Delia Latham's Blog, page 36

Guest blogger: Patty Froese

Eye of the Beholder

by Patty Froese





How beautiful are you? If you were to rate yourself on a
scale of 1 to 10, where would you land?


I don't think anyone is terribly comfortable with that
exercise. We've been trained by the media to criticize ourselves. A droop, a
sag, a blemish... Those are inexcusable. Actresses are publicly mocked for
having gained a little weight or having some "cottage cheese
cellulite" on their thighs, exposed by the prying lenses of unwelcome
cameras.




Women have babies and are judged by their "bounce
back" time, ridiculous as that may be.


A woman's value is not based on something as fickle as
Hollywood ideals, but the constant battery of messages coming from the media
would have us believe something else. Companies want us to believe that tubes
and vials will make us beautiful, that certain styles will help us maintain our
youth, that dyes will make us feel lovely. From diets to exercise machines,
clothing lines to skin creams, the woman in this modern age is bombarded by
messages that she just isn't enough, and she needs some help. Big time.






So when we look at ourselves in the mirror, what do we see?
I always joke that it isn't fair to judge me only on my looks, because when you
add in my personality, I get at least a three point lift on that number.  And while I'm only joking around when I talk
like that, there is truth under the laughter.


Beauty is more than skin deep.





But how much more?






Would you still feel beautiful if you had to wear
unflattering clothing? Would you feel beautiful if all your hair fell out?
Would you feel beautiful if scars covered your face and distorted your smile?


And if you stopped feeling beautiful, would you feel loved?






Where does our beauty come from?


In Eye of the Beholder, my heroine loses her looks in a
freak accident. She goes from stunningly beautiful, capturing the admiration of
everyone around her, to scarred and pitied. Doors no longer fly open for her,
and the face in the mirror seems to belong to a stranger. When she goes up to
the autumn woods to try to make peace with what she cannot change, she's faced
with more than the reality of her new looks--she's faced with a man from her
past who lost more than she ever knew.



When a woman loses her looks, what is there left to love?






 

Blurb:



Tricia Hunter was an extraordinary
beauty...before a horrible bus accident left her irreparably scarred. In an
effort to accept the things she cannot change, she heads to her uncle's cabin
for some time alone.



Forest ranger Jesse Reynolds recognizes Tricia the minute he sees her, but
nothing flickers in her eyes. That's fine by him. The same accident that stole
her good looks killed his fiance, and he simply can't bring himself to feel
sorry for Tricia like everyone else in her life seems to do.



Thrown together in the autumn woods, they are faced with the past, an uncertain
future, and a struggle to find out why God allows terrible things to happen.








Purchase
links:


Pelican Book
Group






Amazon







About Patty Froese:

Patty Froese started writing seriously after she graduated
from her English degree. She lived in a tiny bedroom apartment, worked the bare
minimum to keep herself fed and wrote the rest of the time. Her first published
novel came out of that experience, and ten years later, she's still writing. Eye of the Beholder is her tenth
published novel.

http://pattyfroese.com/

Romance and Mystery with COTT: January New Releases

 




Until Wednesday, February 20th, at midnight, Clash of the Titles will be featuring three, brand spanking new inspirational novels. Each of the below novels has been on bookstore shelves for less than a month. Which one is calling your name? Take a moment to browse, then, using the voting box below, let us know which you're most likely to read first. Happy browsing!




Groom By Arrangement

by Rhonda Gibson

 

 

 

Eliza Kelly thought her humiliation was complete when she identified the wrong train passenger as her mail-order groom. Jackson wonders if Eliza's mistake was his good fortune, between caring for an orphaned youngster and protecting Eliza, Jackson feels whole again, if only he can persuade Eliza to marry him, her reputation will be saved…and so will their long-buried dreams of forging a real family.



Mystery of the Heart

by Jillian Kent








Lady Mercy Grayson longs to be a physician like her older brother, however, society would never tolerate a female physician, so Mercy takes matters into her own hands, disguising herself as a man to get through medical school. Lord Eden is intrigued by Lady Mercy Grayson’s secret, but how can he hope to gain her heart if he is forced to betray her?





Claiming Mariah

 by Pam Hillman

 








In light of her father’s death, Mariah Malone sends a letter that will forever alter the lives of her family. When Slade Donovan, strong willed and eager for vengeance, shows up on her front porch, Mariah is not ready to hear his truths: her father’s farm, the only home she’s ever known, was bought with stolen gold.





Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey, the world's leading questionnaire tool.

"The Q Manifesto" -- A Christian Thriller You Don't Want to Miss!

