Sara R. Turnquist's Blog, page 20
March 2, 2018
INTERVIEW & SPOTLIGHT: Author M.R. Anglin
Happy Friday, everyone! I hope you are all well and enjoying the warmer weather. And I hope you aren’t perpetually sick as my family seems to be. But I digress…
I have an author to introduce to you today. She is a Clean Reads YA author with a very intriguing inspiration for her novel and a GIVEAWAY!!! So, let me go ahead and introduce M.R. Anglin. And I won’t dawdle about getting into the interview so you can get introduced to her book 
February 26, 2018
INTERVIEW & SPOTLIGHT: Author Ica Iova
Hello, readers! I am so sorry that I have been out again. I have been under the weather once more. I hope I am well on the way to NOT BEING SICK for a while. It has been a bit much…
But I have a treat for you today–another Clean Reads author, award-winning author Ica Iova, and her release Divine Intervention. I have enjoyed getting insight into her process and her work through this interview and I hope you will too. And do NOT forget about the excerpt waiting below
February 21, 2018
SPOTLIGHT: Author Tia Souders “Better Than This”
Hey, all! Sorry you haven’t heard from me in a while…I have been sick, my family has been sick…and there has been a pile of catching up to do. But thanks for hanging in there! I have a great spotlight for you today. Author Tia Souder’s new release “Better Than This”! I won’t spend time vamping today, I’ll let you get right to the details
February 14, 2018
SPOTLIGHT: Author Keely Brooke Keith’s “All Things Beautiful”
Welcome one and all! Happy Valentines Day! I am excited to share with you a new release from one of the more intriguing authors I know. Keely Brooke Keith is a fabulously creative author I know from the local ACFW chapter I am a part of. And the premise of her Uncharted Series is truly fascinating. I have just been so terribly eager to jump into this series. To say it is unique would be putting it mildly. But I’ll let you read on and find out for yourself.
All Things Beautiful
Release Date: April 17, 2018
It’s 1868 in the settlement of Good Springs, and Hannah Vestal is passionate about writing fiction and keeping her stories to herself. By lantern light she slips into her story world and dreams the adventures she’ll never experience. When her father asks to read her work, she decides to have it printed secretly for his 50th birthday. Hannah tries to arrange the printing with the settlement’s pressman, but the witty and dapper Henry Roberts won’t make it easy for her to prove her writing is worthy of his ink.
If Henry Roberts did nothing else for the rest of his life but print and bind books, he would die a satisfied man. In order to secure settlement support for his printing press, the elder council says Henry must print an error-free copy of the New Testament before the settlement’s 8th anniversary celebration. He is determined to meet their challenge, but when the enigmatic Hannah proves to be a beguiling distraction, Henry longs for something more than a life at the letterpress.
Get swept away to the hidden frontier settlement where love requires sacrifice, faith-filled adventures await, and sweet romance makes people glad to be alive. Read All Things Beautiful today and embark on an unforgettable journey of the heart in this inspirational story.
Find Keely’s Books Online
More About Keely
Keely Brooke Keith writes inspirational frontier-style fiction with a slight Sci-Fi twist, including The Land Uncharted (Shelf Unbound Notable Romance 2015) and Aboard Providence (2017 INSPY Longlist). Keely also creates resources for writers, including The Writer’s Book Launch Guide and The Writer’s Character Journal. Born in St. Joseph, Missouri, Keely grew up in a family that frequently relocated. By graduation, she lived in 8 states and attended 14 schools. When she isn’t writing, Keely enjoys playing bass guitar, preparing homeschool lessons, and collecting antique textbooks. Keely, her husband, and their daughter live on a hilltop south of Nashville, Tennessee.
Connect with Keely
The post SPOTLIGHT: Author Keely Brooke Keith’s “All Things Beautiful” appeared first on Sara's Desk.
