Linda Brooks Davis's Blog, page 19
February 21, 2018
Let’s Chat! Author Rachel Skatvold
Welcome, Readers!
I‘m honored to introduce Rachel Skatvold, author of Christian contemporary romance. Welcome, Rachel!
Rachel’s giving away an ebook copy of her latest release, Guardian of Her Heart, to someone who joins the conversation below. You may also share a Facebook post or a tweet to qualify for the drawing. But be sure to tag me when you do. Or use the “Click to Tweet” links below, which makes tweeting super easy and tags us automatically.
Rachel Skatvold Before Writing
I come from a big family and we have lived in Kansas City, Missouri since I was two years old. Now our family has grown even bigger since my brother and sisters have gotten married and have children. It always looks like a block party on my parents’ street when we have family get-togethers. (Click to Tweet!)
My husband and I were married ten years ago and have two boys that I home school. Our lives are very busy, but fun.
A Debut for Rachel Skatvold
My first book is actually still a work in progress. I submitted it to a few publishers and it got through one round of selections with one editor, but in the end it was rejected because they said I didn’t have a big enough platform to promote the book.
I was discouraged at first, but then I had an idea for a second book, Beauty Within. This one actually started on my blog. I would post a chapter every week for my followers and read their comments to grow in my writing. However, when the story came to an end, I got such a good response that I ended up getting the story edited and then I self published it as a novella in 2014. That book flourished and grew into a three-novella series—Riley Family Legacy! (Click to Tweet!)
As for my first book, I realized it really wasn’t ready for publication yet. That one is still close to my heart but on the backburner for the moment.
What’s up With Rachel Skatvold Now?
After my three book series was released, I had an idea for a contemporary western romance series.
Hart Ranch Series
The first book in the Hart Ranch Series, Escaping Reality, follows the lives of the Hart family on their family land in Montana. (Click to Tweet!) Their peaceful life is disturbed when a young movie star stumbles upon the ranch, but God has big plans in mind.
The second book in this series, Chasing Embers, is set to be released in August 2018.
I am also a contributing author in the Whispers in Wyoming Series which has seven books so far.
All of my books are romances but I also try to weave in a deeper theme of faith and family throughout the storyline. I’m excited for the future and what God has in store for my writing ministry.
How to Find Rachel Skatvold and Her Books
To Purchase Rachel’s Books: Amazon
And don’t fail to comment below. Post on Facebook or Twitter for a chance to win Guardian of Her Heart!
~ ~ ~
Lord, we bow before You in praise and gratitude for how You use us for the Cause of Christ. We writers of Christian fiction are privileged to weave Your story into ours. And readers of Christian fiction are inspired as the various facets of the Gospel unfold on the page. Please bless every single word Rachel writes for You. And bless us in the reading.
~ For Jesus’ sake
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The post Let’s Chat! Author Rachel Skatvold appeared first on Linda Brooks Davis.
February 14, 2018
Let’s Chat! Author Naomi Miller
Welcome, Readers! Welcome, Naomi Miller!
Author Naomi Miller honors us by joining our chat circle this week. Naomi pens Amish mystery and suspense, as well as children’s books. She’s offering The Chocolate Truffle Mystery in the winner’s choice of format—digital or print. What a deal!
Comment below for a chance to win.
Pen Name
Although it’s legally a pen name, I have essentially become Naomi Miller. Only when I was working full-time did I hear anyone refer to me as Donna Mynatt — of course, family still calls me Donna, but when anyone asks my name, the first name I say is Naomi.
Here’s the story behind it. Before my birth, my parents planned to name me Naomi (although there was a mixup and I ended up with the name Donna). When I married, my surname became Miller. It seemed like the perfect opportunity to use the name I wanted when I began writing my first book… so I became Naomi Miller.
Amish Fiction
Although I would like to write some contemporary romance (clean reads only) in the near future, for now I’m focusing on the Amish Cozy Mystery series I’m writing, as well as an Amish Suspense novel I’ve written. With input from my grandchildren, I’m also writing several children’s books. The first series is the Adventures of Sophie Kitty.
I’ve loved reading since I learned to read using the Dick and Jane stories in the first grade. After that first book, I became a voracious reader. Almost immediately I became interested in writing… I wrote stories in school, year after year, but never dreamed that someday I would actually be a published author! I LOVE WRITING! (Click to Tweet!)
Pre-Author Life
I was born and raised in East Tennessee. My parents had three daughters (I’m the youngest), but they’ve all passed on. My family now consists of my two children and two grandchildren. I worked for the State of Tennessee until last year, when I took early retirement.
First Book and Debut Experience
Blueberry Cupcake Mystery was so much fun writing. I had previously written an Amish Suspense but felt God guiding me to write something short and sweet (Click to Tweet!) — something readers could enjoy reading, without the gut-clinching, heart-pounding reaction that come from so many books today.
The only challenges I faced were trying to get a book published that was novella length and a mystery that wasn’t so scary . . . thankfully I found a small publisher who was willing to take a chance on me. By the time it released, more than 300 people had purchased a copy and it had moved up to the #1 Best Seller spot on Amazon. I felt truly blessed.
What’s Up Now
I have written four additional books in the Amish Sweet Shop Mystery series and “TADA” I signed a contact for three more books.
Blueberry Cupcake Mystery, Book One in the Amish Sweet Shop Mystery series, released in Spring of 2016 to rave reviews. (Click to Tweet!) Christmas Cookie Mystery released just in time for the Holiday season in 2016. Readers devoured Lemon Tart Mystery, which released last summer. Pumpkin Pie Mystery arrived just in time for the holiday, and readers are starting the New year right with Chocolate Truffle Mystery. Now I’m hard at work on the next book in her Sweet Shop Mystery series!
Sophie Finds a Family, Book One in the Adventures of Sophie Kitty series, is the story of a sweet, shy kitten (Click to Tweet!) who found two children and decided they would be her new family. Read along with Sammy and Macy as they tell the story of finding a little lost kitten, naming her, loving her, and making her part of their (or rather, becoming her own) family.
How to Find me on Social Media
NEWSLETTER SIGN UP: http://eepurl.com/bPdjGn
WEBSITE: https://naomimillerauthor.com/
FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/NaomiMillerAuthor
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/AuthorNaomi
PINTEREST: http://www.pinterest.com/authornaomi/
GOODREADS: http://bit.ly/1VMIegX
INDIEBOUND: http://bit.ly/1PsB9MR
FICTION FINDER: http://bit.ly/1UOlI5P
Giveaway
I would love to share a copy of my newest book, Chocolate Truffle Mystery. Winner can choose digital or paperback.
