Linda Shenton Matchett's Blog, page 69

Yowza! All The Books Day 5: Terri Wangard

Terri Wangard, Soar Like Eagles
Congratulations Michelle (moma3)! You are yesterday's Yowza! All the Books! giveaway winner. You have won an autographed copy of Marilyn Turk's novel, The Gilded Curse. Watch your email for official notification and instructions.

Skedaddle,about a puppy named Skedaddle who runs away is my favorite childhood book. He goes about town and curiosity takes him to various places. Skedaddle is finally caught by a dog catcher and taken to the pound, where his family finally finds him and takes him home. If anyone recognizes this and knows the author, tell me! I also loved the Flicka, Ricka, Dicka books.
My favorite childhood author was Sally Watson. Her books are more middle grade than young children, but her book The Hornet’s Nest is set in Revolutionary War times, and it fired my interest in historic fiction.
For my books many of the surnames are plucked from my family tree. Given names need to be era appropriate, and I have to like them because I’ll be living with them for a year or more.
When I’m not writing or working, my idea of the perfect vacation is to be at the beach-preferably the Gulf Coast of Florida where seashells are plentiful!
About Terri:Terri Wangard grew up in Green Bay, Wisconsin, during the Lombardi Glory Years. Her first Girl Scout badge was the Writer. These days she is writing historical fiction, and won the 2013 Writers on the Storm contest and 2013 First Impressions, as well as being a 2012 Genesis finalist. She lives in Wisconsin, where Classic Boating Magazine, a family business since 1984, keeps her busy as an associate editor.
About Soar Like Eagles:
Carol becomes a Red Cross doughnut girl, serving GIs and boosting their moral. Convinced wartime romances are doomed to disappointment, she attempts to avoid entanglements. She didn’t plan on Chet, the navigator who tempts her to throw caution to the wind.
Chet’s father and brothers always belittled him. As a squadron lead navigator, he longs to prove them wrong. He’s already been offered a terrific job with PanAm after the war. First, he must survive his combat tour. Will he even have a future?




Connect with Terri:Website:  http://www.terriwangard.comFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorTerriWangard
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/terriwangard/Instagram: @terriwangardTwitter: @terriwangard
Your turn! Visit Terri’s website to be able to answer the following question to be entered into today’s giveaway of Soars Like Eagles: What is Terri’s highest educational degree?


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Yowza! All the Books Day 4: Marilyn Turk

Marilyn Turk, The Gilded Curse
Congratulations Kailey Bechtel! You are the winner of yesterday's giveaway, Escaped, by author Elaine Manders. Watch your email for official notification!