February 12, 2018
February 9, 2018
INTERVIEW & SPOTLIGHT: Author Bruce A. Stewart
I am pleased to welcome you to my blog once again to meet another Clean Reads author, Bruce A. Stewart. I cannot say that I have noticed Bruce before, but I will keep my eyes peeled. Not only are we signed with the same agent, the premise of his books are intriguing and deep. Definitely makes this clean Historical Romance reader itch to pick up these contemporary pieces. (I will note here that, as an author, it is ALWAYS a good idea to read in all genres, there is so much to be learned by doing so.)
But I am rambling once again…so I will shift our focus to Bruce…
Welcome, Bruce. Thanks for being on the blog today. First, can you tell us a little about your novel?
Since tragically losing his wife three years ago, Live Oak, Louisiana dentist Joe Whitaker has relied on his steadfast mother-in-law, Laura Everett, to help with his two small children. Abby Sumner, an attorney currently living in California, has come home to Live Oak only long enough to attend her father’s funeral and settle his estate. Afterward, she plans to return to Los Angeles and never look back. After a spirited first meeting between Joe and Abby, sparks begin to fly in more ways than one. But now Joe begins to notice distinct changes in his mother-in-law’s behavior. Unsure of the reason, he soon learns of a terrible secret from long ago that could jeopardize his relationship with both women. When tragedy strikes the family at Christmas, Joe seeks divine intervention. But can he hold it together while he waits for the miracle that may or may not come?
Sounds tense. I like it!
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
I’ve always written in some form or fashion. When I retired in 2009, I decided to try my hand at writing a novel. Along the way, I was fortunate to have a few short stories published and to sign with Hartline Literary’s Cyle Young. Sing Me Something Happy is my debut novel.
Congrats on publishing and signing with an agent! Both good early accomplishments
February 7, 2018
SPOTLIGHT: Author Misty M. Beller’s “This Treacherous Journey”
Escaping north is her only option…And he’s the only one with the skill to get her there.
Widowed and with child, Emma Malcom is fleeing from the reward offered for her arrest. She’s innocent of the dirty dealings her deceased husband orchestrated, but the angry townspeople didn’t stop to listen to her defense before she narrowly escaped with her life. Now, she and her twin brother, Joseph, must battle the mountain wilderness of the Rockies to reach Canada and the clean start she craves. But when a fall from the rocky cliff leaves Joseph wounded and weak, could the strange mountain man they encounter be God’s gift to see them to safety?
Simeon Grant makes bad choices. His deceased wife and twin babies are lost to him now because of his reckless decisions, and the penance he pays by living alone in this mountain wilderness is only a small piece of what he thinks he deserves. When a city woman, heavy with child, appears on his doorstep with her injured brother, her presence resurrects the memories he’s worked so hard to forget. And when she asks for his help to travel deeper into the mountain country, he can’t help wonder why God would force him to relive the same mistakes he’s already suffered through. Or maybe taking these two to safety could be the way to redeem himself.
But when their travels prove more treacherous than he imagined, Simeon finds himself pressing the limits of his ability to keep Emma and her brother safe. Can he overcome the past that haunts him to be the man she needs? Will Emma break through the walls around Simeon’s heart before it’s too late, or will the dangers of these mountains be the end of them all?
Enjoy an Excerpt
Emma fought a wave of protectiveness as the mountain man peered at Joseph’s arm again. His face was hard to read, but she didn’t like the way he’d tried to get rid of her. He either didn’t know as much about doctoring as he’d made it sound, or the work ahead would be painful for Joseph. Either way, she would be here to protect and support her brother. She’d had more than her fair share of secretive men with hidden agendas, and she wasn’t about to let Joseph suffer more than necessary at the hands of this one.
The mountain man rose to his feet, and she took an involuntary step back as his height towered above her. He was taller than Joseph. Taller than her late husband by at least six inches.
He strode to the other side of the room and opened a wooden box. After rifling through for a moment, he extracted a small cloth bundle and turned to face her. “I’m going to get a splint. Steep this in a tea for your husband.” He tossed the parcel, and she barely caught it in the crook of her right arm.
“He’s not…” She started to correct him about her relationship to Joseph, but the man slipped out of the cabin and shut the door before she could finish.