Clash of the Titles presents...







 The Q Manifesto by Alan Schleimer.



A new Dead Sea Scroll stuns the world. Is it a forgery or the end of Christianity?



Not long ago, experts announced that an ancient papyrus referred to Jesus Christ as having a wife. It caused quite a stir before being quickly discredited. But what if an even more explosive papyrus was found that showed the gospels were faked and that document passed every modern test for legitimacy? That is the premise for The Q Manifesto. 




The story centers on Jay Hunt, who quit a lucrative Wall Street career to become a backcountry tour guide. Soon after, an ancient manuscript is uncovered that reveals the Gospels were an orchestrated fiction. Though its revelation stuns the world, Jay ignores it until his father, a retired Dead Sea Scrolls expert, gets in over his head investigating the scroll. Chased by assassins, Jay soon learns that the world’s only chance to survive Armageddon depends on him deciphering a cryptic trail of clues in his quest for the truth.




PURCHASE ON AMAZON




An Unlikely Prospect as an Author


Alan Schleimer wasn’t always a writer. In fact, he says that he was the least likely candidate to become a published author. About ten years ago, he was enjoying a career in the corporate world. The former energy trader and business development professional with a finance MBA claims he struggled writing a two-paragraph business letter. “I kept getting these cool ideas for a book. I thought some day, if I ever retired, I would write it. Well, I noticed that these ideas came more frequently while I was spending my quiet time meditating. Eventually, I became convinced it was a calling from God, and I began writing full-time. The story that started it all was a Christian fiction fantasy. It was a great learning process filled with numerous rookie mistakes. I took writing classes and attended writing conferences until deciding to write the kind of fiction I liked to read—mystery/suspense/thrillers.”



Police Academy


Besides studying writing, Alan is a graduate of Sugar Land’s Citizen Police Academy. He describes it as “A great program for anyone, but it was an ideal introduction for me to police procedures. You can read about police work, but the Academy brings to life the daily risks and snap judgments police officers must make to keep us safe.” Besides his Academy participation, he has studied martial arts, finance, and what he calls the divine source of all truth—the Bible.




Evidence that the Police Academy and other studies have enriched Alan’s writing is reflected in one reader’s review, which praised it as a “magnificent debut whose stunning depths, pivotal settings and tangible descriptions manifested themselves in imagery akin to an HDTV movie.” His storyline was cited as a “masterfully crafted, full-immersion thriller written with intelligence, heart and virtue, brilliantly plotted, and played out at machine gun pace.”  Pleased that his book is categorized as Christian fiction, Alan prefers to think of it as a family-friendly wild ride with a message of hope and a challenge to anyone’s faith.





Awards


The Q Manifesto  was named the top inspirational/religious novel of 2012 by the national website Daily Cheap Reads. Previously the story garnered the American Christian Fiction Writers Genesis award in the mystery/suspense/thriller genre. Schleimer’s debut novel is a suspense thriller and has been compared favorably to Dan Brown’s "Da Vinci Code" for its masterfully-executed twists and turns. 





Connect with Alan


The Q Manifesto is available as an eBook at Amazon and by month’s end at most online booksellers in a print edition. You can connect with Alan through his website www.alanschleimer.com and “Like” him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AlanSchleimer.Author.

How did you meet the love of your life?

How did you and your spouse or significant other meet? Was it particularly romantic? Funny? Embarrassing? Inquiring minds want to know! :)



I have committed to writing a guest blog post about just such a circumstance, so I'm putting out a plea:




WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO SHARE YOUR
"HOW I MET MY HONEY" STORY?


If so, please send it to me via e-mail. Don't worry about spelling, grammar, or using impeccable writing skills. Just tell me about it in your own words - as if you and I were sharing a cup of coffee, cuddled up in our snuggie blankies in front of a cozy fire.



I'll choose a story from the ones I receive and write my post around that romance.



If I choose to use your story, I'll send you a FREE copy of your choice of my novels.



If your story is not chosen for this project, I'll send you an autographed bookmark as a thank you for participating.



Who knows? Your story could end up in one of my novels someday (with your permission, of course). Wouldn't that be FUN?



Can't wait to see what everyone sends! :)

COTT's December Release Champ

The Champion of the December New Releases Clash is:





A Promise to Protect, by Liz Johnson








Her novel takes the honors but it went up against some formidable competitors:







The Song of the Tree,
Lotis Key



Mind of Her Own, Diana
Brandmeyer



Counterfeit Cowboy,
Lacy Williams



The Knitting Fairy,
Jaime Marsman

 




Thanks to all for showing up and playing with COTT this week. The voting was amazingly close for a few days, and we had well over 200 voters. Congratulations to our readers and supporters!