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The post Let’s Chat! Author Naomi Miller appeared first on Linda Brooks Davis.
February 7, 2018
Let’s Chat! Author Karen Malena
Welcome, Readers!
This week we’re visiting with Karen Malena, author of inspirational, dystopian, and fantasy fiction. Not exactly sure what dystopian or fantasy entails? Keep reading, my friends … and be inspired.
P.S. Karen’s offering “a few” of her ebooks to the winner(s) of a drawing among those who comment below. Let’s keep the conversation going!
Karen Malena Before Authoring
I feel that my true writing journey actually began when I was a very young girl. My mother had a form of mental illness and was hospitalized many times. It was frightening for me, but it began my love of reading and making up stories to escape all of the seriousness surrounding me.
Family Life
My close-knit family’s strong faith got us through this difficult time, and God restored my mother to us by a miracle. I like to believe that going through this experience as a young child, helped ready me for the journey of Alzheimer’s and dementia that we faced with Mom for the last several years.
Once again, I was able to channel the seriousness, write about it, and inspire others with my blog and writings.
How Authorship Began for Karen Malena
So many times throughout my life, I would begin a fictional story, but put it aside. It took me until about eight years ago, when I met a man in our small group Bible study at church who had some published pieces, to finally join a writers group and pick up my desire to write once again.
Karen Malena’s Debut
My first book, which is out of print now, was called Shadow of My Father’s Secret. I went with a very small publishing company. There was never a more exciting moment than actually seeing my name on the Amazon site for the first time.
More Novels for Karen
My two books about golden year romance came from that time: Love Woven in Time and Love Finds a Way.
Another of my books, Reflections From my Mother’s Kitchen, is a fictionalized memoir-type journey of some of the situations our Italian family had gone through. Conversations with a faith-filled mother guide Kate, my main character.
A Dystopian Tale
I also went out of my comfort zone with a story inspired by the impersonal way I see our young people communicating today—only by texting and electronic devices—so my dystopian story, Sound of Silence, was born. It is a futuristic tale in an era where speaking is not permitted any longer, creepy and cautionary.
A Bit of Fantasy
And lastly, due to the popularity of my son Matt3756 YouTube channel, I wrote Piggy, a fun, fantasy story about his cat. It’s a great book about friendship, food and fun.
Life at Present for Karen Malena
Ligonier, PennsylvaniaMy husband and I enjoy traveling to the quaint town of Ligonier, Pennsylvania, located in the Laurel Highlands. It was at one of our stays at a bed and breakfast that I began formulating a story while thinking of my parent’s love in their senior years, Mom’s growing dementia, and my love of that beautiful town.
Sharing Through Articles
I belong to a group, AlzAuthors, now and am most comfortable blogging about my caregiving journey with Mom’s dementia and aging parents. I also have an article coming out in Guidepost magazine’s sister publication, “Mysterious Ways,” this spring entitled “The Earrings” about my mother’s near death experience. It is my hope to be a blessing to those who face the heartbreak of dementia, losing their parents, or anyone who may identify with one of the characters in my books.
Reaching Out to Others
I love to encourage others to begin their own writing journey, or speak at events at senior centers and libraries.
How to Contact Karen
Where to Find Karen Malena’s Books
Love Woven in Time by Karen Malena
Harry and Rose meet in their golden years in quaint Ligonier, Pennsylvania. A warm friendship is forged and their lives become intertwined in ways even they won’t believe.
But will Rose’s secret from her teenage years tear their new found friendship apart? Will the sins of Harry’s past revisit him and shatter all hope for happiness?
Love Finds a Way
In this story we revisit Harry and Rose McMillen from Love Woven in Time . Their love in their senior years is an inspiration to all who know them. But as Rose senses that her beloved is losing precious memories more rapidly, she begins to wonder how long they really have together before the ravages of time and age erase precious moments forever.
Reflections from My Mother’s Kitchen
In the quaint, old steel town of Ambridge, Pennsylvania, Kate has known adversity. While she and her mom share the stories that molded their lives, Kate begins a journey of self-awareness and hope.But when tragedy knocks on a seemingly innocent morning, will the warmth of a mother’s love be enough to carry her through?
Sound of Silence
A dark, all-encompassing law blankets the country. Driven by one terrible secret, a powerful politician brutally suppresses speech for the sake of order and holds the country in the palm of his hand.In Sound of Silence an ominous new society is introduced leaving us with the question: What if?
Piggy
What do a cat and mouse have in common? One little kitten is about to find out.“This is a true story, one of an unlikely friendship, great bravery, heroes and villains.”
This is Piggy’s story…
~ ~ ~
Lord, You are our eternal Sustainer. We praise You alone for preserving life and faith and trust. Karen Malena has walked a path few have known. Only You could have brought her into her place of security, joy, and service through writing. We honor You as we honor Karen. Please bless each word she writes for You.
~ For Jesus’ sake ~
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The post Let’s Chat! Author Karen Malena appeared first on Linda Brooks Davis.
January 31, 2018
Let’s Chat! Author Janice Cole Hopkins
Welcome, Readers!
I‘m tickled to introduce you to author Janice Cole Hopkins, who has penned seven historical novels and four contemporaries with just the right amount of romance.
Janice is giving away a digital copy of her latest release, It All Started at the Masquerade, so be sure to join our conversation below!
Janice Cole Hopkins’s Pre-Author Life
I grew in Appalachian culture, and 5 of my novels are set there. With a B. S. in history and an M.A. in the teaching of reading, I taught public school (mainly history and English) and wrote for magazines. I’ve traveled extensively, going to all 50 states and 40 other countries. Married to a pastor, I have a grown son and daughter and 4 grandsons. I’m interested in so many things I have a hard time listing them – arts and crafts, photography, travel, history, folk studies, drama, etc. But the driving force in my life is my Christian faith. I can use any or all of this in my writing.
A Debut for Janice Cole Hopkins
Cleared for Planting was my first published book. It is the first in the four-book Appalachian Roots series set in the North Carolina mountains in the 1800’s.
I always wanted to write a historical novel, but with all my other interests, I didn’t sit down to do so until I became my mother’s caregiver. This as an example of how God can use even bad situations for good. Writing my first novel 5 years ago and publishing my first, Cleared for Planting, 3 years ago, I haven’t stopped writing yet. I found my publisher by attending a Christian writing conference that had interviews with publishers.