She held up the pouch, tied closed with a strip of leather, then glanced over at the pot warming on the hearth beside the fire. Should she make a whole kettle of the tea, or just one cup for Joseph? Her poor brother was pale as fresh milk, and his mouth was pinched in a tight line. If this was meant to help his pain, he’d need a whole pot full. She crossed to the fire and poured the contents of the pouch into the metal pitcher.
With the tea steeping, she knelt on Joseph’s good side and stroked the hair from his brow. “How’re you feeling, love?”
“Hurts.” Joseph didn’t open his eyes. And the fact that he didn’t try to make light of his pain or sound reassuring gave truth to the intensity of his anguish.
“I’m so sorry.” She combed through his curls, letting her fingernails skim his scalp in a way she hoped would be soothing. “I think we’ve found someone who can help you.”
As if summoned, the door opened, and the mountain man stepped inside again. He wore buckskins like the frontiersmen they’d seen in Fort Benton. Except this man even wore them on his feet, laced up to his knees. She’d only seen Indians wearing shoes like that, and even then, she’d only seen drawings on flyers advertising Wild West shows as she and Joseph had traveled up the Mississippi.
Was this man an Indian? His dark hair appeared more brown than black, even in the dim light of the cabin. And those blue eyes… They’d been piercing as he’d stood in front of his home like a sentry, glaring at the two of them. No, he didn’t look the way she’d heard the redskins described.
Although maybe there was something a little savage about him. No, not savage, just…wild. Something that made you take a second look at him. Something she wasn’t sure if she should fear or admire.
Buy Links
More About the Author
Misty M. Beller writes romantic mountain stories, set on the 1800s frontier and woven with the truth of God’s love. For a limited time, you can get her bestselling novel, The Lady and the Mountain Man, FREE here: http://bit.ly/2gvrW1a
She was raised on a farm in South Carolina, so her Southern roots run deep. Growing up, her family was close, and they continue to keep that priority today. Her husband and daughters now add another dimension to her life, keeping her both grounded and crazy.
God has placed a desire in Misty’s heart to combine her love for Christian fiction and the simpler ranch life, writing historical novels that display God’s abundant love through the twists and turns in the lives of her characters.
Connect with Misty and her books
Website: http://mistymbeller.com
Twitter: @MistyMBeller
Facebook (Author Page): MistyMBellerAuthor
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/misty-m-beller
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/MistyMBeller
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/MistyMBeller
Amazon (Author Page): https://amazon.com/author/mistymbeller
The post SPOTLIGHT: Author Misty M. Beller’s “This Treacherous Journey” appeared first on Sara's Desk.
February 5, 2018
February 2, 2018
GUEST POST & GIVEAWAY: Author Daisy Townsend
by Daisy Townsend
Recently I became obsessed with finding a rug just the right size for a floor area we wanted to cover in our bedroom. The size rug we needed wasn’t easy to find, not being a standard size. I measured several times and pictured what the different-sized rugs would look like in our bedroom. I hunted at Ollie’s and online.
One day I noticed the carpet remnant on the family room floor left over from when we’d had our upstairs carpeted four years ago. The longer I looked the more sure I became that this carpet remnant was exactly the right size for the area we wanted to cover in our bedroom. (A standard size rug would easily replace the remnant in our family room.)
When Donn and I carried the remnant to our bedroom, we found it was a perfect fit! I kept thinking of the irony of how hard we’d tried to find the perfect rug when we already had exactly what we needed. I wondered how often in life we do the same thing─go out searching for what we think we need when we already have it.
One woman I knew had been married many years to a good man but decided she wasn’t happy. Eventually she left her husband and found the man she thought she wanted. Things didn’t turn out well. I asked her gently, “Do you have regrets?” Sobs shook her whole body as she nodded. “So many regrets.”
