Cynthia Roemer's Blog, page 25

Highlights from Latest Book Signing

Each Book Signing I’ve hosted has had its special moment, a memory that touched my heart and gave me something of value to carry with me. Be sure to stop by and read about my very First Book Signing and other  Book Signing Blessings. This latest Book Signing, the first for Book 2 in my series, Under Prairie Skies, was no different. The Lord continually sends a blessing my way through the folks who happen by.

One highlight of the day was having the owners of Mantle Rock Publishing attend. I was so honored to have Jerry and Kathy Cretsinger make the 4 1/2 hour trip from Kentucky to lend their support. What a joy and blessing!

It was also a thrill to have the opportunity to meet new readers and field questions about my writing journey.

 

Of course I’m always thrilled to have the support of family and friends. Knowing they are there to support and encourage makes all the difference. Another thrill was hearing the laughter as I read a humorous segment from the opening pages of my novel. It’s always reassuring when the words you write hit home with readers.

 

But with each signing, I’m finding there is one blessing that stands out above the rest, a special moment the Lord gifts me. This one surprised me. As I worked my way through the line of people signing books and chatting with each of them, I had little opportunity to see who was next in line. At one point, the lady in front of me casually said, “This lady says she used to work with you,”  referring to the woman standing behind her who I hadn’t yet noticed. Naturally, I looked up and was stunned to see a lady I had worked with nearly twenty years earlier. She had seen the newspaper article about the Book Signing, and had come not having had any previous knowledge of my novel writing. We shared a joyful, reunion and she purchased both books with great excitement. The best part is, this former co-worker to my knowledge is not a Christian and will be reading godly truths and subtle, faith-filled messages for possibly the first time in her life! The Lord be praised.

It’s my prayer that the Scriptural truths within these novels will plant a godly seed into not only this woman’s heart, but many other readers as well. What a special moment to cling to in years to come!

**Connect with Cynthia Roemer on Facebook and Twitter. Read more of her writing at: Putting on the New Blog.

Read how God works in the lives of Cynthia’s characters in her Inspirational, Historical Romance (Prairie Sky) Series:

BOOK 1: UNDER THIS SAME SKY

BOOK 2: UNDER PRAIRIE SKIES

Available on Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.

My Review of This Treacherous Journey

 

I’m thrilled to have the chance to post my review of Misty M. Beller’s, This Treacherous Journey (Book 1: Heart of the Mountain Series) on the very day her second book releases. If Book 2 is anything like this first installment in the series, you’re in for a treat!

This Treacherous Journey is by far my favorite of Misty’s novels thus far. The author digs deep into her characters, allowing us to feel and experience their journey right along with them. I’ve not connected with any of her previous characters the way I did with Emma and Simeon. Both had deep wounds in their hearts that needed healing. Beller does a wonderful job of bringing about wholeness and restoration to their lives in a very real and gradual way.

Emma Malcom and Simeon Grant are both running from their pasts, with memories they’d just as soon forget. When their two worlds collide, it forces them to face their hurtful pasts and choose to move forward into the unknown. Set on the breathtaking mountainous region of the northwest, this series takes readers on a journey they won’t soon forget.

Filled with numerous plot twists and unexpected turns, This Treacherous Journey is certain to hold your interest to the final page.

 

**If you enjoy Misty M. Beller’s stories of adventure and romance, you might also enjoy Cynthia Roemer’s Prairie Sky Series.

UNDER THIS SAME SKY  ~ BOOK ONE 

~ She thought she’d lost everything  ~ Instead she found what she needed most. ~

Available on Amazon

 

UNDER PRAIRIE SKIES ~ BOOK TWO

~ Beyond shattered dreams lies a realm of possibilities ~

Available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble

 

 

Historicals: Staying True to the Times

I’m as old-fashioned as they come, so historical novels are a perfect fit for me—both reading and writing. As a reader, I love the nostalgia and all the life lessons one can learn from those who’ve gone before us. But as a writer, I enjoy delving into the past and researching the time period, more specifically the nineteenth century. When writing a historical romance novel, research is a must to ensure the book is true to the time period.

The well-known facts are easy to achieve. My debut novel, Under This Same Sky, took place on the Illinois prairie in the mid-1800s. Most everyone knows settlers lived in log cabins, but do they know how the cabins were erected and what materials were used to chink the log walls?

 

It’s widely known that covered wagons were often used when traveling across the prairie, but not many will know that a bucket of tallow was kept handy so that when the wheels began to squeak and squeal they had to be greased much like a car engine needs oil to run smoothly.

