Summer Stories: A Home for Fritz

Character Interview with Brooke Cantrell of A Home for Fritz:

Alexis: Thanks for visiting my blog today, Brooke! How have your childhood memories of loss affected your outlook on life?

Brooke: Thanks for inviting me to your blog today, Alexis. I'm always glad to talk about my life in hopes I can encourage someone else. Since I lost my mother as a child and my dad as a teen, I think I missed out on having the security and love a family can offer. Though I hate to admit it, I wanted to live in a fairytale world and pretend to be someone else when I visited Sunlight Peaks Guest Ranch, if only for nine days. That desire trumped my sense of right and wrong. I'm afraid I lied about who I really was.

Alexis: Would you say that your author June Foster gave you a Cinderella-style story? Why or why not?

Brooke: My daddy used to read that story to me every night when I was a child. At first, I thought I would feel like Cinderella when I went to the ranch, but I soon found out I was wrong. Lying is never right, and I believe people will always be caught in their lies. At least that's what happened to me. Since I'm a Christian, I think the Lord convicted me right from the first.

Alexis: Why did you want to pretend to be Regina’s sister, part of a wealthy family?

Brooke: This is hard to talk about, and I'm a little embarrassed. Since I went to work for the Radcliffe's, I've cleaned the downstairs of their mansion six days a week. I've catered to Regina and seen how she lives. Hair appointments, shopping excursions, fancy spas, vacations. To be honest, I was envious of her and thought that if I could just be her "sister" for a week or so, I would get a taste of her life.

Alexis: How did your charade as a wealthy woman affect your relationship with Garrett?

Brooke: I never thought I'd meet a guy like Garrett—a man who loves God and also has a precious golden doodle. Each time I lied to him, conviction felt like battery acid in my stomach. I believed that if he ever found out who I really am, he wouldn't want anything to do with me. All in all, my falsehood stood between us.

Alexis: What was the most difficult part of keeping this secret from Garrett?

Brooke: I cringed every time I realized I was deceiving him. My feelings for him grew and my conscience pricked me for misrepresenting myself.

Alexis: When you first met Garrett, what did you like about him? Why?

Brooke: Well, if you must know, I thought he was the best looking guy I'd ever met. Besides he was a wrangler on a dude ranch, and he owned an adorable dog. Later, I realized there was more to his character than I first observed.

Alexis: Is there anything that you do not like about Garrett? Explain.

Brooke: One day when we chatted by the corral, Garrett got a phone call and said something I didn't understand. He said, "Yes, this is Andrew." At first, I didn't think anything about it then later I discovered some information in Garrett's college yearbook that made me suspicious he wasn't telling me everything about himself. But then, I was doing the same.

Alexis: Tell me about your family background. Were you always poor?

Brooke: Yes. My dad owned a bakery when I was a child and a teen. He worked hard but didn't see the profits he'd hoped. I never went hungry, though, and I even had a golden doddle, too. I guess that's one reason why I love Garrett's dog so much.

Alexis: How did your upbringing and struggles help you decide what you wanted for your own future as an adult?

Brooke: I always wanted to own a bakery like my dad—to walk in his footsteps and carry on his memory. But I never had the funds to get started.

Alexis: You’re a city girl. How would you describe your experience in the country?

Brooke: It was crazy. I went on a cattle drive to the Big Horns with several guests and the wranglers. Each summer, they to take cattle up into the mountains to pasture. Unfortunately, I'm not an expert rider and fell off my horse. But it really wasn't all my fault. I loved the wide open spaces and fresh air. I could turn into a country girl really quick.

Alexis: What was your most memorable experience with Garrett? Why?

Brooke: Is my face red right now? Okay, since you asked, I'll tell you. Garrett and I took a four-wheeler up into the mountains, and it broke down right before a fierce thunder storm. We had to take shelter in a cave and—he kissed me right when the rain was pouring down and thunder booming. But I felt safe cuddled up to him in the dry cave.

Alexis: Would you say that you’ve fallen in love with Garrett? Why or why not?

Brooke: Yes, I have—despite our secrets from each other. He's considerate, protective of me, and he's a mighty good kisser. Best of all, he's a Godly Christian man.

Alexis: What role did Fritz (the dog) play in bonding you with Garrett?