Janice Cole Hopkins, a Prolific Author
After publishing the first four books with the traditional publishers and talking with other authors I enjoy (like MaryLu Tyndall and Tamara Leigh) I decided to also try indie publishing. The authors had moved from well-known publishers to totally indie publishing, mainly because it gave them much more control over the process and allowed them to earn more.
I published the next seven books with some formatting help. However, I do have another book coming out with my traditional publisher. I can actually write them faster than we publish them, so having two ways of publishing works for me. (Click to Tweet!)
Appalachian Roots Series
Living in the Appalachian Mountains in 1804 takes a strong person, and the unexpected can be lurking just around the corner. Emma has high hopes when her family moves to the North Carolina mountains. Her father appears to have finally quit drinking, and he plans to settle their family once and for all near the Linville River. Here Emma meets Edgar Moretz, an intelligent, passionate, and godly young man. Things are looking up for her, but when she is captured by a Cherokee raiding party, Emma’s problems have just begun.
Years later, Clifton has finally finished his medical training and plans to spend some time at his family’s mountain farm until he can decide his next step. He also hopes God will send him a special woman to become his wife. But when she arrives unexpectedly, he finds that the road to happiness is not always smooth. (Click to Tweet!)
The Appalachian Mountains are a beautiful place for life and love—but they can prove harsh and treacherous to the unexperienced. After the death of their father, Ivy and Leah Morgan are suddenly thrust into unpleasant, arranged marriages by their mother. Ivy, however, has other plans. Having fallen in love with Luke Moretz, Ivy is insistent upon running away to Luke’s farm in the Appalachian Mountains—far from her home and her mother’s disapproval.
Convincing her sister to come along, the Morgan girls leave town with Luke. Along the way, feelings between Ivy and Luke become strained as Ivy’s true personality and distaste for the mountains begin to show. Luke must face following his growing attraction to Leah or keeping his promise to Ivy. Meanwhile, Leah can’t help falling for all the things about Luke that her sister seems to dislike. Mixed emotions and the testing of relationships lead to dangerous and unfortunate circumstances that put any chance of future happiness at risk. Will this journey bring the sisters closer than ever, or drive them further apart than they could have ever imagined? (Click to Tweet!)
When brother must fight against brother, tragedy and terror become all-too-familiar visitors. The fate of a nation, and a family, hangs in the balance. It’s 1862, and the Civil War has arrived at last in Appalachia. Fearing that he will be drafted by the Confederacy, Luke Moretz leaves his farm and his wife, Leah, behind to join the Union. Although he loves the South, Luke can’t abide slavery. However, Luke’s brother-in-law and best friend, Lawrence, disagrees and will fight for the Confederacy. How can Luke keep his faith when faced with insurmountable obstacles and horrendous conditions amidst the turmoil of war?
Meanwhile, at their mountain farm, Leah is weighed down with the responsibility of now taking care of the family. Scavengers, raiders, and bushwhackers are always a threat in the Appalachians, but deserters and slave catchers pose new dangers. Hawk, the Cherokee brave who has long loved Emma, helps ease Leah’s burdens, but nothing can soothe her heartache. Plagued by fears of a husband lost to war, she knows she must lean on God now more than ever, but hope begins to run scarce in these difficult times. (Click to Tweet!)
Love is God’s greatest gift, and sometimes what you’re looking for has been yours all along. When her Aunt Ivy invites Rachel Moretz to come to the family’s Stanly County farm, she jumps at the chance. Though Rachel loves her parents’ mountain farm, she feels isolated there. There are no other teenagers at home, and at sixteen she’d like to finally have some friends her age. She barely remembers her half-cousin, Patrick, though he seems to have intriguing memories of her.
Patrick soon becomes Rachel’s best friend, helping her navigate many uncertainties while introducing her to Stanly County society. The trip down the mountain will bring unexpected friendships, suitors, and dangers. Rachel will have to rely on family for support as she faces unexpected trials and prejudices. Through her circumstances, Rachel must come to realize that the best plan for her life is God’s plan, and that forgiveness comes in many forms. In Transplanted to Red Clay, the final book in the Appalachian Roots series, the Moretz family’s story comes full circle in love. (Click to Tweet!)
Other Books by Janice Cole Hopkins
When Winter Is Past
With Summer’s Songs
It All Started at the Masquerade
What’s Up With Janice Cole Hopkins Currently?
I always have writing projects underway and usually in at least two stages – one that’s an unfinished first draft and one that I’m editing. Once I wrote a 101,000-word manuscript (which the editor had me cut to 89,000 words) in three weeks. That’s my record and I doubt if I will break it.
I plan to publish Deceptive Matters, which is a romantic mystery, next. It’s been through the editing process, but I’ll read through it one more time before I publish.
After that, I’m thinking about publishing On the Road to Jericho, my first Christian non-fiction. It’s already written, but I’m still working on getting it to read as smoothly as I want. Besides these, I have 7 manuscripts finished and 8 ideas for others rolling around in my head. I live with characters for a long time, getting to know them and the setting well, before I start writing.
M y main goal in writing is to glorify God. In accordance with that, all my profits from the books go to a scholarship for missionary children. (Click to Tweet!)
How to Contact Janice Cole Hopkins
Email: janicecolehopkins@gmail.com
Twitter: @J_C_Hopkins
Facebook: (Please like this author’s page)
How to Purchase Books by Janice Cole Hopkins
All book stores can order them for you.
Or you may order from Amazon.
~ ~ ~
Lord, what a privilege to write for You and to share an author such as Janice with readers. You planted Janice in Appalachian soil even before she was born, and now she’s producing fruit for Your glory in that same rich soil. We thank You for her passion for You, and we pray You’ll bless every word she writes for You.
~ For Jesus’ sake
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The post Let’s Chat! Author Janice Cole Hopkins appeared first on Linda Brooks Davis.
January 24, 2018
Let’s Chat! Author Tammy James Hesler
Welcome, Readers! And Welcome, Tammy James Hesler!
I‘m honored to introduce Tammy James Hesler, author of Christian romances.
Knowing how beginner status feels, I delight in opening the curtain on Christian authors who are just beginning, like Tammy.
But I’ve also made wonderful friends along this road called Publishing—successful, award-winning, multi-published, even best-selling authors–whose experiences and wisdom are valuable to the rest of us.
Hence, this blog. And this week, Tammy James Hesler in her own words.