 

There are so many questions I have to ask as I write my novels: What type of clothing was worn in 1854? What farming equipment was available? Had screen doors been invented? How would my characters cross the Mississippi? What would the city of St. Louis have looked like back then? What type of lighting was used? It’s these fine details that make a novel either believable or, if left out, leave readers with a less than satisfied reaction.

Though research is a vital part of writing a historical novel, that’s not to say a writer can’t have a little fun creating fictional people and places along with the true ones.

Under This Same Sky is a blend of fictional and real. My main character, Becky Hollister grows up a few miles outside of the fictional town of Miller Creek, IL, but later travels to the very real town of St. Louis, Missouri. Only one of my characters is based on a real person. The others are products of my imagination.

 

Though mainly fictional, my second novel, Under Prairie Skies, includes a very real cattle drive that traveled along a route from Sedalia, Missouri to Chicago, Illinois.

What’s wonderful about historical fiction is that we can have the best of both worlds—the reality of the past blended with the creativity of fiction.

A match that — in this author’s opinion, can’t be beat!

 

**Connect with Cynthia Roemer on Facebook and Twitter. Read more of her writing at: Putting on the New Blog.

Read how God works in the lives of Cynthia’s characters in her Inspirational, Historical Romance (Prairie Sky) Series:

BOOK 1: UNDER THIS SAME SKY

BOOK 2: UNDER PRAIRIE SKIES Both available on Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble

 

Under Prairie Skies ~ Release Day Excerpt

In honor of its Release Day and with my publisher’s permission, here’s an excerpt from the opening pages of Under Prairie Skies: Book 2 in my Prairie Sky Series!

April 14, 1855, Hollister homestead, Illinois

The sound of a spry whistle froze Charlotte Stanton in her tracks. She tightened her hold on her bucket of creek water, eyes narrowing. Her uncle’s cabin and property had been vacant for nearly a year. Odd someone would be about.

The whistling grew louder, and Charlotte ducked behind a hickory tree, her heart at her throat. She set her bucket on the ground and peered through the timber in the direction of the sound. Something resembling a deer moved along the timberline.

She swallowed. But, deer didn’t whistle.

Craning her neck for a better look, her stomach clenched as the “whistling deer” transformed into the fringed buckskin jacket of a broad-shouldered man. He emerged onto the open prairie, a string of quail draped over one shoulder and a rifle leaning on the other. Long, easy strides carried him closer to her uncle’s cabin.

Charlotte whirled around and pressed her back to the hickory tree, heart pounding.

A squatter. Sure as winter gives birth to spring.

She smacked her fist against the rough bark of the tree. Why hadn’t she thought to bring her uncle’s muzzleloader? Then again, would she have had the gumption to use it? Though Pa had made certain she knew how to shoot a gun, the thought of pulling the trigger, or even pointing the barrel at someone, turned her stomach.

Still, she had to do something. The man was squatting on her uncle’s land.

Another glance at the buckskin-clad stranger assured Charlotte she couldn’t outrun him. He was as close to the cabin now as she was. She scoured the ground for some sort of defense and spied a good-sized rock wedged in the soil.

She arched a brow. A blow to the head should do it.

Stooping, she pried at the rock, then paused. She meant to drive the man off, not bludgeon him. Besides, it looked far too heavy to lug all that way.

To her left, lay a blunt shaft of wood about the width of a rifle barrel. Perhaps she could fool the stranger into thinking she had the upper hand. The risky notion seemed her only hope. Snatching up the stick, she lifted her eyes heavenward. Lord, help me.

She crouched low and maneuvered her way along the timberline until she’d positioned herself at the man’s back. With soft steps, she emerged from the undergrowth, narrowing the gap between herself and the stranger. His steady whistle worked to her advantage, helping to drown out the faint rustle of grass in her approach.

Hands quivering, Charlotte raised the stick, then lowered it. Who was she kidding? With those firm muscles, if the man turned, he could easily overpower her.

A few more paces and he’d reach her uncle’s cabin. Then there’d be no stopping him.

She lifted her chin and wedged the makeshift gun into the small of the stranger’s back. “Drop the rifle,” she ordered, in as gruff and masculine of voice as she could muster.

The young man whipped his face to the side, revealing a square, clean-shaven jaw and a handsome profile. “Hey now, listen boy…”

“Turn around.” With a hard swallow, Charlotte jabbed the stick in deeper. “I said drop it.”

The man faced forward and stooped to lower his rifle.