Brooke: From the beginning, Garrett and I bonded because I have a special place in my heart for golden doodles. Before I met Garrett, I discovered Fritz in the forest close to the ranch. I heard his cries and rushed toward him. His paw was caught in a coyote trap then about that time, Garrett showed up. I comforted Fritz as we drove him to the vet. Then Fritz did something very special at the end of the story, but I can't tell you what it is.

Alexis: If you could change anything about your story, what would it be? Why?

Brooke: I don't think I would've lied about who I am. If Garrett didn't accept me for who I really am, then I didn't need to be his friend.

Alexis: What life lessons did you learn in this story? Explain.

Brooke: To not be ashamed of who I am. And most importantly, I am valuable in God's eyes and that's all that matters.

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

Brooke: I want to thank you for these excellent questions. I hope your readers will enjoy reading A Home For Fritz.

~*~
Author Bio:

June Foster is an award-winning author who began her writing career in an RV roaming around the USA with her husband, Joe. 

She brags about visiting a location before it becomes the setting in her contemporary romances. 

June's characters find themselves in precarious circumstances where only God can offer redemption and ultimately freedom.

~*~
Book Blurb about A Home for Fritz:

All Brooke Cantrell wants is two weeks to live Brooke Radcliff's life. But the one person who knows the truth resides in the room next to hers at Sunlight Peaks Guest Ranch. When Brooke falls in love with the handsome wrangler who works on the ranch, will her employer's daughter tell him the truth Brooke hides?

Garrett Bowman has finally found peace under Wyoming skies at Sunrise Peaks Guest Ranch. Never again will he return to the demanding corporate life in Seattle, Washington. But will the guests recognize him from the incriminating newspaper and magazine articles eighteen months ago?

When Garrett's dog, Fritz, is in grave danger, an intriguing guest helps Garrett get his golden doodle to the vet. As Fritz heals, he whines and begs until he can lay his head in Brooke Radcliff's comfortable lap. Fritz has fallen in love, but so has Garrett.

If Garrett discovers Brook's secret, will he walk away from her?

If Brooke learns Garrett's true identify, will she turn from him like all the others?

~*~
Buy A Home for Fritz on Amazon

~*~
Connect with June:
Website - https://junefoster.com
Twitter - https://twitter.com/vjifoster/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/authorjunefoster/

~*~
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: 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Summer Stories: Cash and Cats

Interview with Darlene Franklin, about her book, Of Cash and Cats:

Alexis: Why did you decide to retell the classic fairytale, Puss ‘n’ Boots, with your story Of Cash and Cats?

Darlene: I fell in love with retelling fairy tales when I wrote my two previous books (Cinderella’s Boots and Mermaid’s Song). I also love boots and cats. When I picture the ramshackle barn the younger son inherited as a fishing shack, complete with a kitten in a gigantic fisherman’s boot, the story flew.

Alexis: Who is Max Roy and what is his role in this story?

Darlene: Max Roy plays the role of the human hero in Puss ‘n’ Boots, the one the cat makes good things happen for. His kitten Bootsie doesn’t talk in a human language or perform any trickery but he does perform a vital role in the story.

Alexis: What is Max’s motivation? Share his backstory and his outlook on life.

Darlene: Max is the youngest of three brothers, from whom he’s alienated. He chose to go into a different business than the family business (I won’t say more, or else I’d spoil the story). He was okay in going by the name “Roy,” which was an Americanization of the French name, Roi. But he balked when his father and brother changed the name to King (the English word for Roi) after his mother died. He just doesn’t fit into their dynamic.

Max’s father recently died. His will included an interesting stipulation: he would support Max’s dream for six months, no longer. If at the end of six months, if Max doesn’t return to the family business, he will be cut off. Mr. King didn’t realize Max was already a huge success.

Max’s outlook on life? Oh, it’s been a while since I wrote it. But from what I can remember as the author of this book, Max doesn’t believe in putting on a show. He’s satisfied with living very simply and doesn’t give Alyvia a clue as to his true identity until late in the book.

Alexis: What role does a kitten play in this tale?

Darlene: The hero and heroine meet while chasing their cats. The same kitten features in both of their work. Again, not giving away the story’s secret. Bootsie’s images reveal a lot about what is happening with her person, Max.

Alexis: Why does Max believe that finding a kitten in fisherman’s boots will bring him good fortune and love?

Darlene: I don’t know that believe the kitten will bring him good fortune and love, but he loves when women are attracted to his furball! And I’ve said, Bootsie leads him to new business opportunities.