 



A few of the comments from the survey say:


I absolutely love inspirational fiction. Thank
you all for your books... I seem to always find one that speaks to my needs.






Keep on creating and inspiring.











ALL of the titles sound fabulous! It was a
tough decision. Thank you for writing such awesome books!




Anything about our Seals is a definite buy!


Sometimes it seems unfair to have to choose.
All the books look interesting. But I picked the one that I would pick up
first.


What a wonderful list of books! Great job,
everyone!


The books all look very interesting and well
worth checking out. It was very difficult making a choice and all 5 authors
should be encouraged for doing a great job.


Liz Johnson is one of my favorite authors. I
love how she develops her characters in such a way that I not only want to know
what happens in the story but I am emotionally invested in the characters.







About the Book:


Navy SEAL Matt Waterstone knows about keeping people safe. When his best friend’s sister is attacked, Matt promises no harm will come to Ashley Sawyer–not on his watch. But Matt’s not the only protective one. Ashley will do anything to safeguard the residents of the battered women’s shelter she runs. She’s sure she can handle the threats she gets in return. What she can’t handle is the way Matt scales the walls around her heart. Yet when she falls prey to a crime web more sinister than she’d realized, trusting Matt could be the only way to survive.



Buy the book on Amazon, or Barnes and Noble


About the Author:


Liz Johnson graduated from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff with a
degree in public relations and works as an editorial and marketing manager at a
Christian publisher. She is a two-time ACFW Carol Award finalist, and A Promise
to Protect is her fourth novel with Love Inspired Suspense. Liz makes her home
in Nashville, TN, where she enjoys theater, exploring the local music scene, and
making frequent trips to Arizona to dote on her two nephews and three nieces.
She loves stories of true love with happy endings.




Keep up with Liz's adventures
in writing at www.lizjohnsonbooks.com, Twitter
@LizJohnsonBooks, or http://www.Facebook.com/LizJohnsonBooks.



Upcoming book news: Ashley's brother, Tristan, gets his own
story in SEAL Under Siege, which will release in September of this year.

Heroines with Heart Blog Tour & Contest

Heroines With Heart is a massive blog tour that runs throughout 2013, that features books with strong female protagonists. We have authors from several different genres, including young adult, mystery/thriller/suspense, romance, sci-fi/fantasy, and Christian fiction. We are also giving away fun digital prizes and sharing new and noteworthy books throughout the year. Want updates?


For readers: http://heroineswithheart.com/attendees/
For bloggers: http://heroineswithheart.com/for-bloggers/
For authors: http://authors.heroineswithheart.com/





ALCATRAZ: THE LOST PEARL
by Aleshia Robinson












ABOUT ALCATRAZ THE LOST PEARL:




Fifteen year old Alcatraz is being chased. Born and raised in a loving family, she suddenly finds herself fending for her life on the streets of Los Angeles. Consumed with anger, hurt and confusion, Alcatraz turns to the spiritual realm to find life’s answers. While experimenting with pagan spells, Buddhist chants, and yoga sutras, she continually encounters a spirit who claims He is God. The Truth she learns from this spiritual quest introduces her to the unexpected world of divine healing, acceptance and unconditional love.







EXCERPT:



“Why don’t we flip for it?” Henry suggested reaching into his pocket pulling out a nickel. “If it’s heads we get the Apple Tart. Tails we get the Key Lime Pie.”



“That sounds like a fair deal to me,” Dad said. 



“No, I don’t want to do heads or tails with you, Henry, ’cause you know how to manipulate the coin to do what you want. Let’s do paper, scissors, rock,” I said.



“That’s fine. Paper, scissors, rock it is,” Natalie said, putting her book down and turning around to the back, facing me. 



“Well, if you guys are doing paper, scissors, rock then I want in.” Henry said, throwing down his video game to join the circle.



“That’s not fair. You shouldn’t have a say.” Natalie whipped around from me to face the front. “Dad, Henry is trying to order dessert when he knows it’s not his turn.” 



“Henry, let this be between your sisters now. Play fair.”

“Alright, fine. I’ll let the losers decide, but if I don’t like your choice then I get to choose the next two times we go out to eat.”



“Whatever,” Natalie and I simultaneously dismissed Henry and turned to face each other. The stage was set for paper, scissors, rock. A game where, no doubt, I was the undisputed champion. Being able to intuitively strategize my opponent’s hand I somehow repeatedly won with scissors. But since I knew Nat was aware of my wins with scissors, I set up the trap with paper because I knew she would start with rock.