Even though I wanted to write devotions since the birth of my first child thirty-something years ago, I didn’t have a desire to write a book until 2009. It took a while, and I self-published Rebel Light in 2016. Two years later, it was published by Forget Me Not Publishing. If the book was made into a movie, I imagine Morgan Freeman and Nicole Kidman as the main characters. For Gilded Curse I think Scarlett Johannson and Chris Pratt would be the perfect leads.
I loved lots of books as a child, but when I was very young The Little Engine that Could was my favorite. As I grew up, my favorites were Nancy Drew books. I guess it’s no surprise that my favorite author was Carolyn Keene.
Creating a book is a long process of researching, writing, and revising. I like research the best, and revision second, because by then I know what the story is really about. One aspect of research is selecting character’s names and I do that by searching for baby names that were popular the year of their birth.
My idea of the perfect vacation is actually split. I love going somewhere tropical by the water, but taking a tour of historic places in Europe is also a great way to spend time away.
I love Proverbs. Here are two passages that are on the top of my list:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)
“Commit your works to the Lord and your plans will be established.” Proverbs 16:3
About Marilyn:Marilyn Turk’s roots are in the coastal South, raised in Louisiana, moved to Georgia, then retired to Florida. Calling herself a “literary archaeologist,” she loves to discover stories hidden in history. She is the author of two World War II novels, The Gilded Curse and Shadowed by a Spy, and the four-book Coastal Lights Legacy series set in 1800s Florida—Rebel Light, Revealing Light, Redeeming Light, and Rekindled Light—featuring lighthouse settings. Marilyn’s novella, The Wrong Survivor, is in the Great Lakes Lighthouse Bridescollection and Love’s Cookin’ at the Cowboy Café, in the Crinoline Cowboys collection. She also writes for Daily Guideposts Devotions.
She lives with her husband, 10-year-old grandson, and a 17-year-old cat. When not writing, Marilyn can be found playing tennis, gardening, walking, fishing, or kayaking. She and her husband have visited over 100 lighthouses so far, but the RV is ready to travel and go see more.Marilyn is the director of the Blue Lake Christian Writers Retreat in Alabama, ww.bluelakecwr.com.
About The Gilded Curse: In early 1942, a mysterious telegram draws Lexie Smithfield back to the island her mother thought was cursed. Now the only heir to the dwindling family fortune, Lexie plans to sell the family’s vacation “cottage” in the Millionaire’s Village on Jekyll Island. But someone else is interested in the cottage and is getting more desperate to find what they’re looking for, even to the point of murder.
Lexie’s childhood friend, Russell Thompson, is now the Jekyll Island Club’s superintendent and the keeper of members’ secrets, especially one that would shatter Lexie. When he learns Lexie is in danger, he stays close to protect her, but soon discovers an attraction to Lexie he didn’t expect. Could the danger be from someone they know or is it possible that the threat of Nazi invasion on their coast is a reality? Or is the island really cursed?
Connect with Marilyn: Websites: http:/www.pathwayheart.com, http:/www.marilynturk.comFB: https://www.facebook.com/marilyn.turk.9Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarilynTurkPinterest https://www.pinterest.com/bluewaterbayou/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marilynturk/
Your turn!Visit Marilyn’s website to be able to answer the following question to be entered into today’s giveaway of The Gilded Curse: What are the three things I hope my writing will do for my readers?


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Yowza! All the Books Day 3: Elaine Manders

Elaine MandersEscaped (Intrigue Under Western Skies, Book 4)

Congratulations to Carol Alscheff! You are yesterday's winner of an autographed copy of Tamera Kraft's book Alice's Notion. Watch your email for further information!

Grab a cup of your favorite beverage, draw up a chair, and get to know author Elaine Manders:
LM: What was the first book you published, and when was it published?
Elaine: Adela’s Prairie Suitor, June 2015
LM: When did you know you wanted to be an author?
Elaine: Fall of 1991
LM: What is your favorite childhood book?
Elaine: Little Women
LM: I loved that book! Who is your favorite childhood author?
Elaine: Louisa May Alcott
LM: Of course she is! What is your idea of the perfect vacation?
Elaine: On the beach with nothing to do but listen to the waves and read.
LM: What is your favorite Bible verse?
Elaine: Matt 28:20: Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.
LM: How do you choose your characters’ names?
Elaine: Pull them out of the air until one clicks
LM:  Would you rather research, write, or revise?
Elaine: Research and write. Revising and editing is hard work.
LM:I agree with you! If you could have tea with your favorite literary character, who would it be?
Elaine: Anne of Green Gables
About Elaine: Elaine Manders writes wholesome, Christian romance and suspense about the bold, capable women of history and the strong, dependable men who love them. Her stories twist and turn and surprise, and are told by characters who aren’t afraid to show their love for God and each other. She lives in Central Georgia with her fur baby and enjoys pending time with her friends and family.
About Escaped: Juliette Kendal has vowed to protect her siblings from their abusive step-father after their mother’s death. When she finds him attacking her younger sister, Annie, she accidentally kills him. With no way to prove her innocence she fears her brothers and sister will be taken to an orphanage if she’s arrested.
Jake Gresham is known as a fun-loving, careless cowboy, as good at finding trouble as he is roping cattle. So far, he’s managed to avoid God and decent women. But on a scouting trip for his boss, he steps in a bear trap in a South Georgia swamp. Facing certain death changes his outlook, and Juliette, who fights tenaciously to save his life, changes his opinion of women.
When Jake asks Juliette to marry him and take her family with him when he returns to his Nebraska ranch, she sees it as an escape from the secret buried in her backyard.
Connect with Elaine:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorElaineManders/Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Elaine-Manders/e/B0116MKKJGGoodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14151675.Elaine_MandersBookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/elaine-mandersElaine’s Newsletter with Free Book for Signup: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/or10xrsvje
Your turn! Answer the following question to be entered into today’s giveaway of Escaped:

Where is Juliette Kendal, the heroine of Escaped, as the story begins? (Hint: You'll find the answer in the Look Inside feature of the book found on my Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/Elaine-Manders/e/B0116MKKJG)
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Yowza! All the Books Day 2: Tamera Kraft

Tamera Kraft, Alice’s Notions


Congratulations to yesterday's winner: Becky Griggs, who correctly identified Sarah's grandfather as having served as a Pharmacist's mate. Now, on to today's highlighted author: Tamera Kraft!

I don’t remember exactly when I knew I wanted to be an author.  I have always loved to write. I remember writing my first novel when I was ten years old. It was awful. I think what sparked my love for books was my grandmother. She only had an 8th grade education and was a coal miner’s wife, but she loved to read. I remember sitting on her lap in her rocker and her reading great novels like Black Beauty to me.
In high school, I took all the English and literature classes I could to prepare for my career in writing. I even major in English in college in preparation of being a writer.
At some point in my twenties, my writing career was put on hold for decades. Between raising children and becoming a children’s pastor on staff at my church, there just wasn’t time. I still couldn’t keep from writing. I would write children’s church curriculum and puppet skits for my lessons. Some of it even got published.
Finally about twelve years ago, I resigned as a children’s pastor and started a ministry called Revival Fire for Kids where I travel to other churches to do teacher training, kid’s crusades, and children’s ministry consultations. I also am launching Revival Fire for Kids children’s church curriculum in about a year. This keeps me very busy during the summer, but the rest of the time, I have time to write fiction.
My writing career is back on track and moving along. I feel like God has brought me full circle. I put Him first in raising my children and ministering to other children, and He is fulfilling the desires of my heart by opening up doors for me to write again.
I love to choose names that not only go with the time period I’m writing in, but they also mean something that relates to the characters and to the story.
Alice means noble, but it also conjures up the image of Alice in Wonderland. Because she gets herself into a situation she doesn’t understand but is determined to see justice done, it fits. I chose the name Rick for three reasons. First Rick means someone who is strong and caring to me because my husband is named Rick. Second, Rick means powerful or strong leader. Rick certainly is that in Alice’s Notions. The third reason is because of the time period. I loved Rick in Casablanca.
I also have a cast of minor characters with names that fit them. Lois means desirable, and Lois, Alice’s sister-in-law, fits that description. Her husband and Alice’s brother Pete is a salt-of-the-earth type of guy, and Pete means rock.
My main character in Alice’s Notions loved to compare people to movie stars, and if my book were made into a movie Judy Garland would be Alice and Cary Grant would play Rick.
A novella called Soldier’s Heart was my first book. It was released in 2013. One of the characters in my newest novel, Lost in the Storm, is the main character for Soldier’s Heart, so I revised it and my publisher rereleased it recently. It’s on Amazon and other sites for 99 cents, but you can get it on the Mt Zion Ridge Press site for free. Here’s the blurb:
Can they build a life together when his soldier’s heart comes between them?

Noah Andrews, a soldier with the Ohio Seventh Regiment can’t wait to get home now that his three year enlistment is coming to an end. He plans to start a new life with his young wife.

Molly was only sixteen when she married her hero husband. She prayed every day for him to return home safe and take over the burden of running a farm. But they can’t keep the war from following Noah home.