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

Darlene: Alyvia Bailey is the heroine of the book. She is a native of East Boothbay, Maine (my parents’ hometown). Alyvia teaches kindergarten and does part-time work.

Alexis: Describe Alyvia’s looks, personality and heart. What’s her motivation?

Darlene: Alyvia is a true Mainer, doing everything she can to stay in her home town, enjoy coastal Maine and pursue her dreams. She loves to help others. She’s never met a stranger, and she’s eager to help anyone in need. She has long dark hair and can usually be found in blue jeans. 

Alexis: How do Alyvia and Max meet? What do they think of each other?

Darlene: They meet when their cats cross paths. Alyvia has a full-grown tomcat. Then Alyvia invites Max, whom she perceives as a summer vagrant because of his living quarters, to work for her. Max is attracted to this woman who is so determined to help.

Alexis: Why doesn’t Max want to pay Alyvia for working on remodeling a center for those who need a place to stay?

Darlene: For one thing, he doesn’t need the money. And the venture needs of all the money she can raise. For another thing, the terms of his father’s will prohibit it.

Alexis: If you could step into your story and spend a day with Alyvia and Max, what would you do? Why?

Darlene: I’m not a huge fan of fishing, but perhaps Max could take Alyvia and me out on the boat for one of those morning conversations with God and cruises up and down the coast for a bit. We could stop by the place where my parents used to live. Alyvia might have been in the daycare at the YMCA where my mother worked! Maybe not. My mother stopped working sometime in the late ‘90s.

(Imagination working overtime here)

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

Darlene: Of Cash and Cats is an intensely personal story for me on a number of levels. It’s set in the town where my mother lived with my stepfather for twenty-eight years, and it’s the Maine my children got to experience. 

I hope my love for my home state comes through loud and clear. Not only that but also Alyvia Bailey is a compilation of my first-great granddaughter’s middle name and her middle name. So you see? Maybe we are related!

~*~
Author Bio: 

Best-selling Amazon and ECPA author Darlene Franklin’s greatest claim to fame is that she continues to write from a nursing home. 

She keeps going because God keeps giving her more assignments. 

She’s written more than fifty-five fiction and nonfiction books.

~*~
Book Blurb for Of Cash and Cats:

In this retelling of the classic fairy tale, Puss ‘n’ Boots, the kitten Max Roy finds in a pair of fisherman’s boots brings him good fortune and love. But the going isn’t easy.



When do-gooder Alyvia Bailey meets Max riding a bike and living in a ramshackle fishing shack, she assumes he’s one of the transients she wants to help. 

She’s puzzled when he refuses pay for working on her project--remodeling a center for those needing a place to stay. 



Two cats weave in and out as they move forward to a surprising finish and bring love on kitten paws.

~*~
Buy Of Cash and Cats on Amazon 

~*~
Connect with Darlene:
Amazon Author Page - https://amzn.to/2Lv3Gaa 

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/DarleneFranklinFun/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/darlenefranklin/

Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/authorDarlene/

~*~
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: 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Summer Stories: Teacher's Pet

Teacher’s Pet
A guest post by Gail Gaymer Martin

Although Teacher’s Pet is the name of my new release with a story that has nothing to do with my experience, the title rings true for the novel and for me. I was a high school teacher, later a counselor at the same school, and I loved animals. We owned two cats and two dogs. As time passed and the pets grew older and with lots of tears, we said goodbye to Teddy, our samoyed. Along with two cats, we still had our oldest pet, a small terror, named Jinx who lived to be twenty.

As Jinx grew older, he began to lose a few of his faculties, but he was still a loving dog that meant so much to us. One day, we let him out in the backyard and not thinking when a meter reader had gone into the backyard, we didn’t check after he left. He forgot to close the gate.

When I opened the door to let Jinx in, he was gone. I panicked and we drove up and down the neighborhood streets and didn’t find him. Next, we called the humane society since dogs were not allowed to run loose in our neighborhood. I also called the police department to let them know. Jinx did wear a collar with his license number on it, so we put up signs in stores and everywhere we could with his name and how to contact us. I heard from a couple of people, but when we searched their home area, it was either not Jinx or he had already moved on.

We waited and waited with his licenses number by the phone. After a week of crying, my husband and I faced the truth. He had been hit by a car or someone had taken him. Every day I looked at his food and water dishes and kept telling myself to dispose of them, but I didn’t have the heart.