“Are you ready?” Henry said, umpiring the round.



“Yep, I am,” I said confidently, knowing she was about to go down.



“Me too,” Nat replied.



“Alright, losers. Get your hands ready.”



“Henry,” Mom snapped sharply. “Stop calling your sisters losers. Now you apologize.” 



“What?” Henry shrieked. “Seriously, I’d rather give up my Steak Pizza at Hi Life than apologize to these two annoying brats.” 



Mom turned her whole body around but stopped halfway by Dad’s laughter, “Hey, that’s not a bad idea, honey. We could stand to save an extra thirty dollars.”



“Thomas Allen Boydstein! I know you are not laughing at your son!” 



“What?” He shrugged, still chuckling. “Cindy, the boy can eat. I say we invest his food money in an emerging growth fund and pay off his college tuition.” 



“Oh my goodness, Tommy.” Mom now broke out into laughter. “I don’t know what I am gon-” 



BANG! was all I heard before our Yukon swerved around to the right. Something blew out the front passenger tire and my dad lost complete control of the vehicle. As he mercilessly tried to jam on the brakes and avoid moving traffic, a U-Haul yielding onto the expressway slammed into the passenger door by Natalie and caused us to flip over several times down Interstate 5. I don’t quite remember all the details, but I do recall screaming, crying, and flying. 



Both Natalie and Henry unfastened their seatbelts in order to turn around and play paper, scissors, rock with me. So, as the truck flipped down the freeway, they flew from the ceiling to the floor along with the ice chest, food, video games, book bags, and my sketchbook. Once we flipped over the side rail our car finally came to a halt, upside down. 

I wasn’t knocked unconscious, but I wasn’t fully present, either. My eyes opened long enough to see through shattered glass the smoke and fire coming from under the hood. Nobody moved. Natalie lay face down with her upper body outside the window and her legs inside the vehicle pigeon toed. Henry landed in the fetal position to my right. I strained my neck to look for my parents but could see them from where I lay. I was stuck.









Amazon purchase page




ABOUT ALESHIA ROBINSON:






Aleshia Robinson is a lover of truth and freedom. Jesus freak. Sex trafficking activist. Missionary. Yoga and Pilates junkie. Wheatgrass fanatic. Decoupager. A spa, salon and restaurant enthusiast. Coffeehouse snob. Hotel hopper. Spanish lover. Latin dancing queen. Music worshipper. She also enjoy writing edgy Christian fiction that awaken souls to the true heart of God. Also, visit her at http://www.lovegodandtattoos.com/.












a Rafflecopter giveaway

Heroines with Heart Blog Tour & Contest

Heroines With Heart is a massive blog tour that runs throughout 2013, that features books with strong female protagonists. We have authors from several different genres, including young adult, mystery/thriller/suspense, romance, sci-fi/fantasy, and Christian fiction. We are also giving away fun digital prizes and sharing new and noteworthy books throughout the year. Want updates?



For readers: http://heroineswithheart.com/attendees/
For bloggers: http://heroineswithheart.com/for-bloggers/
For authors: http://authors.heroineswithheart.com/







A THREAD UNBROKEN
by Kay Bratt





Chai and Josi share a bond that transcends ordinary friendship. While Chai has always been Josi’s protector—ever since they were toddlers, growing up together in a small Chinese village—she finds herself helpless when they are both abducted from their families and sold to faraway strangers. In their new home, with the family of the fisherman who bought them, their old lives are torn away piece by piece. But Chai knows she must stay strong if they’re to have any chance of escaping.



That same tenacious hope guides Chai’s father, Jun, who fights to find the girls and bring them home, despite seemingly insurmountable odds and a corrupt legal system. The days since the girls were taken soon stretch to weeks and months, but Chai’s spirit remains unbroken and Jun’s resolve unwavering.



Set against the backdrop of modern day China, A Thread Unbroken is an inspiring story of remarkable courage, indefatigable hope, and the invisible ties that hold people together, even when everything around them is falling apart.





EXCERPT:






Chai leaned over to whisper to Josi, “You shouldn’t have
told her where we live, and I don’t think we should walk with her. If we do,
it’s going to take much longer to get back.” Chai thought she knew everyone
from the village, and she didn’t remember seeing this woman, but it wasn’t
unusual for people to live in the city and visit their family homes in the
village on weekends or holidays.




“But Chai, she seems nice, and she needs our help. We’ll
hurry,” Josi whispered back.