PS: Tammy’s offering a digital copy of Mountains of Love to someone who comments below!
Who Is Tammy James Hesler?
I was born in Miami, Florida. We lived aboard a sailboat that my father built, so I was thereby fortunate to have spent much of my childhood sailing the southern waters. I later moved to Central Florida and met my husband of 32 years.
Tammy James Hesler: A Woman of Many Talents
I started out early on working as a hairdresser. When I got a lucky break and landed a job working as a radio announcer in 1986, I settled into a career as a Southern Gospel DJ, which was extremely rewarding.
In 1993 after my son was born I studied art and began painting. I worked as an artist for the following eight years. You may view my artwork on Facebook.
Life Throws Tammy James Hesler a Curve Ball
Eight years later I became seriously sick with a mystery illness. I visited over 80 doctors throughout the country before finally being accurately diagnosed with Lupus. During this time my health began to deteriorate to the point where I became blind and bedridden. At this time before my diagnosis of Lupus, I can see now that God was working in my life. The solitude and isolation led to my first book, Adventures in Rainbow City. (Click to Tweet!)
Being blind meant that I required a significant amount of help typing the manuscript. (Click to Tweet!) My son who was eight years old at the time did much of the typing. (He coincidentally became one of the fastest male typists I’ve ever seen). My saintly mother would then come in and make any editing and corrections. Overall it was quite a long process.
Tammy James Hesler Keeps Her Focus on the Ball
However, I stumbled upon something very helpful. Since I was not able to read what I had written, I had someone read everything back to me out loud. (Click to Tweet!) This technique in writing is something I still use to this day. I have since found out that many successful writers recommend this particular method, to help ensure your book has a smooth, natural rhythm and flow.
Thanks to the Books for the Blind talking-book program, I was able to listen to hundreds and hundreds of books. (Click to Tweet!) I, like many women, had a particular soft spot for romance novels. However, I certainly did not care for the graphic sexual scenes in many of today’s novels.
Tammy James Hesler Finds New Vision
I began to dream of creating good, wholesome characters and exciting, clean books. My vision returned four years ago, and I have since had a great time giving my fantasy characters exciting adventures.
Mountains of Love, A Story of Faith, Redemption, and Timeless Love by Tammy James Hesler
Welcome to Dove Valley, located in the heart of the Montana Mountains. (Click to Tweet!) This warm, friendly, welcoming town was founded by the Bartlett family of the end of more than 100 years ago.
Ezekiel Bartlett, a shining rodeo star that calls big sky country home. This fun-loving
cowboy has always lived big. But this time, his rough and rowdy lifestyle has nearly cost him everything. Now with God’s help, he’s working on becoming a better, humbler version of his former self.
Emily Thomas is a successful botanist and a beautiful, warm, loving woman. But, there was a time when she spent her days playing baseball, riding horses and loving Zeke Bartlett from afar. The handsome man of her dreams has finally noticed her. But given his rocky relationship with her best friend and brother Joey Thomas is it too late? She is forced to choose between the only family member she has left and the man she loves.
The springtime Montana Mountains hold an enormous amount of beauty as well as danger. (Click to Tweet!) Will the couple survive a near-death experience, only to find out it is too late for them to spend the rest of their lives together?
What’s Tammy James Hesler up to Now?
I‘m currently working on Mountains of Dreams, Dove Valley Series Book 2.
Finding Tammy and Her Products
Tammy James Hesler on Facebook or email
I also love to paint. Check out my artwork on Facebook.
~ ~ ~
Lord, Your ways amaze us. Sometimes You take us along rocky paths; other times, up steep mountainsides; and still others, through quiet valleys. Keep us trusting in Your abiding Presence, for Your ways aren’t our ways; Your mind is beyond our understanding. Use us for Your Purposes.
And please bless each word Tammy writes for You.
~ For Jesus’ sake
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The post Let’s Chat! Author Tammy James Hesler appeared first on Linda Brooks Davis.
January 17, 2018
Let’s Chat! Author Kelly Irvin
Welcome, Readers! And Welcome, Author Kelly Irvin!
Prepare to be blessed. Multi-published author Kelly Irvin writes Amish stories that never fail to surprise and delight. Gather ’round for tidbits about her latest release, Beneath the Summer Sun.
**Kelly is offering a print copy of Beneath the Summer Sun to someone who joins our chat below. **
**Congratulations to Jackie Tessnair, winner of the drawing for a print copy of Kelly’s Beneath the Summer Sun!**
When a Character Has a Mind of Her Own by Author Kelly Irvin
Jennie Troyer, the heroine in my new release, Beneath the Summer Sun, took me by surprise. She had the audacity to have a mind of her own. I’m a seat-of-the-pants writer, so it’s not unusual for me not to know what happens between the beginning and the end of my stories. That’s part of the fun. But Beneath the Summer Sun is different. I thought I knew how Jennie’s life would go. She’s a thirty-seven-year-old widow raising seven children on her own. I thought I knew what was best for her, but Jennie had other plans.
The Birth of Author Kelly Irvin’s Every Amish Season series
First, here’s a little backstory. This series, Every Amish Season, will encompass four books, one for each season—of the year and of life. The series had its birth in a blurb in The Budget newspaper in which an Amish scribe listed the annual statistics for her district: births, deaths, baptisms, graduations, weddings, etc. She included the number of widows and widowers with these other important statistics. She singled them out.
Author Kelly Irvin Imagines
This made me try to imagine what life would be like as a widow in a community built around husband-wife-family. (Click to Tweet!) So from my fevered imagination came Every Amish Season. The series focuses on four widows in Jamesport, Missouri, who become close friends and support each other in this unexpected season in their lives.
Upon a Spring Breeze begins with twenty-something Bess, a pregnant newlywed who faces a terrible tragedy. I knew where the story would go when I started writing.
Same with Jennie in Beneath the Summer Sun. She would have her second chance at love. At first, she wants no part of it. That’s understandable. She harbors a terrible secret from her first marriage. (Click to Tweet!) Snake-bitten, she’s afraid and feels guilty. Jennie wants to make it on her own, even though the district elders and her family want her to marry again. She’s still young. Her children need a father. Although she understands these facts, her heart is dead-set against it.