Charlotte threw back her shoulders. So far, so good. He’d not seen through her guise. She bent to reach for the gun, only to feel strong hands grip her arm and hurl her through the air in one smooth motion. The sky was still spinning as her back hit the ground with a thud. She cringed, the air expelling from her lungs in a soft moan. With a slow blink, she shook her head, struggling to regain her senses. She squinted into the mid-morning sun, and tried to push herself to a sitting position. The man’s shadowed image stared down at her, his firm hold pinning her arms to the ground.

With a frustrated sigh, she lay back, jaw clenched. He’d bested her.

What now?

I hope you enjoyed this excerpt from Under Prairie Skies. 

Read the rest of my Inspirational, Historical Romance (Prairie Sky) Series:

BOOK 1: UNDER THIS SAME SKY

BOOK 2: UNDER PRAIRIE SKIES

Available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

 

**Connect with Cynthia Roemer on Facebook and Twitter. Read more of her writing at: Putting on the New Blog.

 

Interview with the Characters of Not What He Ordered

I’m honored to have author Laurean Brooks as guest on my blog today, or rather her characters in her latest release, Not What He Ordered. Stick around to the end of the interview for your chance to win a PDF of her novel.

Laurean, tell us a little about your book. Then I’ll ask your main characters a few questions.

Laurean Brooks: Sure, Cynthia. I want to thank you for hosting me and the cast from Not What He Ordered. It’s a pleasure to be here. Here’s the blurb.

 

Abilene, Texas, 1883

Carrie Franklin hasn’t an inkling what she’s getting into when she flees Abilene, leaving a drunk for dead in front of the saloon. But it doesn’t stop there. The young woman she befriends on the train begs Carrie to tell cowboy Josh Kramer that his mail order bride got cold feet. When Josh won’t give Carrie a chance to explain, and believes she is the woman he was sent to pick up, Carrie plays along. With only a few coins to her name, where else could she go?

Carrie intends to reveal her true identity to Josh’s aunt, until Aunt Em confesses her part in the scheme. Aunt Em had made Josh believe she’d ordered house help, instead of a bride for him. What will happen when Josh discovers not only Carrie’s deception, but that of his beloved aunt?

****

 ~ Interview with Josh, Carrie, and Aunt Em  ~

Cynthia: Carrie, how did you become tangled in this web of deception?

Carrie: It wasn’t my fault. Josh wouldn’t let me explain. I tried several times, but he wouldn’t listen. Just picked me up and dropped me on his buckboard like I was a sack of potatoes, then took off. Honestly, I wanted to tell him the truth then, but then I looked in my bag and found only a few coins left. It probably wouldn’t have covered one night in the fancy hotel across from the depot.

Cynthia: Josh, who did you believe you had picked up at the depot?

Josh: Aunt Em’s domestic help, of course. Why would I think otherwise? Katy . . . .Carrie was dressed the way my aunt said she would be—in that blue dress with lace at the neckline. And her hair is blonde, too.

Cynthia: When did you become suspicious of Carrie?

Josh: Right off. When Katy . . . er . . . Carrie said on the ride to the ranch, “Mr. Kramer, You need to know I did not come here looking for a husband.” Those words set me to wondering. I mean, why would a woman hired as domestic help, say that? Unless she was looking for a husband.

Cynthia: Aunt Em, what made you decide to order a bride for your nephew?

Aunt Em: I was tired of watching Josh mope around the house like he’d lost his last friend. And Josh wasn’t getting any younger. I wanted to see new life, kids runnin’ around this place.

Josh: Wait just a doggone minute. I’m not old.

Aunt Em: You’re two years older than your pa was when he married your ma. Anyway, as I was sayin,’ Josh was smitten with another woman, last year. She ditched him and ran off with another man. So I took it on myself to find him a nice, Christian lady. Of course, he wouldn’t have let me do it, if he’d known. So I made up this story about getting’ old and needin’ help around the house. Then I put the mail order ad in several papers and started corresponding with Katy Davis. Katy thought the letters were from Josh.”

Josh: (shaking his head). I still can’t believe you did it.

Cynthia: Aunt Em, Josh thought you were corresponding with a young woman you were considering for domestic help. But, Katy Davis did not show. Were you ever suspicious that Carrie was not Katy?

Aunt Em: Maybe once. When she said her parents died when she was seventeen. That made me wonder. Because Katy’s parents died when she was seven. But I figured it was just a slip of the tongue.

Cynthia: Carrie, when did you realize you were falling in love with Josh?