This Inspirational Civil War romance gives the reader a taste of what it was like for the soldiers coming home from the war with PTSD.
About Tamera:Award winning author Tamera Lynn Kraft has always loved adventures. She loves to write historical fiction set in the United States because there are so many stories in American history. There are strong elements of faith, romance, suspense, and adventure in her stories. Alice’s Notions, Red Sky Over America, Lost in the Story, Resurrection of Hope, and Soldier’s Heart are among her published works.
Tamera has been married for 40 years to the love of her life, Rick, and has two married adult children and three grandchildren. She has been a children’s pastor for over 20 years. She is the leader of a ministry called Revival Fire for Kids where she mentors other children’s leaders, teaches workshops, and is a children’s ministry consultant and children’s evangelist and has written children’s church curriculum. She is a recipient of the 2007 National Children’s Leaders Association Shepherd’s cup for lifetime achievement in children’s ministry.
About Alice’s Notions: In this quaint mountain town, things aren’t always what they seem.World War II widow Alice Brighton returns to the safety of her home town to open a fabric shop. She decides to start a barn quilt tour to bring business to the shop and the town, but what she doesn’t know is sinister forces are using the tour for their own nefarious reasons.Between her mysterious landlord, her German immigrant employee, her neighbors who are acting strange, and a dreamboat security expert who is trying to romance her, Alice doesn’t know who she can trust.
Connect with Tamera:Website: http://tameralynnkraft.netNewsletter: http://eepurl.com/cdybpbGoodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7334438.Tamera_Lynn_KraftWord Sharpeners Blog: http://tameralynnkraft.comFacebook: http://facebook.com/tameralynnkraftTwitter: http://twitter.com/tamerakraft
Your turn!Visit Tamera’s website to be able to answer the following question to be entered into today’s giveaway of Alice’s Notions: Under the name on my website is a tagline. What is it?


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Yowza! All The Books! Day 1: Sarah Sundin

Sarah Sundin The Sky Above Us (Sunrise at Normandy, Book 2)

Have you ever had a “lightbulb moment?” A moment where a fully-formed idea popped into your head like a flash of light. That’s what happened to me on January 6, 2000. I awoke that morning from a dream so compelling I knew it was a novel. A novel I knew I had to write. As a pharmacist being an author was not in my original career plan, but I’ve been writing ever since.
I love coming up with characters’ names. As a writer of historic fiction, I tryto be true to the times and the ethnicities of the region the characters come from. For The Sky Above Us, I wanted a “sky”-related name for my fighter pilot, and found the name Adler, which means eagle in German. I liked the different sound of it too, and it paired well with Paxton, the nice strong name I’d chosen for the three brothers who are the heroes of this series. Violet Lindstrom—I just knew her name was Violet. Sometimes a character just comes with a name attached. Violet is a name more common in her mother’s or grandmother’s era, and then I realized she was named after her great-aunt, a woman who serves as her role model. And Lindstrom is a good Swedish name you’d hear in her hometown in Kansas.
Some authors prefer research to writing, or writing to editing, but I love it all. Research is great fun, and yields so many story ideas—and so many interesting things in general. I could research all day. But the writing! That’s why I research in the first place, so I can understand my characters and the world they inhabit and the things they do. I get a bit giddy during the rough draft phase—it’s an absolute delight. But I also love editing. Not in a giddy way, but in a getting-down-to-business way. The rough draft always feels a bit flabby, and in editing I trim it down, get it into shape, and make it stronger. Like taking my story to the gym. And like going to the gym, it’s hard work and sometimes painful—but worth it.
I adore traveling. My husband and I are considering one of those Rhine River cruises in the future—combined with research for my next set of novels. We love Europe and history, so we’re very excited about it. And he’s remarkably tolerant of my research jaunts. When we were in Normandy researching the Sunrise at Normandy series, we went traipsing through old German gun emplacements in the mud and wind and rain—and loved it. I told him, “Aren’t you glad I don’t write stories set in dainty English tearooms?” The horrified look on his face was priceless.
About Sarah: Sarah Sundin is a bestselling author of historical novels, including The Sky Above Usand The Sea Before Us. Her novel The Sea Before Us was a finalist for the 2019 Reader’s Choice Award from Faith, Hope, and Love, When Tides Turn and Through Waters Deep were named to Booklist’s “101 Best Romance Novels of the Last 10 Years,” and Through Waters Deepwas a finalist for the 2016 Carol Award and won the INSPY Award. A mother of three, Sarah lives in California and teaches Sunday school. She also enjoys speaking for church, community, and writers’ groups.
About The Sky Above Us Numbed by grief and harboring shameful secrets, Lt. Adler Paxton ships to England with the US 357th Fighter Group in 1943. Determined to become an ace pilot, Adler battles the German Luftwaffe in treacherous dogfights in the skies over France as the Allies struggle for control of the air before the D-day invasion.
Violet Lindstrom wants to be a missionary, but for now she serves in the American Red Cross, arranging entertainment for the men of the 357th and setting up programs for local children. Drawn to the mysterious Adler, she enlists his help with her work and urges him to reconnect with his family after a long estrangement.
Despite himself, Adler finds his defenses crumbling when it comes to Violet. But D-day draws near . . . and secrets can’t stay buried forever.
Connect with Sarah:
Website: www.sarahsundin.comFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/SarahSundinAuthorTwitter: http://twitter.com/sarahsundinPinterest: http://pinterest.com/sarahsundin
Your turn!Visit Sarah’s website to be able to answer the following question to be entered into today’s giveaway of The Sky Above Us: How did Sarah’s grandfather serve during World War II?




