hope she wishes to cling to. 

Alexis: What role does faith in God play in your characters’ story? 

Anneliese: It is when all hope seems gone that Emma relinquishes her dreams and hopes, accepting that perhaps God has a different plan for her life. She isn’t happy about it, but she realizes that God is faithful and can always be trusted to guide her life. She would serve Him no matter what life brought her way. 

Alexis: Did you do research for this story? If so, describe the process.

Anneliese: I’ve read hundreds of novels in the Regency time period so much of my research accumulated over years of reading. I did do some research about America in the early 1800s. I also researched some settings in England, but the towns I created are all fictitious. I researched the clothing men and women wore as well as the transportation they used. Research takes time but is very fascinating.

Alexis: What was your most memorable moment in writing Reluctant to Wed? 

Anneliese: Since this was my first attempt at writing a novel, it was all a new experience. I’ve heard it said that most writers do not know what they are doing until they’ve done it. Well, that would certainly describe me. I also heard that the characters in the story should be given the freedom to tell their own story, which I thought was rather odd or fantastical. However, as I began weaving the story that is exactly what happened. The imagination takes over and the characters become so real that they do drive the story forward. The story just flowed until it was written. That part was fun. 

Alexis: What do you want readers to remember most about this story? 

Anneliese: I want my readers to see how applying God’s Word in every situation we face and then fully trusting Him is where our true strength lies. I also hope that they will try to find something good in whatever situation they are facing. Although life can be hard, there is always something good to be found in every day. And even if you’re hurting, look for ways to bless others. In the process, you will find joy in the midst of trials. 

Alexis: Thanks for the interview, Anneliese! God bless you.

~*~
Author Bio:

Anneliese Dalaba lives in Michigan with her husband of 30 years.

She has been in full-time ministry beside her husband all of those years. He’s the hero of her personal love story and her greatest encourager. 

She is a member of ACFW and ACFW Great Lakes Chapter. For many years, she worked as an administrative assistant and medical transcriptionist. 

After raising their two children, she is now experiencing the wonderful phase of grandparenting. 

Anneliese is an avid reader and an author of Christian historical romance.

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Book Blurb for Reluctant To Wed:
To keep her parents from losing their farm in Pennsylvania, Emma agrees to travel to England and accept her grandfather's offer to arrange a marriage for her with the Earl of Devonport. She secretly hopes a marriage to this stranger will lead to love. 

To honor his father, Devon reluctantly agrees to marry Emma but determines to keep her at arm's length. A marriage of convenience is satisfactory to the earl who wants no emotional ties. He needs an heir, but he refuses to bow to the whims and demands of a wife. He would prefer simply to provide a home and a generous allowance for her but continue to enjoy his freedom.

Emma’s straightforward and unpretentious manner draws Devon’s admiration. Unfortunately, long-held fears are not easily overcome. Emma finds herself falling in love with him, but after an unexpected event, she faces her greatest challenge ever. Emma must learn to trust God even if it means letting go of her dreams.

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Buy Reluctant to Wed on Amazon

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Connect with Anneliese:
Website/Blog: https://www.anneliesedalaba.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anneliesedalaba/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/adalaba2017
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/AnneDalaba/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adalaba2017/
Amazon Author Page: https://amzn.to/2vuQyew
Email: anneliesedalaba@gmail.com

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Enter this book giveaway contest for your chance to WIN a copy of this book by filling out the entry form on the Rafflecopter widget below: 

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Summer Stories: Shenandoah Road

Behind the Scenes: The Shenandoah Road
A guest post by Lynne Tagawa

Most authors start with theme or characters or plot—or all three—when writing a story. I confess that I did spend time on all of those things as well when I first gave thought to the idea of exploring the time period of the Great Awakening in the 1740s.

But as I did research on the time period, it seemed as though the setting itself steered the course of the project. I fingered through a huge book called Albion’s Seed, an encyclopedic description of the various types of people who had emigrated from the British Isles and settled North America. You might think that, hey, they all spoke English, weren’t they pretty much all alike?

Nope. They were almost all Protestant, spoke English, and had fair skin, but it is amazing how New Englanders differed from Quakers who differed from the planters down south. Not to mention the Scots from Ulster, Ireland, who flooded these shores in a wave lasting over fifty years before the Revolution slowed immigration.

Then revival breaks out in Connecticut under the preaching of Jonathan Edwards, and George Whitefield preaches in the fields from New England south to Georgia. Suddenly Benjamin Franklin can’t keep enough of Isaac Watts’s hymnbooks on his shelves. Everyone is singing. All that is in the story.

