Book Spotlight on Celtic Winter by Wendy Wilson Spooner

The sequel to Once Upon an Irish Summer is here! And today, you’re in for a treat because the author of this new novel called Celtic Winter, is here to share the story behind her new book!

Let’s welcome my author friend Wendy Wilson Spooner to the blog. Enjoy your time together!

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The Story Behind the story Celtic Winter by Wendy Wilson Spooner:

Founded on a 200-year-old collection of letters

A faded and worn letter collection survives today, written by Eliza and Allen’s parents, to Allen, after he went to America. My mom, my daughters and I transcribed many of the faded, damaged letters ourselves.

Microfilm copies can be found at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah as well as the genealogical library in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The correspondence is both inspiring and heart-breaking, filled with the family’s trust in God as they suffered, while Allen journeyed thousands of miles away through antebellum America, seeking for a way to make a success of himself so he could bring his family to him before it was too late. The small snippets of Eliza’s life in the letters are very precious to me because there aren’t many records to be found for her.

As starvation and typhus fever raged throughout Ireland, Eliza’s story still inspires me today. She worked her fingers to the bone as a dressmaker and cared for her family continuously.

I wrote Once Upon an Irish Summer and Celtic Winter through the eyes of Allen Hamilton’s fictional descendant—a young, gifted artist struggling through debilitating grief—to show that what we learn from the past and who we come from, can entirely change us.

No Doubts

Writing this story in dual timeline was no easy task. But I would do it all again because the outcome has inspired countless people to delve into the lives of their own ancestors.

I believe that those who came before us want nothing more than for each generation to become a little better. And that’s what Once Upon an Irish Summer and Celtic Winter are all about—to learn about the people we come from, to honor them, then to stand on their shoulders to become a better generation.

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Author Bio:

Wendy Wilson Spooner, Lic. G., LCoT, is a Genetic Genealogist by day, a writer by night, and an artist in between. 

Her love of what we can learn from history compels her to write the true stories she unearths during her research because she has found that truth is indeed, much more exciting and inspiring than fiction.

Wendy is a member of the International Society of Genetic Genealogist, The Association of Professional Genealogists, Romance Writers of America, and The American Night Writer’s Association. As an award-winning author of professional articles and poems, she’s turned to novel writing to share what she knows with a greater audience.

When not writing or researching, Wendy paints, hikes, binges on Bollywood movies, and spends time with her greatest loves—her family.

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Blurb for Celtic Winter:

BASED ON A TRUE STORY. Two young ladies, two centuries apart, struggle to save the people they love in this gripping sequel to Once Upon an Irish Summer. 

In 1817, Eliza Hamilton loses her favorite brother to the lure of antebellum America and is left behind in declining Northern Ireland to keep her family alive while religious warfare, oppressive English laws, typhus fever, and starvation, overtake her homeland. She has no time for love, even when her suitor Aiden McNair declares his adoration and wishes to wed.

Two hundred years later, descendant Beth Wilson travels to Indiana to help her injured grandmother. When she arrives, she finds across the street, the mother of the young man she loves-on her deathbed. While Beth cares for her beloved grandmother, juggles school and her budding art career, she and Preston determine to locate the only person who could save his mother's life.

Beth's love of history and what she learns about her ancestor, Eliza, along the way could give her the hope and strength she needs to persevere through it all.

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Buy Wendy’s book on Amazon

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Connect with Wendy:
Website: https://wendywilsonspooner.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorWendyWilsonSpooner/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Wendy_W_Spooner
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wendyspooner/

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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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Book Review: The Wedding Shop

Book Review: The Wedding Shop

Author: Rachel Hauck
Reviewed by: Alexis A. Goring

Between my paperback copies and my Kindle, I own hundreds of books. So when Fiction Guild sent this book to me, I thought I'd simply read it first then give it away because space is limited on my bookshelves. But as I turned the pages of The Wedding Shop by Rachel Hauck, I grew attached to the main characters as the author drew me as a reader into the story. By the time I reached the final page, I knew that I wanted to keep this book.

The Wedding Shop is a story about love lost/regained and restoration. It is told on a dual timeline with characters from the early 1900s and the late ‘90’s. Cora is the heroine of the past. Haley is the heroine of the present.

As the reader journeys with the characters, they get to know the hopes, dreams and deepest desires of these heroines. The reader may love the way that the hero and heroine—past and present—meet and fall in love. The reader may also be surprised by the plot twists positioned perfectly throughout this story. The author writes in a way that’s solid, engaging and keeps the reader guessing and turning the page to see what happens next.

As a reader, I was surprised by the way Cora’s true love was discovered. There were moments when I was happy for Cora, sad for Cora and filled with joy for her own love story as it unfolded. I liked Haley from the start. She’s spunky, wise, sweet, loyal, and very much a person who believes in working hard for your dreams to come true. I was delighted to see how the author handled Haley’s heart when it came to finding her own happily ever after.