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Traveling Tuesday: Rhode Island: Small State, Big Contribution

Traveling TuesdayRhode Island: Small State, Big Contribution

At 1,214 square miles, Rhode Island is the smallest state in the Union. To give you an idea of its size, the state would fit into Alaska (the largest state) 486 times! Delaware is the next smallest state, yet it is more than twice the size of Rhode Island. According to one source, there are at least four cities in the U.S. that are larger than this tiny state.
Despite its size, Rhode Island participated in WWII in a big way. About 92,000 residents served in the war (more than one in ten), and nearly 2,200 of them were killed. The coastline was sealed off to civilians, and the military and civilians patrolled the beaches. Observation and fire control towers were constructed to look like summer cottages. Many Rhode Island fishermen acted as volunteer observers.
With the large amount of water associated with the state (it’s nickname is The Ocean State for a reason!), the Navy had a large presence during the war. An interesting aside is that three future presidents-John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon, and George H.W. Bush-did some of their training at Rhode Island facilities.
The Northeast’s largest naval air station was located at Quonset Point in Narragansett Bay. This is also the main training center for the Seabees. Newport and Aquidneck Island included multiple torpedo production facilities, a naval training station for nearly half a million sailors, and the nation’s main PT boat training center. There were also three German POW camps in Narragansett and Jamestown. The Providence shipyard produced Liberty ships, and manufacturing plants around the state produced vast amounts of military equipment and munitions.
But a little known fact is that Rhode Island is one of several states that churned out hundreds of inflatable “tanks” that were sent to southeast England in May and June 1944 to mislead the Germans into thinking the real invasion of occupied Europe would take place in Calais (further north of Normandy).
Perhaps another piece of forgotten history is that Rhode Island was the site of the Battle of Point Judith, a naval engagement fought between the U.S. and Germany on May 5 and 6, 1945. During one of the last actions during the Battle of the Atlantic, the German sub U-853 was near the point when she sighted and fired on the SS Black Point (an American-flagged merchant ship), capsizing the craft and sinking it within fifteen minutes. There were destroyers and frigates in Boston Harbor that made their way to Rhode Island to search for the U-boat. Evidence suggests it was sunk between midnight and midday on the 6th.
____________________________
With most U.S. boys fighting for Uncle Sam in far off countries, Rochelle Addams has given up hope for a wedding in her future. Then she receives an intriguing offer from a distant relative to consider a marriage of convenience.

Conscientious objector Irwin Terrell is looking forward to his assignment at Shady Hills Mental hospital to minister to the less fortunate in lieu of bearing arms. At the arrival of the potential bride his father has selected for him, Irwin’s well-ordered life is turned upside down. And after being left at the altar two years ago, he has no interest in risking romance again.
Despite his best efforts to remain aloof to Rochelle, Irwin is drawn to the enigmatic and beautiful young woman, but will time run out before his wounded heart can find room for her?
Inspired by the biblical love story of Rebekkah and Isaac, Love’s Allegiance explores the struggles and sacrifices of those whose beliefs were at odds with a world at war.
Pre-order link: https://amzn.to/2yiE1vL