One day I received a telephone call from Jinx’s veterinarian. He asked if we still owned Jinx. I said yes but told him Jinx had been missing for over a week. His comment startled me. “We think Jinx is here. The clerk saw him outside the building and recognized him. She asked me to take a look and I think it’s him. He’s wearing a license. Do you have the number?”

My heart pounded as I shifted the paper in front of me and read him the numbers.

“It’s him. He’s a bit bedraggled, and the pads of his feet are worn, but otherwise, he is fine.”

I could barely speak to say thank you a ton of times and to tell him we would be there. My mind reeled, trying to image Jinx finding his way to the veterinarian’s office which was at least nine miles away with two major highways to cross with four lanes in each direction.

We left home for the vet’s office unable to understand how Jinx had survived that journey and that he’d found his way to his veterinarian’s office. When we picked him up, he smelled awful and his little feet were worn, but we didn’t care. While my husband drove home, I hugged him and let him lick me as I thanked the Lord that somehow Jinx had found his way home.

My one regret was that we should have contacted a newspaper with this happy ever after story. But I’m telling the story now, even though Jinx had been gone for many years. I still have wonderful memories, and I’m still amazed.

~*~
Author Bio:

Best-selling and award-winning novelist, Gail Gaymer Martin is the author of contemporary Christian and sweet romance and romantic suspense with 81 contracted novels and over 4 million books sold. 

Her novels have received numerous national awards, including the ACFW Carol Award, Booksellers Best, and RT Reviewer’s Choice Award. 

She is the author of Writer Digest’s Writing the Christian Romance and is a co-founder of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). 

Gail is a keynote speaker at women’s events at churches, civic and business organizations as well as a workshop presenter at conferences across the U.S.A.

She lives in Michigan with her husband.

~*~
Book Blurb for Teacher’s Pet:

Molly Manning loves dogs, and she uses shelter dogs with her Teacher’s Pet special education school program to provide discipline training and love for her students and the dogs. 

But her dream is a building of her own to run her Teacher’s Pet business, and Brent Runyan has that building. But Brent, a workaholic businessman, is not interested. He’s trying to raise his orphaned nephew who has special needs, and Brent is failing. 

His tragic past puts dogs on his no interest list, but Molly is persistent. Soon Brent finds himself and his nephew, tangled in Molly’s dream and, even more, in Molly’s life.

~*~

Buy Gail's book on Amazon

~*~
Connect with Gail:
Website: www.gailgaymermartin.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gail.g.martin.3
Twitter: http://twitter.com/GailGMartin
GoodReads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/83354.Gail_Gaymer_Martin
Google+: https://plus.google.com/collection/sAX1kB

~*~
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: 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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.

~*~
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.

~*~

Buy Reluctant to Wed on Amazon

~*~
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

~*~

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: 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Summer Stories: Redemption

The Key to Heaven
A guest post by Lee Carver

Disregarding all those Saint-Peter-at-the-gate jokes, what determines whether you gain entry into heaven? I mean you, personally. An often-effective evangelism question is, “If you died today, would you be in heaven?” Most people will say yes, though some say it rather guardedly. Then the evangelist follows up with, “Why?” The answer may be, “I’ve done more good than bad in my life. I never killed anyone …” and the list goes on.

When my husband and I moved from our missionary service in the Brazilian Amazon to Texas in order to care for his parents, we joined their church. It’s a body of sincere believers who do a lot of good in the community, but some of the basic theology gets lost in the shuffle. Eventually, a couple of men in our Sunday School class came to my husband with doubts about their eternal salvation. These were good people who had been active church members for many years. They asked, “How can I know I’ll go to heaven when I die?” My husband reminded each man of the scriptures he’d heard for years:

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son” (John 3:16-18 NIV).

“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me’” (John 14:6 NIV).

Other scriptures speak conclusively of this truth: belief in Jesus is the only door to heaven. What’s more, God removes our confessed sin “as far as the east is from the west,” (Psalm 103:12 NIV) and salvation is “not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:9 NIV).