I knew all this when I started writing. But I didn’t know how much her story would affect me. The choice she has to make is as hard for me as it is her. Both men who profess to love her have good hearts. I also see a lot of myself in Jennie. I didn’t have good role models growing up and distrusted love. As a child, I watched difficult relationships limp along on the verge of shattering, but never quite exploding. (Click to Tweet!) I didn’t want to live like that. As I wrote Beneath the Summer Sun, I found small details from my childhood slipping onto the page. They’re woven into the tapestry as Jennie’s troubled marriage is revealed.
From Beneath a Summer Sky by Author Kelly Irvin
“The kinner were afraid of him. They were always tiptoeing around him. They never knew what might set him off. A rip in their clothes, a kapp not properly starched, a chore not done to his satisfaction.” Jennie’s stomach lurched just as it used to do when the thunderclouds gathered, dark and fierce, in Atlee’s face. She put her hand to her mouth, willing her stomach to settle. She breathed and let it drop. “Too much noise at the supper table. The clicking of the fork on the plate when they cut the skin on the sliced tomatoes bothered him. I started peeling them before I served them. Chewing too loud bothered him. Cold food and food too hot or meat too tough set him off. Crumbs on the floor that didn’t get swept up.”
Author Kelly Irvin’s Own Love Story
Early memories of not so blissful matrimony colored my view of love and married life. (Click to Tweet!) I wanted both, but I made terrible choices and they never worked out. When I turned thirty, I decided God didn’t intend for to me to marry. I should be happy in my single status. God had other plans for me. That year, 1988, I met the love of my life. Next month we’ll celebrate thirty years of marriage. The things I learned as a child about the complicated dance between men and women, I’ve applied to my marriage, to parenting, to loving, and to my stories.
Jennie Troyer’s Time of Suffering
Jennie can’t understand why she had to suffer. Likewise, I often felt the same way. God could have given me a “normal” childhood. However, the question is whether we believe God is good. I do. Also, do we believe Scripture that says in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him? (Romans 8:28) I do. As hard as it is to go through these experiences, they give us character, empathy, and compassion.
See. I have refined you. Isaiah 48:10“See, I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.” Isaiah 48:10
As Jennie learns, God knows what He’s doing. I’m reminded often of the saying, “God permits what he hates to accomplish what he loves.” Because of life experiences, I know He is the God of all comfort. I’m able to give comfort to others through Jennie’s story. (Click to Tweet!) In the end Jennie makes her choice. It’s not the choice I thought she would make, but maybe she’s even more like me than I realized.
Final Thoughts from Author Kelly Irvin
Finally, I hope Jennie’s story will resonate with readers. It wasn’t an easy one to write. But Beneath the Summer Sun is a story of second chances and hope. We can use both.
Taste the Lord and see that He is good. Psalm 34:8Lord, You invite us to taste and see that You are good. Only You can blend the perfect balance of sweet, spicy, and tart that makes us Your unique creations. As readers and writers, we ask You to utilize the avenue of Christian fiction to communicate Yourself in myriad ways and to make You sweet on our tongues.
Bless each word Kelly writes for You. ~ For Jesus’ sake
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The post Let’s Chat! Author Kelly Irvin appeared first on Linda Brooks Davis.
January 3, 2018
Let’s Chat! Author Ruth Trippy
Welcome, Readers!
Ruth and I at ACFW’s 2016 Awards GalaI‘m delighted to introduce you to author Ruth Trippy this week. Ruth lives near Atlanta and views cattle and goats—and her favorite store: Barnes & Noble—on her way to church.
I met Ruth at the 2016 ACFW Conference. We sat next to one another at the Awards Gala and discovered a soul kinship. I’m very grateful for that preordained meeting, and now I want you to know this delightful friend.
Ruth is giving away a print copy of A Western Beauty, Colorado – 1879 to one person who joins our chat below.
Ruth Trippy’s Life Before Publishing
Writing historical romance began years ago with a question a good-looking guy asked: “Will you marry me?”
Reared in a stable Christian family in Michigan, I had been teaching music and language arts in Ft. Lauderdale for two years. I had dated this man regularly, but considered him only a friend, and I told him so. Later, before I left for France on a summer mission trip, he asked me a second time. But my answer was the same. He exclaimed, “You’re going to meet some Frenchman and marry him!”
Thus, we parted. Little did I know that on arrival I would soon become ill. While sick in bed, God, figuratively, took a 2 x 4 board and hit me over the head. “He’s the ONE!” He said.
Looking back, I needed such a dramatic word from the Lord. This man and his family proved to be a catalyst in so much of my spiritual growth—the painful way. After we had been married about seven years, I’d become so discouraged in the marriage that I cried to the Lord for relief. He responded in an unusual way. While rereading a 19th century romance, I was so uplifted that I felt the Lord leading me to encourage others in their marriages and relationships by writing in this same genre. (Click to Tweet!)
Ruth Trippy: Historical Romance Author
I felt so privileged to write historical romance to show how the love between a man and woman is an earthly picture of Christ’s love for His bride the church! (Click to Tweet!)
When I finally told my husband about this call on my life, he laughed. “You don’t have enough imagination!” But one day, two years later, while reading a book on psychology, he looked up and said, “You’re supposed to write, aren’t you?” The Lord had spoken to him through a secular book!
The Mighty CasseroleFrom then on, my husband became an ardent supporter. In fact, when I was bringing a casserole to church for a ministerial dinner, my husband caught me on the way to the car. He all but grabbed the casserole out of my hands to throw it onto the ground. He shouted, “You’re supposed to write, not make casseroles!” Did I tell you my husband was not only dark and handsome, but volatile—the perfect alpha male for romance?
Ruth Trippy’s Debut
I continued to write faithfully—for 30 years—and finally, Abingdon Press published The Soul of the Rose, a story about a young woman, starting life afresh working in a Massachusetts bookstore. Two men become attracted to her, a Harvard law student and a scholarly town hermit. She becomes fascinated with one, but he holds different religious beliefs, and she agonizes what to do. Then he is accused of murder—
More Novels for Ruth Trippy
Two years after The Soul of the Rose, I published The Language of Music, a story drawing on my background in music. Publishers Weekly termed it a “musical, lyrical novel (that) will please fans of inspirational and historical romances alike.” Both books were set in the East in the 1870s.
I traveled in the West as a teenager, but my interest grew after marriage when I discovered my father-in-law was a cowboy on the famous King Ranch in Texas. (Click to Tweet!) His grandfather had scouted out West for General Crook after the Civil War.
Here’s a bit about my newly released novel—A Western Beauty, Colorado – 1879—that’s set in the West: Before finalizing her engagement to a Philadelphian attorney, socialite Sarah Whittington travels west to paint. However, she is confronted with the arresting mission of a Civil War veteran and the sometimes dangerous Ute Indians he aids. Now she questions her ambition to live the life of a highbrow Philadelphian.