Blog Tour: Beautiful Warrior

Blog Tour: Beautiful Warrior
About the Book: We’ve all been there. Moments when we feel insignificant or less than. Moments when the toxic traps of shame, resentment, unresolved anger, bitterness, and unforgiveness can be overwhelming. But there is a way out, if you are willing to brave the path to freedom.
Bravely sharing personal struggles with self-esteem, along with clinical insights, licensed therapist Tina Yeager shows how you can be free from ongoing negative patterns. In Beautiful Warrior, she shows you how to overthrow your own self-defeating patterns. Through easy-to-understand biblical references, end-of-chapter questions, and empowerment opportunities, she demonstrates how you can soar over common obstacles that often keep women from healthy self-esteem. Embrace your identity in Christ so you can embrace your destiny.
With a biblical foundation to sand on and therapeutic insights on practical ways to live, you can:Free yourself from ongoing negative patterns.Overcome common obstacles to healthy self-esteem.Deepen awareness and comprehension of Christ-centered identity.Embrace divine esteem and go forth as a heroine equipped to share the empowering truth with others.
Beautiful Warrior empowers you to break free from the insecurity that has you trapped. Pick up your shield—the Word of God, your identity in Christ, and healthy thought patterns—and become the divine heroine you were destined to be.
Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/2YCNycD
My Thoughts: I love the title of this book. Beautiful Warrior. It fully captures the contents.
Author Tina Yeager reminds us women that we are warriors of God, and as such, He’ll prepare us for the battles we face in everyday life. Unfortunately, many of us have gotten sucked into negative self-talk that drags us into the mire of self-doubt, feelings of inadequacy, and jealousy of others whom we perceive to have it all. As a result, we don’t think have what it takes to answer God’s call to serve Him. We think someone else should do the work, that He can’t use us.
Through personal anecdotes and scripture, Ms. Yeager proves we are worthy and worthy of the tasks. One particular passage that spoke to me: “Shame douses us with regret like cheap cologne…Shame is not of God. The Bible clearly distinguishes shame from conviction (2 Cor. 7:10). Satan distorts the perfect gift of conviction into worldly sorrow, or shame. Unlike the forward movement God intends, shame stops us dead in our tracks, bringing spiritual death.”
Each chapter addresses a topic such as loneliness, society’s lies to women, the comparison trap, and bitterness followed by questions for self-reflection. Woven throughout the book are practical suggestions and exercises aimed at assisting the reader to achieve a healthy self-esteem. She assures readers that: “God didn’t create {you} according to earthly standards. He didn’t set another person as a model to copy when crafting {your} features.”
You will want to read and study this guide. Highlight sections that resonate with you. Turn down pages in order to revisit them. I tend to focus on the destination whether it’s a vacation or a project. I obtain great satisfaction in getting there or getting the job done. You might be the same way, but in this case, you will want to pay attention along the journey, because as Ms. Yeager cautions us: “Becoming redefined is about transformation, not arrival.”



About the Author:Wife, mom, and latte junkie, Tina has won thirty writing awards, in FCWC’s 2103 Writer of the Year. Inspirational speaker, podcast host, licensed therapist, life coach, and mentor with Word Weavers International, she loves to bring encouraging messages through spoken and written words. She’d be honored to support your journey, and would love to share a storyteller’s message at your organization’s next event. Come visit for a virtual cup of java at http://www.tinayeager.com.



Connect with Tina: 
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/tyeagerwriting
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/tyeagerwrites
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/tyeagerwrites
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/tina.yeager.9

Wartime Wednesday: Apple Puffs for Six

Wartime Wednesday: Apple Puffs for Six


As you may remember, sugar and milk were rationed items that were difficult to get, butter too. So many dessert recipes were fruit based and contained very little sugar. Here is a tasty “Apple Fritter” type recipe from the 1943 Better Meals in Wartime. The recipe calls for fat in an iron skillet, but if you’ve got a Fry Daddy™ or Fry Baby™ that will work even better.

Enjoy!