What if a woman grew up in an unchurched family and had a real come-to-Jesus moment as an adult? What if she accepted Jesus, repented of her sins, and studied the Bible, but she had difficulty accepting the totality of God’s forgiveness? Simple forgiveness might be good enough for most people, but she had been seriously off track a few times. Regardless of her weekly studies in theology, she might feel she needed to do some kind of penance. This is the premise of Rebecca’s Redemption. Rebecca Singer, an American RN, has decided she will serve God in the most difficult place in the world, the deep Amazon jungle, for as many years as she lived a godless life. She will pay God back and thus build up points to enter the Kingdom of God.

I felt this was a story I was meant to write—called to write if you’ll allow me to play that card. The romantic thread, well, that was my own idea. Maybe if it’s also a sweet love story, more people will read it. Maybe Christians will enjoy that truth, and others will come to believe. 

And that’s why I wrote the third book in the Call to the Jungle Series, Rebecca’s Redemption. If you have any doubt or argument with the thesis, let’s talk.

~*~
Author Bio:

Lee Carver and her husband lived in the Brazilian Amazon for six years, where they served with a Brazilian organization, formerly MAF-Brazil. 

He flew an amphibious ten-seat Cessna Caravan over jungle area half the size of the United States. 

Their home in Manaus—the largest city in the world with no road to it—was a free guest house for missionaries, pilots, mechanics, and medical volunteers. 

She went on missions, speaks the language, and knows the people whose story she tells.

~*~
Book Blurb for Rebecca's Redemption:

A nurse seeking redemption for past sins joins a doctor contending against the jungle. Both healers need healing.

Rebecca Singer once was the kind of nurse who partied all weekend and closed the bar with the last karaoke tune. Then she met the Lord and vowed to make up to Him for those wasted years by serving in the worst place in the world. She determined to earn her redemption in the Brazilian Amazon jungle.

Dr. Ed Pierce, a widower with two young daughters, operates a Christian hospital in the Brazilian Amazon. A lifelong believer, he struggles with the tragedy of losing his wife—his love, the mother of his children. When the mission board agrees to hire a nurse, he requests an American who can split her time between the hospital and home schooling his children.

~*~
Buy Rebecca's Redemption (book) on Amazon

~*~
Connect with Lee:
Website - www.LeeCarverWriter.com
Blog - http://LeeCarverWriter.blogspot.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/lee.carver.507

Twitter - https://twitter.com/leecarver21

~*~

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:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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.

~*~
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.

~*~
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

~*~
Buy Lynne's book on Amazon

~*~
Connect with Lynne:

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

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

~*~

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:
 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Summer Stories: Proverbs 31 Woman

Pride, Despair, or Surrender?
A guest post by Autumn Macarthur

Have you ever compared yourself to other people then felt inadequate or second-best? I admit I have! far too many times than I should.

Other girls at school, especially the ones who had the coveted 36 color pencil set in the metal box when I had the cheapest possible set of 12 in a cardboard box. And the ones who could speak and sing in front of the class when I was painfully shy and choked up every time.

Then there was my sister, so much prettier, with beautiful long black hair and darker skin, while I had gingery hair and freckles. So much more talented at things I had zero talent for, like drawing.

In my teens, comparing went into overdrive. Who was prettier? (Nearly everyone - I had terrible spots!). Who had more friends? Who did the boy I was crushing on like better than me? Becoming a Christian didn't change the comparisons, just changed the things I compared. Who had read more of the Bible? Who was the better witness? Which camp counselors brought more of their cabins to know Christ?

Though I grew out of the spots, I didn't grow out of the comparing!

But comparing ourselves with others carries risks. It can lead to jealousy or despair. Judging ourselves harshly, we can give up even trying. Or we may think we're doing so much better than those we compare ourselves to, giving an unhealthy sense of pride and complacency.

Neither is what God intends for us!

Comparing can be a positive thing, done right. Having role models further along the journey than we are can teach us. As an author, I learn so much from the way more successful authors do things. As a Christian, I learn so much from other Christians who are bearing spiritual fruit in their lives. We can celebrate others’ successes, rather than feeling less than.

In my story Imperfectly Proverbs 31, Samantha Rose has a big issue with comparisons. All her life, she's compared herself to her mother and sister, both gifted homemakers and Proverbs 31 women. Unlike her, who flunked Homemaking 101. She's given up on trying to cook or keep house. That's why God invented pizza places, right? And a tomboy like her working in IT doesn't need homemaking skills, anyway.

Until she's forced into homemaking when she agrees to care for her sister's five-year-old twins for the summer!