I read of a similar case of a woman who spent many years complaining to her calm, easy-going accountant husband and her friends about the unexciting life they led. When Tim died of a heart attack in his forties, Diane found the man of her dreams. He was debonair and charming, an exciting date. However, after they married, she discovered he wanted to party every night and cared little about managing finances. Later, Diane told a friend, “I wish I had married someone who was content to stay home and good at managing money.” Her friend looked at her and said, “Someone like Tim?” God had given her exactly what she needed, but she’d been too blind to appreciate him.
This reminds me of two of my favorite children’s books: Old Hat, New Hat and The Best Nest. The moral of each story is the same. In Old Hat, New Hat the bear sets out to buy a new hat. He tries on or looks at 31 different hats, but finds something wrong with each one. (Do you remember? “Too big. Too small. Too flat. Too tall. etc.”) In the end, he puts on his old hat, looks in the mirror and says, “Just right! Just right. Just right. Just right.” He leaves the store wearing his old hat with a smile on his face.
In The Best Nest, Mr. Bird loves their nest and sings often, “I love my house. I love my nest. In all the world, my nest is best!” Mrs. Bird has a different opinion but in the end, after looking at many other nests, Mrs. Bird also realizes that the nest they have is, after all, the best nest.
Old Hat, New Hat and The Best Nest have happy endings because the “people” come to appreciate what they already had. However, in the real world, as in the other two stories I shared, the endings aren’t always happy. We may leave a marriage, a job, a house, or any number of places or situations, and later, when we realize the value of what we had, we discover it’s too late.
Charles Stanley recently said many people love to quote Psalm 37:4 (Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart), but fail to understand that the promise has a condition we must fulfill. Psalm 90:14 says, “Satisfy me early with your love that I may delight in you all the day.” As the Lord becomes our delight, He aligns our desires with His.
If we find ourselves unhappy and dissatisfied with our marriage, our job, our church, our home, perhaps the first step shouldn’t be to look for a new man/woman, job, church, home. Perhaps the first step should be to ask God to satisfy us with His love so that we can delight in Him and trust Him to give us the desires of our hearts. In many cases, we may discover that He already has.
Father, forgive us for trying so hard to find what we want that we’re blinded to the fact you’ve often already given us what we need. Amen.
Daisy, thank you so much for this post and for being on my blog today. If I may, let me turn our conversation toward your novel, Sarah’s Legacy. What was your inspiration for this novel?
We researched the history of our home (over 100 years old) and I was so inspired by some of the former residents (late 1800’s-early 1900’s) that I decided to write a Christian historical fiction based on some of their lives. A 95-year-old friend whose husband lived in that house from the age of ten provided more history that prompted me to write the book.
That inspiration just sparked, huh? Did you always want to be a writer?
As a child, I wanted to be a wife, mother, and writer. I have published writers on both sides of my family an older sister and now a niece who are published writers. Maybe it’s in my blood!
Sounds like it! How long does it take you to write a book?
My first book was a compilation of devotionals written over many year’s time. It took me a year to compile them into an autobiographical devotional book, including writing more devotionals and editing previous ones. Sarah’s Legacy, my first fiction, was started in 1998, put away in a box maybe six months later when my life became too busy, then finished in 2015-2016 after Homespun Faith was published and people were asking, “What will you write next?”
Maybe I’m being sneaky here…but could you tell us something about your novel that is NOT in the blurb?
Polly Dye finds much more than she was looking for in the diary of Sarah Davis, previous owner of their 19th century home…
Intriguing… Do you have any current projects you’re working on? Care to share?
I’m working on the second book in the Sarah’s Legacy Series, Sarah’s Legacy Shared.
Daisy, thanks again for being on the blog and for answering my random questions. I won’t keep my readers from digging deeper into Sarah’s Legacy, so I best stop my rambling 
January 31, 2018
INTERVIEW & SPOTLIGHT: Author K.R. Martin
Hello, readers! Today is a great day to introduce you to one of my fellow Clean Reads friends, author K. R. (Karen) Martin. And if you enjoy pirates, history, adventure, romance, a combination thereof…has she got a novel for you! I am so eager to jump into the interview so Karen can speak for herself, that I’ll stop gabbing and get right to it