Apple Puffs for Six
3 large juicy apples1 C flour1 T sugar1 T baking powder½ t salt2 eggs, beaten½ C milk1 T shortening, meltedShortening or fat for frying
Peel, core, and slice the apples thin, crosswise. You should get six (6) slices from each apple, assuming they are large apples.
Sift the dry ingredients (flour, backing powder, sugar, and salt), and add the beaten eggs and milk. Beat vigorously. Add the melted shortening. Dip each apple slice in the batter.
Melt enough fat or shortening in the frying pan (a heavy iron one is best) to fill 2/3 full. Heat the fat slowly and when a one-inch cube of white bread browns in the fat in exactly 40 seconds the fat is the right temperature for the apple slices. If you use a thermometer it should read 365-375.
Drop in the fritters and fry until puffed and nicely browned. Then drain them on absorbent paper. Serve hot at once with powdered sugar and a bit of some red jelly on each fritter.
_______________________________
With most U.S. boys fighting for Uncle Sam in far off countries, Rochelle Addams has given up hope for a wedding in her future. Then she receives an intriguing offer from a distant relative to consider a marriage of convenience.
Conscientious objector Irwin Terrell is looking forward to his assignment at Shady Hills Mental hospital to minister to the less fortunate in lieu of bearing arms. At the arrival of the potential bride his father has selected for him, Irwin’s well-ordered life is turned upside down. And after being left at the altar two years ago, he has no interest in risking romance again.
Despite his best efforts to remain aloof to Rochelle, Irwin is drawn to the enigmatic and beautiful young woman, but will time run out before his wounded heart can find room for her?
Inspired by the biblical love story of Rebekkah and Isaac, Love’s Allegiance explores the struggles and sacrifices of those whose beliefs were at odds with a world at war.
Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/2JPUWLC

Talkshow Thursday: Meet Daphne Self

Talkshow Thursday: Meet Daphne Self

Linda:  Thanks for joining me today. You formerly wrote under the pen name D.M. Webb. What made you decide to use a pen name and why did choose to begin using your real name?
Daphne: When I wrote under D.M Webb, that was my name at the time. I was a widow when my first book was published. When I remarried, I did publish one book under D.M Webb, but when I met with readers or vendors, they addressed me as “Mrs. Webb”. That felt odd because I was no longer a Webb. To me, it honors my husband to claim his name in all that I do, so I switched to Daphne Self.
LM: The age old question for writers – are you a planner or a “pantster,” and what is your favorite part of the writing process?
Daphne: I’m a hybrid. I will plot out certain guidelines, such as where I want my character to go, what I want him/her to do, what kind of conflict will they meet and at what time in the story. The rest is pure organic writing. I write as the story develops in my head.
LM: You write children’s and adult fiction. What is different about the two genres and what is the same?
Daphne: I’ll start with what is the same: I have to capture and keep their attention. The difference is that with children, I don’t need a lot of details. Their imaginations fill in the gaps. And I also don’t show the nitty-gritty side of life. My children’s books are meant to be fun and engaging to the readers. As for my adult fiction, they can be read by teenagers, too. Depending on the story, I will show the consequences of sin, but never the graphic part of sin. I like to bring hope and healing to my stories. And because my life is centered around Christ, it is only natural for me to have that in all my books.
LM: How do you decide which project/genre to work on?
Daphne: It depends on which one is calling out to me the loudest. I’ve already submitted my nonfiction book that chronicles the daily ups and downs of being diagnosed with a chronic illness. And now I’m working on another novel that is set in South Carolina. Their story calls to me because it deals with a lot that we see in the world today. My side projects are the next children’s book of the series, a sci-fi novella, and a romantic comedy.
LM: What’s the quirkiest thing you’ve ever done?
Daphne: My life is quirky, but honestly, I can’t remember anything that is the quirkiest. I guess you could say I surprise people on the elevator when I strike up a conversation with them. I’m a southern gal living in the Midwest. Apparently, people up here don’t understand that Southerners know no strangers. They are taken aback by me doing this, but they eventually relax, chat, and leave with a smile. Oh, there are times on social media that instead of a post, I tell my how my day went by using GIFs. I like to emoji talk.
LM: Here are some quickies:
Daphne: Sweet or salty foods? Give me a combo!
Ocean, lake, or mountains for your vacation? I love the ocean but have found a fondness for the mountains. Been on vacations at the Gulf of Mexico and at various lakes, so I think I would like to try the mountains next.
Spring, Summer, Fall, or Winter as your favorite season? I love fall, the crispness of the air and the change that can be felt. The world prepares to sleep, and it all seems quieter. Winter is my next favorite. I think because my favorite holiday happens during that season.
LM: What is your next project?
Daphne: I have two releases that will happen next year: Alabama Days and Journey On. And I’m working on Sons of Carolina, a 3-part story about brothers. Then I am writing The Case of the Vanishing Teddy Bear. This is the second book in my children’s series The Adventures of Wilhelmina. And I’m working on a romantic comedy, which is the first time I will write in 1st person.
LM: Where can folks find you on the web?
Daphne: I have a blog turned website: www.authordaphneself.blogspot.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/authordaphneself/Instagram: @authordaphneselfTwitter: @DaphMicheleBookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/daphne-selfPinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/authorDaphneSelf/I can also been found on Goodreads, Amazon, and The Book Club Network (bookfun.org)