Suddenly, Sam needs a crash course in cooking. But more than learning how to bake the perfect pie, Sam needs to learn that God has given us different abilities for a purpose. She isn't less-than because she has talents in some areas but not in others. In His eyes, we're all equal. Equally valued, equally loved.

She needs to learn a real Proverbs 31 woman isn’t a woman who excels at everything. She’s a woman who says "Yes" to God.

Any time we find ourselves comparing, we can hand any unhelpful emotions over to Him, trusting that He has a loving plan and purpose for every single one of us. He created us as we are for a reason. And His reasons are always good, even when we can’t quite understand them yet!

Read Psalm 139:13-14 (The Voice):

For You shaped me, inside and out.

You knitted me together in my mother’s womb long before I took my first breath.

I will offer You my grateful heart, for I am Your unique creation, 

filled with wonder and awe.

You have approached even the smallest details with excellence.

Your works are wonderful; I carry this knowledge deep within my soul.

~*~
Author Bio:

Autumn Macarthur is a USA Today bestselling author of clean Christian inspirational romances with a strong touch of faith. If you love happy-ever-afters, sweet romance, and Hallmark movies, chances are you’ll enjoy her stories!

Originally from Sydney, Australia, she now lives in a small town not far from London, England, with her very English husband (aka The Cat Magnet), and way too many rescue cats for their tiny house! 

A recent addition to the family are two guinea pigs. For such small creatures, they have amazingly huge personalities.

When she’s not feeding cats, she hand sews, reads, and most of all she writes heartwarming stories of love and faith. With every story, God teaches her the exact same lessons her hero and heroine need to learn to commit to their forever love.

She’s also blessed with a chronic health issue that has changed her life in the way it limits her. It hasn’t been easy, but she’s come to give thanks for the gift hidden in the illness — the way it’s taught her patience, brought her into a greater dependence on God and given her a far deeper appreciation of His love and provision.

~*~
Book Blurb for Imperfectly Proverbs 31:

To help her archeologist sister, geeky Samantha Rose agrees to swap her black T-shirts and diet of pizza and ice-cream for a pretty apron and a summer caring for her adorable twin nieces and their Newfoundland dog in Huckleberry Lake, Idaho. How hard can it be?

When Perfectly Proverbs 31, the blog she starts to reassure her sister, unexpectedly goes viral and everyone believes she really is a wonderful homemaker, Sam reluctantly needs to keep up the pretense. If she doesn’t, she risks ruining everyone’s summer. The girls’ over-protective grandma will surely swoop in to take them away from her.

Forced by his boss to interview Sam then take a vacation, a month at the lake with nothing to do but write a fluff piece is burned-out city crime journalist Daniel Novak’s worst nightmare. But he finds her surprising and delightful, as her attempts to impress him with a picnic go horribly wrong. Time with Sam could restore his lost faith in people — and in God.

Can Ms. Klutz-in-the-Kitchen transform herself into a Proverbs 31 woman in time to stop him from revealing the truth about her blog? And what will happen to their growing love when he does?

~*~
Buy Autumn's book on Amazon

~*~
Connect with Autumn:
Website/ blog: http://faithhopeandheartwarming.com
Mailing list sign up: http://faithhopeandheartwarming.com/sign-up-here-3/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/autumnmacarthur
Google +: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+AutumnMacarthurinspirationalromance
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/autumnmacarthur
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8522441.Autumn_Macarthur
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/autumn-macarthur

~*~

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: 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Summer Stories: A (wildly) Wonderful Wedding by Krista Phillips

Interview with Krista Phillips about A (wildly) Wonderful Wedding:

Alexis: What inspired you to write this story?

Krista: I was having a conversation with friends about weddings, marriages, and boyfriends. One of us was single but dating and some were giving advice not to rush, take your time and I was like, well, I agree with that. But at the same time, I had only seen my future husband three times before he proposed, we got married four months later and we had met online. We have been married for almost 19 years now. So going quick isn’t always a bad thing. The whole conversation sparked a story in my head for these characters that were already tip-toeing around in there, and the rest is history!

Alexis: Tell us about your story’s heroine Danielle. What’s she like?

Krista: Danielle has some rough edges. She was raised in a super strict, legalistic household and had done some serious rebelling as a teenager that almost killed her. She came to Jesus in college, but still struggles as old habits aren’t easy to break, but is also working on forgiving her parents and the boy who broke her heart five years ago.