As I dug deeper, I discovered that everything was not as peachy-keen as it sounds. Good ministers disagreed with each other on the itinerant preachers rising up in Whitefield’s wake. They labeled these people “enthusiasts” who might harm the cause of Christ.

Between the cultural divides and the religious controversy, there was plenty of story material. I didn’t have to make up the tension and conflict—it was already there. Midway through the project, I discovered that a real-live minister in my story, a pastor in the Shenandoah Valley, disagreed with the revivalists. He’s kind of an important character, so my story took a little jag. Nothing I planned!

I’d tell you more tweaks I had to make to my story, but no spoilers! I will say this: it contains a romance, but it’s totally G-rated. I teach teenagers, and whenever I wrote a scene, in the back of my mind I’d think of my students. It is written for adults, but homeschoolers are sometimes given Herodotus to read. They’ll read whatever their parents let them. 

I hope you like it too.

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Author Bio:

Lynne Tagawa is married with four grown sons and three marvelous grandbabies. 

She’s written a Texas history curriculum in narrative form, Sam Houston’s Republic, and The Shenandoah Road, a story of the Great Awakening, is scheduled to be published in 2018. 

Lynne lives with her husband in South Texas.

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Book Blurb for The Shenandoah Road:

John Russell’s heart aches from the loss of his wife, but the Shenandoah Valley frontiersman needs to marry again for his daughter’s sake. At first, he believes he has found the right young woman, despite their differences in background, but his faith falters when time reveals she isn’t quite what she seemed. Can he truly love her? And what about his own failings?

Unlike her disgraced sister, Abigail Williams obeys the Commandments. At least, she thinks herself a Christian until a buckskin-clad newcomer courts her. He treats her kindly but also introduces her to a sermon by the controversial preacher, George Whitefield. Her self-righteousness is shattered, and she wonders about their relationship. If she confesses her lack of faith, will John continue to love her?

“Lynne Tagawa transports readers into the faith and hope, and sorrows and fears of 18th century colonial America. While other books feature the raw grit of frontier colonial life, this book goes deeper and reveals the heart.” —Douglas Bond, author of numerous books, including War in the Wasteland and Hostage Lands.

“The Shenandoah Road is an authentic and engaging journey back to the challenges of settling in the Shenandoah Valley” —Laura Hilton, author of Firestorm (Whitaker House, 2018)

“Raw, realistic, and historically packed, this story will make you think. If you enjoy stories with deep theological themes, you will enjoy this.” —Amber Schamel, author of Solve by Christmas, winner of the 2018 Christian Indie Award

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Buy Lynne's book on Amazon

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Connect with Lynne:

Amazon Author Page - https://amzn.to/2LZAh7R

Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14845205.Lynne_Tagawa

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Enter this book giveaway contest for your chance to WIN a copy of this book by filling out the entry form on the Rafflecopter widget below:
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Cozy Christmas Reads: Linda's story

What Would You Give?
A guest post by Linda Shenton Matchett

In times of war sacrifice is expected not only from the troops, but from those who remain on the home front. During WWII, Americans tightened their belts as food, clothing, rubber, metal and more were rationed. Women entered the workforce, and men left for parts unknown with the armed forces. Children played with toys that mimicked their parents’ lives and participated in air raid drills at school. However, the thousands of miles that distanced us from the conflict buffered the U.S. from the privation and challenges experienced by the European countries.

With only four miles separating France and England across the Straits of Dover on the English Channel, British citizens lived in fear of invasion. Street and subway station signs were removed to confuse possible raiding soldiers, and people were cautioned not to give directions to strangers. Anxious to win the war, the population was willing to do anything to further the cause.

One of the ways civilians helped was to give up their homes. According to Requisitioned, a book by John Martin Robinson, “the majority of houses of large size in Britain were requisitioned by the government…for use as barracks, homes for evacuees, schools, hospitals, works of art stores, strategic and military headquarters, billets and training premises, even prisoner-of-war camps.”

My story, “A Doctor in the House,” (part of The Hope of Christmas collection) takes place on a requisitioned estate north of London and explores what life was like for the homeowner to have his house converted to a convalescent hospital. Because the requisitioned homes were centuries old, they lacked central heating and other modern conveniences. Constructed of stone and brick, the structures held a constant chill during the cold winter months. Residents had to get creative to provide heat for themselves, and reports abound about furniture, paneling, and even staircases being broken up for firewood.

Nearly everyone used cigarettes at the time, and countless fires occurred due to careless smokers. Episodes are told about soldiers using priceless art work as dart boards, and at Tottenham Park in Wiltshire, the grounds were used as an ammo dump. An accidental explosion blew out every pane of glass in the house and the conservatory. Arundel Castle’s herd of red deer was hunted for food, and at Brocket Hall soldiers carved their names, addresses and phone numbers in the balustrade of the park bridge.