The heroes—past and present—were strong, reliable, romantic and hardworking not just in their career, but in their pursuit of their love interest’s heart. The author carefully thought out and described their motivation and upped the ante on the conflict throughout this story.

The Wedding Shop is a story that’s timeless because of the universal themes of faith, love, hope and disappointment that are so carefully and brilliantly woven throughout this book.

This book deserves a five-star rating and the author deserves an award! I’d recommend this book to women and men who need encouragement to follow their dreams, trust God with their heart and never give up on finding—and keeping—true love.

*Fiction Guild sent a complimentary copy of this book to Alexis A. Goring, in exchange for an honest review.

A book review, excerpt and giveaway featuring Sarah Monzon's new novel

Let's welcome Sarah Monzon to the blog again! Yesterday, you got to know her better via her author interview celebrating her book release. Today, you get to read an excerpt from her new novel, Finders Keepers: A Carrington Family Novel, Book 1! Exciting, right? 

You also get to read my review of her book and when you reach the end of this post, you have a chance to WIN a copy of Finders Keepers for your Kindle! Just fill out the entry form on the Rafflecopter widget.

So let's get this party started! Enjoy! :)

My review of Finders Keepers (A Carrington Family Novel, Book 1):

The plot is deeply layered. Monzon’s writing has improved by leaps and bounds after her debut novel, The Isaac Project, was released in Sept. 2015. She was already a good writer, but Finders Keepers made her GREAT!

The author does a wonderful job of weaving themes of faith and life lessons into the fabric of this perfectly paced story. The characters are complex yet captivating. Every scene builds conflict and tension, keeping the reader interested and eager to know what happens next. It’s my favorite book by Monzon so far and totally worth a five-star rating!

Read my full review here, http://amzn.to/1WFUDF0

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Excerpt from Chapter 7 of Finders Keepers:

Summer's cell vibrated on the desk next to her outstretched hand. The ID registered a number she didn't recognize. She tapped the green Accept button.

“Hello?”

“Hey, beautiful, you want to grab some coffee?”

Furrows formed between her eyes. Who in the world? “I'm sorry. You must have the wrong number.”

She pulled the phone away from her ear but stopped short of disconnecting when she heard the voice on the other end say her name.

Her lips turned down. “Who is this?”

“Who do you think it is, babe? I told you I'd call.” Summer hadn't known it was possible to hear a smile until then. The flirtatious, mischievous smile she'd seen on Trent Carrington's face before resounded over the phone lines. And babe? Really? She set her teeth. The guy knew it irked her to be called that, but it seemed he got perverse pleasure in pushing her buttons.

Ignore it. If he can't get a rise out of you, he'll eventually stop. At least that was how it had worked when the boys had teased her in elementary school.

Summer stared at her computer screen. She really needed to get these photos edited by the end of the day. “I'm in the middle of something right now, Trent. If this is about the trip, you can e-mail me the itinerary.”

The door to her studio pushed open, and there stood Trent. All six foot plus of him. The sun shone through the open door, causing his blond hair to glow like gold. One side of his mouth whirled up in a lopsided grin. Her breath whooshed out of her. From irritation. Obviously. The reaction couldn't have been for any other reason.

“I'm not taking no for an answer.” Summer heard his voice from across the room as well as from her cell. She hung up and sent him a glare.

“As you can see, I'm working.” She indicated the screen in front of her.

He walked across the room and sat in one of the chairs opposite her desk, leaning back in it like he had all the time in the world.

“Coffee will only take fifteen minutes.” He bestowed one of his flashing smiles upon her.

Summer looked at him. She took in his laid-back manner, the way he was quick to smile, and the ease in which he charmed. For goodness’ sake, the man thought all he had to do was smile and he'd get his way. She pursed her lips. Already she'd given in to him, but that was because she needed some edgy photos for Our World, not because he'd smiled at her, said pretty please, and made her go all gooey inside.

Someone needed to start telling this man no.

“Thank you for the offer, but I really don't have time right now.”

He continued to lounge in her chair, his gaze never leaving her face, the lopsided grin never faltering. “All right. No problem.”

Really? He wasn't going to put up more of a fight? No cajoling? No begging? No persuasion of any kind? Summer was surprised at the twinge of disappointment in her midsection. Guess he didn't think her worthy of any added effort.

Trent stood, and Summer's eyes followed the motion. His gaze continued to lock on her, and she swallowed hard.

“I'll just go and bring some coffee back. Better that way anyhow. Now I won't have to worry about getting you back at a specific time. And since I don't have anything else going on right now, I can stay and keep you company while you work. I could stay all day if I wanted to.”

All day? Her nerves already stood on end with his constant stare. No way she'd be able to get any work done. And how so like him to manipulate a situation so he got exactly what he wanted. Any twinge of disappointment was replaced with annoyance.

She met his gaze and took in the cocky slant of his eyes. Her jaw clenched. He thought he was so irresistible. One look, one smile, and she'd fall all over him. Not going to happen.

“Do you always get what you want so easily?”