Fine Tuning Research, Ruth Trippy Style
Although I had carefully researched A Western Beauty, because it contained so many historical people and settings in 1879, I felt I needed a trip to the area to fine tune my research. My husband agreed to drive me from Georgia to Colorado in what proved to be an Experience! I was never so hot (sleeping in a closed van in Oklahoma because of the bugs) or so cold (sleeping in a tent at 9,000 ft. elevation in Colorado)! The old saying goes, “The Canadian Mountie always got his man!” Well, “I finally got my Western!”
A Final Word From Ruth
I hope everyone had a blessed holiday season! Please feel free to contact me on my website or Facebook. Print and eBooks are available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Apple iBooks.
~ ~ ~
Lord, You are faithful. You honor faithfulness in others. Decades now, your daughter Ruth has remained steadfastly devoted to You, her husband, and her calling. Now she’s reaching out to others with the message of Your faithfulness through fictional stories that spotlight Christ’s devotion to his bride, the Church. Bless each and every word Ruth writes for You, Lord. We’ll all be blessed.
~ For Jesus’ sake
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The post Let’s Chat! Author Ruth Trippy appeared first on Linda Brooks Davis.
December 27, 2017
Let’s Chat! Author Carol Moncado
Welcome, Readers!
This week I have the pleasure of introducing you to author Carol Moncado, who writes contemporary Christian romances (often with royals :-), otherwise known as Romantic Dramedy in the Ozarks—and beyond.
Carol Moncado’s a hoot, so this should be fun! Don’t forget to comment below for a chance to win one of Carol’s books in digital format via Amazon’s gift option.
Life as Carol Moncado
Hey all! I’m so happy Linda asked me to be here today! YAY! I love Linda and her sense of humor!
I write romantic dramedy and originally set it all in the Ozarks because that’s where I live. I’ve been here almost 25 years and plan to die here (a very long time from now :).
I moved from Phoenix when I was 17 to attend college in Springfield, MO. One of the first people I met was this cute supervisor at the local Chick-fil-A where I’d be working. One thing led to another and we’ve been married over 20 years now!
Carol Moncado’s Family Circus
We claim four kids and two dogs who weigh less than many hardback books (okay – not quite, but they weigh a combined 12 lbs.).
Our sixteen-year-old daughter works for our old boss at one of the local Chick-fil-As. She plays tenor saxophone quite well and took her solo to state last year. She also plays clarinet and alto saxophone and wants to learn to play keyboard. Bandmomming is my life in the fall!
Our fourteen-year-old daughter plays flute and does color guard.
Our almost-thirteen-year-old kiddo plays trumpet and does color guard. She wants to play French horn but not yet – and got a keyboard for Christmas!
Our youngest is our only boy. He’s ten and still in elementary so we’re not sure what he’s going to play just yet :).
I’ll be a band mom until 2025. Or longer. The oldest plans to direct her high school band when she grows up and her director retires. Then I get to be band godmother!! With hubby’s acquisition of a triangle at Christmas (he’s planning to rock the triangle solo), we have 22 instruments in the house (23 if we can find his tambourine from his childhood).
Me? I play the radio. On a really good day, I can get Pandora to cooperate… 
December 20, 2017
Let’s Chat! With Yours Truly
Welcome, Readers!
This week I’d like to visit with you myself. About family. This blog doesn’t meet the requirements of whoever makes the rules about optimal word length, but that’s OK. I’m not asking for their approval. I must warn you, however, that I speak in very explicit terms that may offend you. I hope you’ll read it anyway. And that you’ll share this link with every Christian parent you know.
I just looked at the calendar and can barely believe my eyes. Only five days until Christmas. Probably like you, I have boxes and bins full of Christmas memories. But our 
boxes and bins, plastic-covered larger items, and certainly a tree that in former years was decorated by our grandchildren long before now, remain in closets. No food coloring for sugar cookies on the grocery list this year. No tangled lights or bulbs needing to be replaced. No hiding of gifts.
Christmas 2017 is not the season to be jolly in a certain home I’m about to tell you about. Nor ours.
An Ordeal of Biblical Proportions
Because of the love my husband and I have for a dear family we know well, we have been enduring alongside them an ordeal of biblical proportions for nine months. And it’s far from over even now.
This sordid story involves the shattering of a stable, loving, Christ-centered home by organizationally incestuous government agencies whose employee rolls include individuals who are biased against Christians. I’m not at liberty to reveal names, but you can believe me when I say our county’s Child Protective Services and our state’s Department of Family Protective Services is mis-named by calling themselves “protective.” CPS has destroyed—not protected—this family.
We have learned by walking alongside this particular family that our state’s Department of Family and Protective Services is a huge, unwieldy, bureaucratic agency with “policies and procedures” they check off as accomplished without true accountability. And that the title “investigator” is given to their least experienced, entry-level person who has the power to destroy a Christian home. The Department assigns “tenured” status to a case manager with only one and one-half years experience. And the “professional” counselors and therapists with whom the Deparment contracts, by and large, receive the lowest reviews by clients. In many cases, these professionals cannot make a decent living on their own, so CPS takes them.
Not only does the Department of Family and Protective Services fail to “protect,” it is inept, corrupt, and anti-Christian. They protect their own above all else. Certain of their employees want to destroy whatever vestiges still remain of Christianity in our homes. We crazy Christians are a dangerous cult, after all. And our family court system is in league with CPS. In recent days I witnessed a family court judge sweep away a family with Christian principles like so much roach droppings.
Christian Family
If you are a Christian family, be careful … be VERY careful … in reporting child abuse to CPS. See a Christian attorney before you make the call.
If you have crosses on your walls … or Bible verses on bulletin boards or refrigerators … If you implement a household behavior plan that’s connected in any way with your Christian faith … or if that household plan requires consistent accountability that ties in with God’s expectations and the history of God and His people … If you believe and teach your children that sex is a God-given blessing granted ONLY to a married man and woman … and if you protect your children from pornography and sexually-explicit movies and books but discover a certain someone outside your home has taught your children how to get around the password-protected security on your computer so the children can watch pornography … If that pagan someone has taught your children sex acts too graphic to describe here … even then, contact CPS only through your attorney. Why? Because you may be accused of abusing your children by coaching them in how to claim sexual molestation.