The woman overheard their conversation. “If you’re in a
hurry, I know a shortcut to the village. Follow me.” She turned the next corner
and quickly led the girls down an unfamiliar side street. A few blocks later,
she turned again, then again. Soon, both girls were completely confused about
which way to go.




Chai stopped and called to the woman, who walked quickly
ahead of them. “Qing wen, excuse me, but this is taking much longer than we
thought. Can you lead us back to the main road so we can go the way we know?”




The little boy was also getting impatient; he had tired of
walking and wanted one of the girls to carry him. The woman did not offer to
hold her own son, just let them continue caring for him.




She finally turned around. “Mei guan xi! Don’t worry.
Because you’ve both been so nice to help me, I want to buy you each a new
dress.”




The girls looked at each other, hesitant to accept such an
offer but also interested in the prospect of having something new to wear.
Their families were very poor, and new clothes didn’t come along often.




Chai looked at Josi, who answered her unspoken question in a
whisper. “I think we should let her buy us a dress.”




“But Josi, I don’t know what Baba would say. And he told us
to go straight back home; he might be angry if he finds out we’ve been
shopping.” She leaned in closer to Josi’s ear. “Don’t you think it’s weird that
she wants to buy us a dress just for helping her with her son?”




Josi sighed. “Please, Chai. Some people are just nice like
that. Don’t be so suspicious. You know I’ll never get another dress any other
way—and you might not, either.”




The woman watched the girls debating her offer. “It will
only take a few extra minutes, and then we’ll be on our way, girls. Please let
me do this. I only have a son and I’ve always wanted to shop for girls.”




Josi squeezed Chai’s hand, looking at her pleadingly.

“Fine. We’ll let her buy us a dress. But then we have to
hurry, and we aren’t going to have time to swim today. We need to be back at
home before Baba.” Chai readjusted the boy on her hip, impatient to get moving
again. The entire situation was bordering on surreal, but she didn’t want to
disappoint Josi, and maybe she was too suspicious after all.




By the big smile on her face, Josi obviously thought a dress
was a great trade for swimming; Chai wasn’t so sure. But they did have the rest
of the summer to get into the canal—and an opportunity to make Josi so happy
might not come along again. Chai knew the truth was she was much more likely to
get new things than Josi, so she decided to hold her tongue and just let go and
have fun for the day.




The woman smiled and led the girls down another alley,
farther from the main road and even farther from their path home.







Amazon Purchase Page





Kay Bratt grew up in the Midwest as the child of a broken home and later, a survivor of abuse. Facing these obstacles in her own life instilled in Kay a passionate drive to fight for those that had been dealt an unfair hand. Upon arriving in China on an expatriate assignment with her husband in 2003, she was immediately drawn to the cause of China’s forgotten orphans. Moved beyond tears by the stories of these children, she promised to give them the voice they did not have. In 2008, she self-published her memoir Silent Tears: A Journey of Hope in a Chinese Orphanage to do just that. With the help of her readers, Kay continues to raise awareness and advocate for at-risk children. In China, she was honored with the 2006 Pride of the City award for her humanitarian work. She is the found of the Mifan Mommy Club, an online organization which provides rice for children in China’s orphanages, and is also an active volunteer for Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) for abused and neglected children. Kay currently resides in Georgia with her husband and daughter. Also, visit her at http://kaybratt.com/.





a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review & Interview: Marianne Evans with Search and Rescue

Sal's Place Series, Book 1

by Marianne Evans




Search and Rescue is an upcoming release from Marianne Evans, my fellow author in the Heart's Haven collection as well as a treasured friend. I'm thrilled to offer my review of this unforgettable book, which will be available for purchase on February 8th.



Marianne graciously took time to answer a few of my questions. Be sure to take in that mini-interview following the review.







REVIEW:




Marianne Evans has done it yet
again. This author consistently delivers poignant storylines that grip the
heart, and captivating characters so real you wish they’d walk off the page and
into your life. She is second to none when it comes to making a setting or
situation incredibly realistic through the use of outstanding descriptive skills. I’m a speedy reader as a rule, but I
always spend an inordinate amount of time between the covers of her books—and
that doesn’t mean I’m not turning pages as fast as I can. But I keep stopping
to jot down some beautiful turn of phrase that gave me spine tingles. Consider
this line: “Something about a tough-guy cop turning timid stroked a gentle fingertip against her soul.” Could there even be a better way to say that?