Carrie: That night at the barn dance when Josh whooped the tar out of Ben Grady for making advances toward me. Then he pulled me up behind him on his horse and we rode home. Well, we stopped once along the way to let the horse drink in the stream. I won’t say any more.

Josh’s face turns the color of a ripe red apple.

Josh: Uh . . . a screech owl scared Carrie and she . . . threw herself into my arms.

Cynthia: Oh, I see. Is there anything else readers should know?

Josh: Only that I always behaved as a perfect gentleman.

Carrie: I agree. I could mention my rebellious brother, but let the readers find out when they read.

Thanks, Laurean, Josh, Carrie and Aunt Em for the great interview and the Giveaway!

**Connect with Cynthia Roemer on Facebook and Twitter. Read more of her writing at: Putting on the New Blog.

Read how God works in the lives of Cynthia’s characters in her Inspirational, Historical Romance (Prairie Sky) Series:

BOOK 1: UNDER THIS SAME SKY

BOOK 2: UNDER PRAIRIE SKIES

Both available on Amazon.com.

 

**Now it’s time for the Giveaway! Leave a comment below to unlock several chances to win a PDF copy of Laurean’s novel: Not What He Ordered! 

 

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Book Giveaway for Newsletter Subscribers!

Welcome Newsletter Subscribers!

Thanks for your interest in my Prairie Sky series!  I’m thrilled to share this second novel in the series with one of you! Under Prairie Skies begins just days after Under This Same Sky ends, so be sure to read it prior to this second installment.

Under This Same Sky is available in e-book and print on Amazon. BTW the e-book is available at a discounted price ($1.99) April 2nd & 3rd only!! So don’t miss out!

 

 

This Giveaway runs April 2nd – 10th ~ Release Day for Under Prairie Skies ~ and is open to my e-mail Newsletter subscribers only! If you should happen upon this contest and are not on my email Author Newsletter list, you’re welcome to hop on over and sign-up prior to entering.

You can sign up on my FB Author Page: or my Author Website:

I will choose a random winner from those who enter. The winner will receive their choice of a print copy (U.S. only) or an e-copy of my upcoming novel: Under Prairie Skies. I’ll announce the winner in my next Author Newsletter!

The best to you all in the contest!!

 

 

 

 

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Under Prairie Skies: A Sneak Peek at My New Release

Two weeks from today, Under Prairie Skies, Book 2 in my Prairie Sky Series is set to release. So I thought, rather than my usual end-of-the-month Book Review, I would give a sneak peek into its theme and characters.

While Book 1, Under This Same Sky, is more Becky Hollister’s journey back to faith in the wake of extreme hardship, with an unexpected romance woven in, Book 2 in the series is more relational in nature.

 

Under Prairie Skies’ key verse, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another,” (Proverbs 27:17) gives clue to the challenges surrounding lead characters, Chad and Charlotte.

Feisty and head-strong Charlotte Stanton is about to meet her match in ruggedly handsome newcomer Chad Avery. When Chad exposes Charlotte’s inner flaws, her first reaction is to have nothing more to do with him, but as she searches her heart, she realizes the one who needs changing is herself.

Drawn to Chad’s quiet strength, Charlotte becomes enamored with this attractive, would-be cattleman, only to discover he has a raw spot on his own heart that needs mending. As iron sharpens iron, the Lord uses them to mold and shape each other, spurring them to let go of their fears and insecurities and embrace the goodness the Lord has in store for them.

Join Chad and Charlotte on their journey toward love and wholeness in Under Prairie Skies, releasing April 10th with Mantle Rock Publishing. If you haven’t yet read Book One: Under This Same Sky, you’ll want to be sure to read it prior to this second novel to gain a richer understanding of the story and characters.

~ To find out more about my Prairie Sky Series or to purchase either book click HERE

~ Read an Advanced Reader’s Review of Under Prairie Skies on Two Girls And A Book Blog

~ Check out this fun interview and GIVEAWAY opportunity on The Write Call Blog between now and April 2nd!

The Thief of Joy

Of all the insights our pastor has shared in his sermons, one has stuck with me more than any other ~ “Comparison is the thief of joy.” 

There is so much truth packed into that tiny phrase. Why is it we tend to downplay our own circumstances and glamorize everyone else’s?

We all fall into the comparison trap from time to time, wishing we possessed someone else’s looks, personality, or lifestyle. We look at others and think they have it better or easier, when in reality, they are no more exempt from problems than ourselves. Yet somehow, contentment escapes us, and we find ourselves thinking we came up short.