Hatfield House and Heath House served as the inspiration for my story’s setting. Hatfield House was used as a hospital and POW camp, and Heath House was taken over by the Red Cross as an auxiliary hospital for military personnel. The sheer volume of individuals stationed on these properties that previously housed several dozen people at most, created extensive wear and tear, but they did not suffer irreparable damage as so many others did.

Because of hard use or maltreatment, more than one thousand ancestral homes were destroyed or torn down after the war. In 1946, building materials were still rationed and taxes high. Repairs to country homes were done on a shoestring, make-do-and-mend basis, which meant bigger issues were covered over to be dealt with at a later time. But the generations who took over after the war were determined to make a go of it, and thanks to grants, opening their homes to the public, and the use of second-hand furnishings, thousands more homes have survived.

How would you feel about giving up your home?

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Author bio:

Linda Shenton Matchett is an author, journalist, blogger, and history geek. 

Born a stone’s throw from Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Maryland, Linda has lived in historical places most of her life. 

She is a volunteer docent at the Wright Museum of WWII and a Trustee for her local public library. Linda is active in her church where she serves as treasurer, usher, and choir member. 

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Blurb for Linda's novella, "A Doctor in the House", part of The Hope of Christmas story collection:

Emma O’Sullivan is one of the first female doctors to enlist after President Franklin Roosevelt assigned to England to set up a convalescent hospital, and she leaves behind everything that is familiar. 

When the handsome widower of the requisitioned property claims she’s incompetent and tries to get her transferred, she must prove to her superiors she’s more than capable. But she’s soon drawn to the good-looking, grieving owner. Will she have to choose between her job and her heart?

Archibald “Archie” Heron is the last survivor of the Heron dynasty, his two older brothers having been lost at Dunkirk and Trondheim and his parents in the Blitz. After his wife is killed in a bombing raid while visiting Brighton, he begins to feel like a modern-day Job. To add insult to injury, the British government requisitions his country estate, Heron Hall, for the U.S. Army to use as a hospital. The last straw is when the hospital administrator turns out to be a fiery, ginger-haired American woman. She’s got to go. Or does she?

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Buy Linda's book on Amazon

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Connect with Linda:
Website - www.LindaShentonMatchett.com
Facebook - www.facebook.com/authorlindamatchett
Pinterest - www.pinterest.com/lindasmatchett
LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/authorlindamatchett
Goodreads - www.goodreads.com/author_Linda_Matchett
Amazon Author Page - http://amzn.to/2yozXb3

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Interview with Terri Wangard, author of Soar Like Eagles

Welcome Terri Wangard to the blog today! 

She's here to talk about her latest release, Soar Like Eagles. It's a delightful romance story that will encourage your heart with its theme of how love conquers all, and its thread of faith will inspire your heart.

Enjoy your time with Terri!

Here's the book blurb for Soar Like Eagles: 

Carol becomes a Red Cross doughnut girl, serving GIs and boosting their morale. Believing wartime romances are doomed to disappointment, she attempts to avoid entanglements and transfers to France, away from Chet, the airman she’s falling for.

Chet’s father always belittled him. Now a well-regarded navigator, he longs to prove him wrong. After he’s ditched in the North Sea, parachuted into France, and been called before a review, his focus changes to staying alive, and winning the Red Cross girl he keeps crossing paths with.

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Interview with Terri Wangard, author of Soar Like Eagles:

Alexis: Soar Like Eagles is book number three in your series, “Promise for Tomorrow.” What is your book series about?

Terri: All three follow B-17 navigators based at Ridgewell, England, during World War II. The first one is shot down in Germany, where he finds a woman he’d gone to school with. The second is interned in Sweden, where he meets the woman who crossed to Europe on the Queen Mary with him. And the third meets a woman at a train canteen who follows him to England as a Red Cross volunteer.

Alexis: What makes Soar Like Eagles unique? Share the storyline.

Terri: Soar Like Eagles features a Red Cross clubmobiler, and you won’t find many, if any, novels about that. She wants to do her part for the war, but struggles to maintain her ideals. He joins the air force, hoping to find peace.

Alexis: Tell us about the heroine of your story, Carol. Describe her looks, personality, passion and hope.

Terri: Carol is named for my mother, who I think would have made a fine RC volunteer. The fictitious Carol is a newspaper reporter writing about social events. She wants to be more involved in the war effort and contribute in a meaningful way, which does not include describing ladies’ gowns at a Christmas party. The book cover pictures her well.