Both hero and heroine in this
story have heavy crosses to bear, with life situations that would crush a lot
of people. When the story begins, Jennifer Foster has almost reached that
point. She fits two physically demanding jobs in between frantic situational
clean-up behind a bi-polar mother and—perhaps most exhausting of all—dealing with the emotional frustration
that goes along with that never-ending task. Ryan Douglas walks into her life
and refuses to walk back out, no matter how hard she tries to push him away.
She’s every bit as attracted to the handsome police officer as he obviously is
to her, but she’s not about to drag any man into the chaos of her life—especially
a man like Ryan. His gentle persistence is enough to melt any heart. This guy
is not only easy on the eye, he’s also brave, sweet, sensitive, generous and giving.
Simply put, he’s the ultimate hero, and yet his own life is no bed of roses. His
faith is his strength, and he’s determined to share that blessing with Jenny, even
if she never accepts the heart he’s so ready to give.





This may well be my favorite
Evans masterpiece to date. Jennifer and Ryan certainly give the series a
running start. And yet, I have no doubt this author will find a way to make book
two every bit as compelling. She always delivers excellence…and never more so than in Search and Rescue (Sal’s Place, #1). Way
to make an impression, Marianne!





INTERVIEW:











Welcome,
Marianne! Thank you so much for taking time to chat with me. First, I'm curious
about what prompted you to write a series based around an independently owned
restaurant (Sal's Place)?









::giggles::  I was hungry.  J  Actually, the
DH and I have a favorite mom-and-pop style diner we frequent after Mass on
Sunday's. There's something about the atmosphere and 'verve' of walking into
that place that is like nothing else. We're regulars, so the waitresses always
say hello and there's just a wonderful vibe to spots like this. Naturally, my
writing angel kicked into gear and dreamed me up a lovely ol' place by the
Detroit Riverfront, run by a delightful chef with a heart of gold—and Sal's
Place was born. Additionally, I loved the idea of throwing a spotlight on
places that aren't franchised (not that franchises are bad...). Neighborhood
spots like Sal's Place should never, ever become extinct!










I
completely agree—there’s nothing like them for real, cozy, “feel-at-home”
comfort.







Search and Rescue kicks off the
series,  and spotlights Jennifer Foster,
one of Sal’s waitresses. Jenny's life is complicated by the unpredictable
actions of a mother who suffers from bi-polar disorder. You handled the
portrayal of Mom's condition as well as its effect on Jennifer and her father
with such grace and finesse! How much and what kind of research was involved on
the subject?





First of all, thank you so much for
the lovely compliment! I'm glad you responded to Jenny's character! I did
considerable research on the topic of bi-polar disorder with physicians (guess
that's one of the perks of getting to know your doctor better and better as you
get older and older...) and via the Internet. There were sites in particular
that I focused on wherein stories were shared by people who live with the
disorder, and those who care for them. Their journeys depicted such strength of
character and beauty of heart—which is precisely what I wanted to show in
Jenny. At the same time, her mother needed to be multi-dimensional, not just a
device used to complicate her life. I wanted to make her real. Jenny's mom is
deeply loved, and tries to live with her disease, but at times, it gets the
better of her...like it would ANY of us.






So
true. I have dear family members whose lives are complicated by bi-polar
disorder, and even though I don’t actually live
with the situation, I have witnessed the devastation it can bring about. It’s
heartbreaking, for everyone involved.







I
have to hand it to you, Marianne. You turn a phrase to perfection like no one
else! I want to just sit at your feet and learn. LOL  For example, the one I mentioned in my review
simply took my breath away: “Something
about a tough-guy cop turning timid stroked
a gentle fingertip against her soul.” Do you just walk around
spouting this kind of word music? And if not, please...clue me in! Give a
nutshell version of what goes into creating the perfect way to phrase something
that's been said over and again by authors down through time...and make your
reader feel like it's the first time she ever really heard that particular
emotion/situation/setting, etc., described.





WOW! Delia, that's such high praise
coming from an author I admire and respect as much as you. Thank you! Let me
de-swell my head a second here.... OK, I'm back now. LOL! All kidding aside,
the author is God—I'm simply His scribe. I will say that as I dive into a
scene, and into my character's heads and hearts, I find that I literally
"feel" what they feel. Yes, that's right, I crack up with them, I
roll my eyes at their mis-cues, and I cry with them when they mourn. Literally.
I also feel that rush of awareness and loving promise as my hero and heroine
connect. The fact that you sense that in my writing is, I kid you not, the
highest praise an author can receive. So, again. THANK YOU.  ::blush::






Well,
I meant every word. And I gotta tell you, I had an “Ooooh, Lord, that’s so
cool!” shiver when you referred to yourself as “God’s scribe.” That’s exactly
the way I define my role as a writer. (In fact, may I insert a quick aside to
my readers here? I recently guest posted about exactly this subject. Readers, if you’d
like to read that post, here’s
a link. But don’t go anywhere until
I finish chatting with our guest. We’re looking forward to you joining the
conversation in the comment section.)