If yours or your loved one’s is a broken home where the other spouse has hooked up with a militantly atheist family who present the essence of today’s political correctness to the world and practice unheard-of incest in their home … If your life is the polar opposite of the ex-spouse’s (an ex-spouse who once claimed to be a Christian but now claims atheism and makes fun of the Bible TO THE CHILDREN) … If you or your spouse are a clergyman or -woman or professional counselor … be careful. Be very, very careful. They consider you dangerous.
Sex
If you learn your children or the children of anyone you love have been exposed to sex not in a violent way but as pleasurable and a natural way to express love between adults and children … if that sex has progressively included more and more acts over several years of the children’s development so that they no longer believe engaging in such activities is wrong … If those children have now turned on their Christian parents … and if CPS and the judge have been taken in by those disturbed children and given them to the molester, you are facing the worst trauma of your life.
‘Tis certainly not the season to be jolly.
My Faith
I’m a Christian. Have been since I was 12—60 years ago. I believe God is completely good. He is completely wise. Completely powerful. And He is limited by neither time nor space. His goodness lives everywhere at once.
I’m none of the above. Not one iota.
However, I believe Jesus is the Son of God and He died for my sins—the perfect sacrifice given on my behalf, which I’ve accepted and rely on for my eternal destiny.
That said, I know He is at work even while I crawl into bed, cover my head, and weep for this family. No one need tell me I can claim unshakable hope. I know my hope rests in the unshakable promises of God. I don’t understand why God allows such evil to prevail for a single day. But by faith and hope I know one day I will.
This Time of the Year
Even at Christmas, the love of God, the purity of Jesus, and the sweetness of the Holy Spirit do not erase this world’s evil. One day they will, but not yet. In fact, God’s children alone see the indescribable contrast between the two. And when evil has blanketed a family devoted to God with its blackness, that family sits in sackcloth and ashes while all around them people cover their homes with colored lights, set out lovely nativity scenes, hang mistletoe, loop garland around balusters and porch posts, and sing “O Little Town of Bethlehem.”
The Persecuted Church in America
Meanwhile, certain individuals who compose Child Protective Services and others who sit on family court benches will carve their turkeys, spoon their cranberry sauce, and compliment the cook on Christmas. So will the molesters.
If my body didn’t actually ache after being in bed for hours, that’s where I’d stay, weeping and praying for this wonderful, godly family. But I’m sitting at my computer composing a far-from-jolly message to whoever will read it. I’m sorry if it disturbs your sensibilities or interferes with your joyful anticipation of Christmas. I hope you’ll find it in yourself to forego such reactions and, instead, pray for persecuted Christian parents in America and elsewhere.
That’s exactly what we are.
Writing
Below you’ll find the reasons why I write from an explicitly Christian perspective. At present I’m not able to muster and organize thoughts sufficient to finish the last ten chapters of my second novel. But everyday I pray the Lord will help me accomplish it.
Meanwhile, between shopping and baking and gift wrapping, perhaps you’ll give a thought and prayer to those whose Christmas is saturated in misery even as they grasp at unshakable hope.
~ ~ ~
Family History: Why I Write Christian Historical Fiction
Ella and W.T. Banks, Oklahoma 1910Family history claims the heart of why I write Christian historical fiction.
First of all, as a child, I sat on my grandmother Ella’s lap for her stories about life in Indian Territorybefore Oklahoma 
became a state. And her hardships decades later. Also my mother Goldie spoke of her life in Oklahoma and Texas during the first half of the 20th Century.
Similarly, my own memories developed in the 1940s and beyond. Family tales of grit and faith overcoming hardship and heartbreak mesmerized me. I often imagined story lines based on memories.
My “Before”
First, I was born the only daughter of a cotton farmer in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas in the 1940s. As a result, I experienced none of what other kids enjoyed—the neighborhood. Consequently, my first friends were the children of the kind, hard-working Mexican laborers on our farm. Then my circle expanded to include friends just down the unpaved road. Those farmers’ daughters constituted my neighborhood.
“Birth” as a Reader
Because school friends in town lived several miles away, I learned early on to love reading. As a preschooler, I enjoyed a book with audio accompaniment: Bozo Under the Sea. I wore out the book and record! Because Jack & Janet, Dick & Jane, and Tip & Sally fascinated me in first grade, come summertime, you could find me in the community library. 
The air conditioning created a crisp, welcoming atmosphere. As a result, I wanted to stay all day. I can still feel the air and get a whiff of the distinctive scent of book bindings.
Certainly, by fourth grade my appetite for reading was insatiable. With a dictionary at my side, I read Little Women and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. In fifth grade, The Secret Garden and Anne of Green Gables. Similarly, in sixth grade I read Where the Red Fern Grows and The Red Badge of 
Courage. Likewise, by middle school, I was tackling Charles Dickens: A Christmas Carol, The Adventures of Oliver Twist, and A Tale of Two Cities. And Gone with the Wind. Later on, To Kill a Mockingbird made an indelible imprint on my heart and conscience. I could go on, but you get the picture. As a result, I cared little about genre, setting, or plot. Above all, I treasured the characters and experienced their emotions, failures, and triumphs.
“Birth” as a Writer: Family History
Due to attending Abilene Christian University five hundred miles away from home, I delighted daily in writing letters. I told Mother and Daddy and my brother Dale every move I made, no doubt with editorial embellishments. Then a quirky English professor asked if I’d ever considered creative writing as a career. In a word—No—but his discovering my secret longing intrigued me. You see, baring my soul in print—a reality I knew writing would entail—was more than I could consider.
Ella of The Calling of Ella McFarland is named for my grandmother (center), Ella Pyle Banks Knox. I called her Mama. She birthed 9 children and buried 5, as well as 2 husbands. She deserves to have the heroine of a novel named for her. (My mother Goldie is second from the left.)Then, I wrote down family history. Mother’s clan migrated in 1923 from Oklahoma to the southernmost tip of Texas in a train of seven covered wagons, a novelty on the roads even then. So I set down for posterity my family’s recollections of their caravan journey. It turned out to be no more than a cataloging of who traveled in which wagons, where they stopped and for what purpose, and the spectacle they presented along the way. As a result, it ignited a desire to write historical fiction based in family history. I had a well spring from which to draw.