Alexis: Why did Carol decide to become a Red Cross doughnut girl?

Terri: She joins the Red Cross to find that meaningful contribution. Many girls serve overseas. Working in a factory may be a necessary and worthwhile occupation, but she wants to be closer to the action and the fighting men.

Alexis: What does Carol like the most about serving GI’s and boosting their morale?

Terri: Most of the men are thrilled to see American women. Many need a listening ear. The girls give them a respite from the consequences and strain of battle.

Alexis: Carol wants to steer clear of wartime romances. Why?

Terri: A close friend married a man Carol rejected within days of the rejection. She came to deeply regret it. Wartime romances, especially those overseas, take place in unnatural situations where they don’t necessarily get to know the real person. Marrying in haste only to discover she’s married a stranger holds no appeal to Carol.

Alexis: Tell us about the hero of your story, Chet. What is he like? Describe his looks, personality, passion and dreams. What is his greatest fear? Why?

Terri: Chet’s mother died when he was young. His father was stern and ridiculing, so his maternal grandparents took Chet. He wants to prove he’s not the worthless kid his father claimed him to be. He excelled at the Pan Am navigation school and was offered a postwar job (if he survived). But always, in the back of his mind, he hears his father’s taunts. He’s tall, dark haired, kind of like Ioan Gruffudd.

Alexis: What is it about Carol that attracts Chet?

Terri: They meet at a train canteen for only a few minutes. He’s quiet, polite, good-natured. And, of course, he’s easy on the eyes.

Alexis: What is it about Chet that makes Carol reconsider wartime romance?

Terri: She sees his concern for his friends, his grief when they die. He comes into the clubmobile’s kitchen and washes dishes when they run short. She sees his humor as he interacts with enlisted men. He’s responsible and well-thought of by the other airmen.

Alexis: Chet is from a troubled family/home life. How did the verbal abuse affect him as he grew up? What made him into the man he is today?

Terri: He’s determined to prove his father wrong. There’s always that extra push to succeed.

Alexis: Chet is a squadron lead navigator. What does that mean? Does he like his job? Why or why not?

Terri: The lead navigator has primary responsibility for guiding the wing, group, or squadron to the target and back to base, often covering hundreds of miles. That’s a pressure-filled job, especially in the often foggy weather. One time he’s blamed for a mission that goes awry, but is exonerated. It is very satisfying when he brings them to their destination and hears, “That’s good work, Chet.”

Alexis: Why did you choose to incorporate the real-life, airplane company legend PanAm into your fictional story? What is the significance of it?

Terri: I want my stories to be solidly based on fact. Even the missions the airmen fly go to the actual targets on the dates they were flown by the 381st Bomb Group based at Ridgewell. Many of the incidents my characters face grew out of real occurrences. I chose PanAm because it provided lots of story possibilities in Miami, primarily for book one, Friends & Enemies, where Chet and Paul (of Friends & Enemies) meet. Historical accuracy is important.

Alexis: What did you enjoy the most about writing this story?

Terri: I love the research. My personal library contains many memoirs by participants of the 381st Bomb Group and other navigators. For this story, I acquired lots of clubmobiler memoirs. I enjoy biographies and find it fascinating to learn about people’s lives. 

Alexis: What was the most challenging aspect of writing this wartime romance?

Terri: Getting it right and believable, and weaving all the threads together. I made flow charts of all three books to make sure their dates match, since they’re all in the same time frame.

Alexis: What’s the moral of this story?

Terri: I don’t start out with one in mind when I write. Carol stood up for her beliefs, which caused trouble with a colleague who was intent on marrying. Chet didn’t let his father’s criticism hold him back; he used it to prod himself to do better.

Alexis: Thanks for the interview, Terri! Do you have any final comments?

Terri: Thank you for having me!

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Author bio: 

Terri Wangard grew up in Green Bay, Wisconsin, during the Lombardi Glory Years. Her first Girl Scout badge was the Writer. 

These days she is writing historical fiction, and won the 2013 Writers on the Storm contest and 2013 First Impressions, as well as being a 2012 Genesis finalist. 

Holder of a bachelor’s degree in history and a master’s degree in library science, she lives in Wisconsin. Her research included going for a ride in a WWII B-17 Flying Fortress bomber. Classic Boating Magazine, a family business since 1984, keeps her busy as an associate editor.

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Buy Terri's book:

Amazon - http://amzn.to/2dMEDNJ 

Celebrate Lit - http://www.celebratelitpublishing.com/shop/ 

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Connect with Terri:
Website - www.terriwangard.com
Facebook - www.facebook.com/AuthorTerriWangard
Pinterest - www.pinterest.com/terriwangard/