Sorry
about that little sideways jig, Marianne. Back to the subject…





This
series is different in tone and feel from your Woodland books. Is it too soon
to know which series you most enjoyed writing, and why?





That's such a tough question! I
enjoyed writing both Woodland and Sal's Place very much—though for very
different reasons. Woodland was my 'entree' into Christian romance, as well as
my first time creating a series, so it will always be the precious
"first." Sal's Place challenged me to create something completely
different in location and tone yet continue to dig deep and discover characters
with real-life issues and create the world in which they will find hope, God's
truth and mercy, as well as a forever-love that will leave readers feeling
uplifted and affirmed, no matter what tribulations might be happening in their
own lives.





Well,
you did an amazing job on the Woodland Series, and I’m already loving Sal’s
Place. Both sets of stories clearly and beautifully portray “real” characters
in very real situations, loving and becoming closer to a very real God. So I’d
say you’re succeeding in both goals. Isn’t it wonderful what God can do with
the gifts He gives us when we give them back to Him? J





Now,
I promised to keep this interview short. So tell us where to find your books,
and how to find you on the web.





No worries, Delia, I could hang out
here all day!! My books are available at Amazon.com—here's a link to my author page there which should point folks in the right direction.




Readers can also connect with me at
the following places:





My website (Marianne Evans - Faith-affirming Fiction™)



My Blog (A Minute with Marianne)






My Facebook page





Twitter







MARIANNE EVANS is an
award-winning author of Christian romance and fiction. Her hope is to spread
the faith-affirming message of God’s love through the stories He prompts her to
create.






Evans’s novel, Hearts
Communion, earned Christian Small Publisher Book of the Year honors in the
Romance category and readers have lauded her work as: ‘Riveting.’ ‘Realistic
and true to heart.’ ‘Compelling.’ Evans has also won acclaim in such RWA
contests as The Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence where she has been a finalist
twice, the Ancient City Romance Writers Heart of Excellence contest where two
of her novels earned distinction as finalists and the Colorado Romance Writers
Award of Excellence contest.





A lifelong resident of
Michigan, Evans is active in a number of a number of Romance Writers of America
chapters, most notably the Greater Detroit Chapter where she served two terms
as President. She’s also active in American Christian Fiction Writers and the
Michigan Literary Network.

Delicious December New Releases--Clash in the New Year with COTT!

Over the following week, Clash of the Titles is featuring five, brand spanking new inspirational novels. Each of the below novels has been on book store shelves for about a month; each is a slightly different genre. Which one calls you? Take a moment to browse, then, using the voting box below, let us know which you're most likely to read first. Happy browsing! VOTE from Now until next Wednesday - tell your friends - then come back and see which book is this month's champion!



The Song of the Tree by Lotis Key













Despite promises of eternal joy given by the Tree of Life, a privileged young woman loses everything in a brutal war. Her husband disappears; her family is murdered; her home is burned to the ground.





Mind of Her Own by Diana Lesire Brandmeyer




 







 Who knew making dinner could change your life? Louisa Copeland certainly didn’t.






Counterfeit Cowboy   by Lacy Williams













From the moment Jesse Baker collides with Erin O'Grady on a Boston train platform, he faces a dilemma. For once, Jesse doesn't want to lie about who and what he is.






A Promise to Protect   by Liz Johnson















When his best friend's sister is attacked, Navy SEAL Matt Waterston promises no harm will come to Ashley Sawyer—not on his watch. Threats are a regular part of Ashley's life as the director of a battered women's shelter, but when she and Matt uncover a crime ring more sinister than anyone imagined, trusting Matt could be the only way to survive.






The Knitting Fairy by Jaime Marsman






Librarian Molly Stevenson rather expected her new job at Crabapple Yarns to be deadly boring… but somehow she just didn’t expect the “deadly” part to be quite so literal. After all, what could possibly be more sweet and innocent than a yarn store and a bunch of ladies knitting?


 

 














Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey, the world's leading questionnaire tool.

Review: Heart's Haven Collection

I'm still so excited about the Heart's Haven Collection, and so honored by the opportunity to share this wonderful journey with my three cohorts on this project: Marianne Evans, Tanya Stowe, and Mary Manners.