“Growing Up” as a Writer
Later, life took me elsewhere in Texas and Alabama and Germany, with fun-filled forays into Great Britain, South America, Europe, and Scandinavia. I was an Army spouse rearing children and living life. Therefore, my writing pen sat in a drawer. Years later, when my 
daughter struggled with an at-risk triplet pregnancy and her three 2 ½ pound babies fought for survival, a desire to release the storehouse of words I’d long bottled up tugged at my heart. I vowed would devote the rest of my life to them. And if disabilities didn’t plague them and they could read, I would leave them a legacy of faith in writing.
Nine years later, my story won the prestigious Jerry B. Jenkins Operation First Novel award. Thereafter, Mountainview Books released The Calling of Ella McFarland in December 2015. In August 2016 it won another prestigious award: American Christian Fiction Writers’ Carol Award.
Consequently, I’m certain these successes came from my faithful God who affirmed my vow: to leave a legacy of faith in writing. Rather than shy away from outright Christian faith, the presentation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is a must in my stories.
Writing Well Spring: Family History
Certain ancestors and their experiences appear in my stories. First of all, there’s bit of my grandmother and a strong dash of my mother in one character. Then my father’s sterling qualities appear in another. In contrast, there’s a low-down family reprobate in another. Certainly, there’s cotton planting, hoeing, and harvest time. The glorious 
aroma of fresh-picked cotton and the nothing-in-the-world-like-it odor from the pig pen. Similarly, our sewing machine whirring. The clink of a milk pail. A cow hollering to be milked. Likewise, summer’s sun on my face, the hearty South Texas wind in my hair, and the comfort of backing up to a wall heater on a cold winter morning. As a result, all find their way into my stories.
Above all—my family’s history, my own life, and the kaleidoscope of lives in my stories—Jesus appears as the golden thread linking the past to the present and beyond. Because Jesus turns an ordinary morning into a hint of the “Sweet By & By,” He adds the delicate aroma of the Rose of Sharon to the sultry stillness before a summer storm. Most importantly, He wraps the bitterness of grief and failure in the richness of His incomparable grace.
My Purpose as a Writer
Tales that reach beyond the ordinary to the extraordinary because of Jesus are the stories I write by His grace.
I pray each of you will enjoy a Christmas packed with love, peace, and joy and that you’ll come away from it saying, “This was the best Christmas of all.”
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The post Let’s Chat! With Yours Truly appeared first on Linda Brooks Davis.
December 13, 2017
Let’s Chat! Author Cecily Wolfe
Welcome, Everyone!
This week we welcome award-winning author Cecily Wolfe to our circle. Cecily writes historical and contemporary romance and family drama, plus contemporary young adult fiction. Wow! We’re super excited to hear from this wonderful author.
Cecily’s offering a giveaway—ebooks and beautiful bookmarks. So comment below, readers!
Cecily Wolfe: The Person
I grew up in Northeast Ohio and still live and work there, although not in the town where I grew up. I went to Kent State University and am proud to be a lover of black squirrels. I am a librarian and love to share my obsession with stories with others.
My family has always been practicing Christian, God-fearing and God-loving, and I am fortunate to have never known a time when God was not important in my life, especially during difficult times when I needed Him most. He has always shown his face to me, whether it was in the face of my newborn children or the dying smile of the grandparents I loved so much.
Cecily Wolfe: The Writer
My first publications were short stories, and I still love to write them, although they appear under a different name. Sometimes the stories that are unpublished end up as part of a novel, so when they are not accepted for publication I don’t worry too much. Several short stories that were focused on the same character ended up playing a big part in my novella, A Harvest of Stars, which is a pretty rough story about abuse in a small Kentucky town. (Click to Tweet!)
Cecily Wolfe According to Cecily Wolfe
Not all of my fiction is Christian, so I like to make sure my readers know that they need to watch the descriptions. My work is character-driven, and not all of my characters come to me with a story that is Christian-based. They are all very emotional, however, and I often find myself wishing I could bring a character to Christ when that is just not the story that needs to be told at that time. It might be difficult for readers to understand – the idea that a writer does not have control over the story. Some writers do, but for me, it just doesn’t work that way.
Cecily Wolfe at Present
I am currently working on three projects. When readers asked what happened to certain characters in A Harvest of Stars, I realized those characters had stories to continue telling. I am happy to share Starlight this coming spring.
Then there’s the October 2018 release, Treasure of Hope, Book Three in the Cliff Walk Courtships series. Book One is Throne of Grace. Readers will find Chapter One of Treasure of Hope at the back of Book Two, Crown of Beauty. I couldn’t help but include it. Sarah and Sam’s story in Treasure of Hope is a tough journey to forgiveness, of self and another, as well as a romance that blooms with Christ’s love.
Also I’m working on a young adult novel entitled The Competition. The details are still under wraps, but it will publish next summer. My first young adult novel, That Night, was released this past July, and came about after my close friend lost several young people in her family to heroin overdoses, a big problem in our state.
I had to address this issue. It was a very painful book to write, but the time I spent with her family at funerals and family gatherings, where they shared their experiences and emotions, makes it incredibly authentic. Almost everything in this story is loosely based on true stories, however incredulous some readers have been about details.
Cecily’s Cliff Walk Courtships Series
My Christian historical trilogy, Cliff Walk Courtships, came about through reader request as well: Throne of Grace, which was published last year, was a standalone, but readers wanted more. So I released Crown of Beauty, Book Two, this October, and Treasure of Hope, Book Three, will publish next October. All three focus on the Davenport siblings in 1893 Newport, Rhode Island, and their personal journeys discovering Christ. And their romantic relationships that are Christ-focused.
Some readers have been looking more at the historical aspect and have said that the stories would be better as sweet romances without all the “Jesus stuff” but the Christian aspect is vital to this family, as it is to me personally and my family.
A Final Word from Cecily Wolfe
From Reckless TreasureYes, I am incredibly busy. I work full-time as well as care for my two teenagers as a single parent. But I have incredible friends and a life I love, with Christ as my guide. I am tired but happily so.
I hope my stories, whether they are openly Christian or not, speak to readers in ways that help them through their own difficulties or assist them in understanding others who have the same troubles.
How to Find Cecily Wolfe
Social Media:
~ ~ ~
You, O Lord, are The Throne of Grace, The Crown of Beauty, and The Treasure of Hope! We bow before You in gratitude for sending the Treasure of all time: Jesus Himself. As we approach Christmas, we consider the Harvest of Stars above us and praise Your grandeur. Bless each word Cecily writes for You.
~ For Jesus’ sake
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The post Let’s Chat! Author Cecily Wolfe appeared first on Linda Brooks Davis.
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