Alexis: Tell us about your story’s hero Drake. What’s he like?

Krista: Drake is a pretty easy-going guy. He co-owns an audio-visual company with his best friend. His work consumes him much of the time. He got serious about his faith a few years ago and has one pretty big regret in life—how he left his fiancée in the dust—via text message five years ago. What a jerk he’d been!

Alexis: Five years prior to the start of this story, Danielle and Drake were a hot item. What went wrong?

Krista: I’m not sure anything really went “wrong” per say. Drake got cold feet and decided that he wasn’t quite ready for marriage. But he dumped Danielle in a pretty jerk-ish way. But in hindsight, they weren’t ready for marriage, and both had some serious growing up to do.

Alexis: Now that Danielle and Drake are reunited (five years later, at the start of your story) as the maid of honor and best man at their best friend’s upcoming nuptials, how do they feel? 

Krista: They are still pretty steamed at each other—at first.

Alexis: Why do Drake and Danielle believe that they have to team up to prevent their best friends’ wedding?

Krista: Drake isn’t convinced at first, but Danielle wants to prevent her friend from making the same mistake she almost made five years ago.

Alexis: Is there a real-life lesson that you hope to teach your readers in this fiction story? Explain.

Krista: Honestly, when I write my stories, I don’t think necessarily in “lessons” my readers will learn. I believe God can use stories to encourage us in our walk with Him, and I hope that same thing for this book. That will look different for each person, as a story can impact people differently. I guess if I had to give a specific answer, I’d say that readers will see that no one is beyond God’s grace, that God can use our fumbling mistakes for good, and that just because God calls us to something doesn’t mean he calls everyone around you to the same thing.

Alexis: What role does the faith of your main characters play in this story?

Krista: Both Drake and Danielle are fairly new to their faith after having rekindled their love for Jesus a few years prior. Their new faith allows them to see how God has used the disaster five years ago to bring Him glory.

Alexis: How does your viewpoint as a woman of faith affect your storytelling?

Krista: I love Jesus. Pretty simple as that. I aim to write my stories to bring him glory, just as I aim to do so in all facets of my life to do that, whether it is my day job or simply going to the grocery store and being kind to those around me and showing them Jesus’ love. I think if you are a born-again believer, that can’t help but influence our storytelling, as we are a “new creation” in Christ and don’t think as we did before, therefore don’t tell stories as we did before. That looks different for everyone.

Alexis: If you could grab coffee with Danielle, what would you order and what would you as a married woman advise her as she considers giving Drake a second chance?

Krista: Summer = something strawberry, non-coffee and cold. Winter= hot chocolate! My advice? I’d tell her that forgiveness is fabulous, and that they are both two new people now since they’ve found Christ. Take it slow, date, get to know the new Drake, and see where God takes you.

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

Krista: Thanks for hosting A (wildly) Wonderful Wedding that is in the Once Upon a Laugh box set! I really appreciate it!

~*~
Author Bio:

Krista Phillips writes contemporary romance sprinkled with two of her favorite things, laughter, and Jesus. And sometimes chocolate for kicks and giggles. 

She lives in Middle Tennessee with her husband and their four beautiful daughters, and is an advocate for congenital heart defect and organ donation awareness. 

Visit her online at www.kristaphillips.com. 

~*~
Book Blurb:

They may be the worst maid of honor and best man in the history of weddings… 

Five years ago, Drake and Danielle had a whirlwind summer romance—but on the day they were going to elope, Drake got cold feet and took the coward’s way out. Now a successful business owner, Drake is more than a little concerned when his best friend announces his upcoming nuptials—to the woman he’s only dated a little over a month.

Danielle is shocked when her best friend announces she’s getting married—in two months—to her boyfriend of a while whoppin’ month. And then she meets the best man. Drake? Her friend is marrying the best friend of her ex-fiancé? She has to do something to help her friend see that this hasty wedding is a mistake. But she can’t do it alone.

Will Drake and Danielle be able to work together to stop this crazy, wild wedding, or will they lose their hearts again in the process?

~*~
Buy Krista's book on Amazon

~*~
Connect with Krista:
Blog/Website – www.kristaphillips.com
Facebook – www.facebook.com/authorkristaphillips
Twitter – www.twitter.com/kristaphillips

~*~
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: 

SaveSavea Rafflecopter giveaway