The final book in this introductory collection of Heart's Haven stories released Jan. 20th with DANCE WITH ME by Mary Manners. Caught up in all the hoopla, I decided to go back and re-read all four books, now that they've gone through the editing process at Pelican Book Group. I'm so glad I did. I knew the stories were good. But I think I was more blown away by them on this second reading than I was the first time. 



My reviews of the other three authors' books are below. Maybe they'll help you make that decision to READ THIS SERIES. :) You won't be sorry you did.



Can't review my own book, JEWELS FOR THE KINGDOM, but here's a link to a wonderful review by Nancee Marchinowski.













OPERATION BREATHLESS



by Marianne Evans




Susanna Daniels isn’t looking for love. She’s sitting on an
East Texas park bench minding her own business and shedding a few tears, when a
very big dog slides to an awkward stop right at her feet…dragging his handsome
owner behind him on a leash. Gabe Peretti is a burned out cop looking for new
purpose, but he’s not immune to a pretty woman’s tears.  The two get unexpectedly chummy there in the
park, before they even discover that Gabe just moved into Heart’s Haven, the
cottage-rental complex where Susanna already lives. Steeped in legends of love
and rumored to be occupied by angels, Heart’s Haven is far from your everyday
rental community, and Gabe and Susanna have just taken the first step into a
wonderful journey of love, healing and a little touch of heaven.






Marianne Evans grabs the reader from the first page of
OPERATION BREATHLESS (Book 2, Heart’s Haven collection) and refuses to
relinquish her hold until the last riveting word. She has an impressive ability
to find a God-thing in every situation and to shine a revealing light on it for
her readers without ever slowing the pace or making the reader feel manipulated
and preached to. A powerhouse of stellar writing and impressive storytelling
skills, Evans does not disappoint. Ever.




Highly recommended.







LEAP OF FAITH


by Tanya Stowe




Zoe Wyndham has a gift. A free spirit holdover from the
flower power era, she sees angels, is highly empathetic, and somehow just knows
things that others don't know. In short, Zoe's "different"...and she
knows it. She's accepted who she is. Being a bit "apart" from
everyone else isn't a problem for a woman who's heart is set on missionary work
in Haiti.




Enter handsome computer programmer Zack Manning. He thinks
Zoe's weird, but quickly discovers she's wonderfully so. But his feet are
firmly planted on the high road to a successful career in technology.




Their paths clearly head in different directions. But as
residents of Heart's Haven--an East Texas cottage-rental complex that's steeped
in legends of love and surrounded by God's own emissaries--their little human
plans don't stand a chance.




I love this story...love it! Zoe is such an amazing, kooky,
wonderfully unique character. She grabbed me by the heartstrings and held on
tight to the very end. Her journey to love winds its way through a tumultuous
terrain of uncertainty, misguided notions, and plain old human stubbornness.
All Zack can do is hang on tight and try to survive the ride...and maybe learn
a thing or two about life, love, and giving up to God's will on the way.




Tanya
Stowe is superb at creating believable characters with wonderful quirks and
foibles and endearingly different personalities. LEAP OF FAITH is a fun tale
with a fine thread of faith that never overpowers the storyline. It's a
well-written, wacky and wonderful addition to the Heart's Haven collection.
Kudos to the author on a job very well done!











DANCE WITH ME



by Mary Manners




DANCE WITH ME is like the perfect,
plump cherry on top of the triple scoop of Heart’s Haven tales that preceded it.
The collection is made perfect—and perfectly irresistible—by the addition of
this wonderfully sweet romance.




High school English teacher Kaci
James is gun-shy when it comes to romance, but then, being left waiting at the
altar for a groom who never shows will do that to a girl. She treasures Patrolman-turned-Resource
Officer Ryne Calvert’s friendship, but that’s all she’s open to…just
friendship.




Ryne’s got more than that in mind.
He’s crazy about Kaci, but has no idea how to take things to the next level. So
he accepts a friend’s dare to ask advice from Love’s Lessons, the local advice
column, completely unaware that Kaci IS Love’s Lessons.




My heart was lost to Ryne from the
get-go. He’s the man every woman dreams of: strong, handsome, sweet, sensitive,
and not afraid to show his lady love that she makes his world go around. And
the dance at the end? Well, let’s just say Mary Manners knows romance. This
author turns it into a ballet of the heart.




Read DANCE WITH ME. It’s
wonderful. Sweet red cherry wonderful. Can’t get any better than that!













(Note: Clicking on any of the book covers above will take you to that book's Amazon sell page.)