Wartime Wednesday: Under Cover of Darkness

Wartime Wednesday: Under Cover of Darkness

“I stood on the footway of Hungerford bridge across the Thames watching the lights of London go out. The whole great town was lit up like a fairyland, in a dazzle into the sky then one by one, as a switch was pulled, each area went dark, the dazzle becoming a patchwork of lights being snuffed out here and there until a last one remained, and it too went out. What was left us was more than just a wartime blackout, it was a fearful portent of what war was to be. We had not thought that we would have to fight in darkness, or that light would be our enemy.”So said Daily Herald journalist Mea Allan 1939 when she witnessed Britain's blackout on September 1st, two days before the outbreak of WWII. Total darkness overtook the country. The Blackout was absolute, down to the smallest glow of a cigarette. Breaking the blackout brought fines and jail time. Without the aid of lights, nighttime became confusing, frightening, and even dangerous. The number of car accidents spiked, and pedestrians bumped into each other as well as street lamps, telephone booths, and mailboxes. They also fell off curbs into the street or off bridges into rivers or ponds. Sometimes they drowned. Sales of walking sticks, flashlights and batteries shot up.The British government ensured there was enough Blackout material for everyone-even the poorest folks. By all reports, hanging the material was difficult and time consuming. Many of the window frames were stone or metal, so it was not a simple matter of pinning the material to a wooden frame. The Blackout was “policed” by the more than 300,000 citizens who volunteered to be trained as Air Raid Precaution (ARP) Wardens. They patrolled the streets, and notified homeowners of any light seepage. It was not uncommon to hear a knock on the door followed by a shout of “Put out that light!”I live in a small village in New Hampshire where we choose darkness. It is not mandated such as was London’s Blackout. And we have a few streetlamps, just enough to light our way. What a difference that makes. Recently we lost power for several hours. It was a moonless night, and the town was pitch black. We couldn’t see the garage that sits fifty feet from the house, let alone anything down the street. It gave me a bit more understanding of the hardships of the British during the war.What memories do you have of a dark night or blackout?

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With most U.S. boys fighting for Uncle Sam in far off countries, Rochelle Addams has given up hope for a wedding in her future. Then she receives an intriguing offer from a distant relative to consider a marriage of convenience.
Conscientious objector Irwin Terrell is looking forward to his assignment at Shady Hills Mental hospital to minister to the less fortunate in lieu of bearing arms. At the arrival of the potential bride his father has selected for him, Irwin’s well-ordered life is turned upside down. And after being left at the altar two years ago, he has no interest in risking romance again.
Despite his best efforts to remain aloof to Rochelle, Irwin is drawn to the enigmatic and beautiful young woman, but will time run out before his wounded heart can find room for her?
Inspired by the biblical love story of Rebekkah and Isaac, Love’s Allegiance explores the struggles and sacrifices of those whose beliefs were at odds with a world at war.
Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/2jStfc7