His head tilted as if thinking it through, then his eyes bored into hers once more. "No. Not everything is worth pursuit. But when I find something special, something precious, a treasure of immeasurable wealth, I'll do everything within my power to claim it as mine."

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Author bio: 

Sarah Monzon is a pastor's wife and a stay at home mom to the two cutest littles in the world. 

Playing pretend all day with them isn't enough, she spends the evenings after their heads hit the pillow to create her own imaginary characters. 

When she isn't in the world of make believe, she can be found in a small desert town in central Washington taking care of her family, fostering friendships, and enjoying all the adventures each day brings.

Buy Sarah’s book:
Amazon - http://amzn.to/1XpGvzf

Connect with Sarah:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/authorsarahmonzon/
Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/monzons/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/monzonwrites

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WIN a copy of Sarah's new novel:

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Interview with Sarah Monzon, author of Finders Keepers

Let's welcome Sarah Monzon! She first visited the blog almost two years ago when her debut novel, The Isaac Project was released. It was an instant success! Now, Sarah's back and her writing skills are better than ever with her latest book, Finders Keepers (A Carrington Family Novel, Book 1). Here's the cover to Sarah's latest book:

Lovely, isn't it? It releases today (Monday, May 23)! If you can, leave a comment for Sarah toward the end of this blog post, congratulating her on the "birth" of her newest novel. 

Today, Sarah's taken the time to answer my questions about her new novel.

Enjoy her author interview! :)

*Words by Alexis are in bold, words by Sarah are not in bold.

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Alexis: Congratulations on the May 23 release of your new novel! How does it feel to have another book on the market?

Sarah: Surreal. Exciting. Frightening.

Why did you write Finders Keepers?

It was the story God placed on my heart to write. I know that may sound like a simple, cliché answer, but it’s the truth. He’s the one who planted within me the love of words and story, and He is the one pushing me to share those stories with the world.

Explain what the term “dual timeline” means for those who may not know. Then explain why you took this approach to writing Finders Keepers.

Dual timeline is a book that has two different timelines, and in essence two different stories, woven together to make one “big picture” story. When I started Finders Keepers, I hadn’t planned on making it dual timeline. The thought didn’t enter my head until after I’d written the first two contemporary chapters. Then I went back and started the story from Isabella’s point-of-view. And I’m so glad I did!

Summer Arnet is the modern heroine. Tell us about her role in this story. What is she like? What makes her mad? What or who makes her happy? Why is her passion photography?

Summer has always wanted to be a photographer with the nature magazine Our World, but the publication’s editors don’t think her work is edgy enough. When treasure hunter, Trent Carrington, offers to split the loot in a sunken ship, she’s initially outraged at his plans at pirating, but eventually agrees in an effort to attain her dreams…and regrets it with each wink and smirk Trent throws her way.

What is it about Summer that makes Trent want to become a one-woman man?

She challenges him. She’s spunky and sassy and sees things in him he’s been trying to deny. She makes him face his past and is there to help him through the pain he’s been living with every day.

What is it about Trent that screams “caution” to Summer all the while making her heart beat out of her chest with desire?

Trent is a Harley-riding, leather-jacket-wearing, tattooed, hopeless flirt. He never takes “no” for an answer, and she suspects not many women even say the word to him. It drives her crazy that his crooked grin gives her heart palpitations, but she’s determined not to fall for that kind of man.

Isabella Castellano is the historical heroine on the side of your dual timelines that deals with the past. Tell us about Isabella. Where is she from? What is she running from and why?

Isabella lives in 17th Century Spain. Her stepfather isn’t the most noble of men, in fact she blames him for her mother’s death. So, when he turned his attentions on her, she flees—in a rather dramatic way. She steals some of her stepfather’s clothing and masquerades as a cabin boy on one of his majesty’s treasure fleet.

What makes Isabella special? Describe her role in the story.

Isabella is a mixture of vulnerability and stubbornness. She hides her fears behind a mask of false bravado, but in so doing, accomplishes more than she ever thought she was capable of—saving lives, uncovering mutinous plots, and surviving life-snatching storms.

If you could spend one day with one of your Finders Keepers characters, who would you choose and what would you do? Why?

Oh, that’s a hard one. Hmmm… maybe Captain Montoya could teach me how to sword fight. Because, seriously, wouldn’t that just be so fun?

What do you want your readers to treasure most about this novel?

I hope everyone is reminded that they are children of God. Not just in name, but really and truly God’s sons and daughters.

Thanks for the interview, Sarah!

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Author bio:

Sarah Monzon is a pastor's wife and a stay at home mom to the two cutest littles in the world. 

Playing pretend all day with them isn't enough, she spends the evenings after their heads hit the pillow to create her own imaginary characters. 

When she isn't in the world of make believe, she can be found in a small desert town in central Washington taking care of her family, fostering friendships, and enjoying all the adventures each day brings.
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Buy Sarah's book:
Amazon - http://amzn.to/1XpGvzf

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Connect with Sarah:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/authorsarahmonzon/
Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/monzons/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/monzonwrites