Often writers are prone to similar thoughts. We tend to compare ourselves with other authors, wondering if we measure up. Those who are yet to be published look with eager longing at those who are published. First-time authors often compare themselves to more established authors, wondering why the better-known author’s books gain popularity and theirs don’t.

It reminds me of the story of the Fisherman’s Wife where the fisherman catches a magic fish who grants him one wish. The fisherman, who lives in a broken-down shanty, wishes for a new house. When he returns home, his ecstatic wife greets him at the door, so happy for the new house. But she soon tires of it and pleads with her husband to go back to the fish and ask for a bigger house. This goes on until they are living in a castle and eventually a grand palace. Each time the wife grows discontent and wants more and more. At last, the magic fish tires of her greediness and restores everything to how it originally was.

While comparison (discontent) steals our joy. contentment is the key to joy. When we choose to be content in the circumstances the Lord has given us, a sense of peace and thanksgiving will flow out of our lives.

Each season of life has its joys and challenges. Instead of getting caught up in the comparison trap, let us set our minds on “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Philippians 4:8)

What helps you to beat the comparison trap? I’d love to hear your input!

 

**Connect with Cynthia Roemer on Facebook and Twitter. Read more of her writing at: Putting on the New Blog.

Read how God works in the lives of Cynthia’s characters in her Inspirational, Historical Romance (Prairie Sky) Series:

BOOK 1: UNDER THIS SAME SKY

BOOK 2: UNDER PRAIRIE SKIES   Both available on Amazon.com.

E-book Giveaway for Newsletter Subscribers!

Welcome Newsletter Subscribers!

Thanks for your interest in my Prairie Sky series! If you haven’t yet had the opportunity to read the first book in my Prairie Sky series, here’s your chance to win an e-copy of Book One: Under This Same Sky!

This contest begins March 13th ~ Pre-Order day for Under Prairie Skies ~ and is for email subscribers only! If you should happen upon this contest and are not on my email Author Newsletter list, you’re welcome to hop on over and sign-up prior to entering.

You can sign up on my FB Author Page: or my Author Website:

Thanks so much for your interest in my Prairie Sky Series. The winner will be announced in my next Author Newsletter!

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The World Needs More True Love by Guest Blogger Donna Schlachter

Joining us today is author Donna Schlachter to share a message of true love. She has also graciously offered to give away a print copy of one of her books, so stick around to the end for your chance to enter!

When we hear the word love, we conjure up all different images in our minds: Valentine’s Day and boxes of chocolates; June weddings; honeymoon destinations; growing old together; family; home.

We all have a different idea of what love is. But what is true love?

The Greek word for true love is “agape”, and it refers to the love we feel when we want what’s best for another person. When we’re willing to lay down our lives for them if that’s what it takes. When we’re willing to do the hard thing even when it doesn’t feel good.

At the beginning of my book, Bouquet of Brides, Peter wants to take Daisy back to New York with him as his wife because he’s fallen in love with her romance stories and because he wants to move up the corporate ladder in the publishing company his uncle owns. He thinks he’s rescuing her from obscurity in the wilderness of the Arizona Territory and thinks he’ll be the talk of the town when he returns with her on his arm.

However, the Daisy Duncan he meets isn’t anything like he expected, and he soon figures out that removing Daisy from her surroundings will stifle the spirit right out of her. He must make a decision: continue with his plans, or do what’s best for her.

At the beginning of my story, Lily, who writes under the pen name Daisy, vows she will never leave the Arizona Territory, and especially not for any hotshot city slicker from the East. However, through a series of circumstances, she discovers she cares a great deal for Peter, and soon cannot bear the thought of him leaving. Yet to ask him to stay will starve him of the hustle and bustle of his beloved Big Apple.

Should she keep him or let him go?

In Mail Order Brides, Mary, an orphan about to “age out” of the orphanage, longs for the kind of marriage her parents had, but with her physical and psychological scars, doesn’t believe any man would choose her if he really knew her. So she answers an ad in the newspaper, desperate for a home and a family.

John, a widower with two small daughters, lingers through his pain over losing the love of his life. When the pastor suggest he needs a wife for himself and a mother for his children, he decides to accept whatever he can get—he doesn’t need to love her if she takes care of his daughters and their home. So he places the ad, desperate for a solution to his problem.

But on a train heading west, both meet, not knowing who the other truly is. Their relationship blossoms amidst the careful constraints of their betrothal to another, stirring feelings and questions they hadn’t known they had.

God has other plans for Mary and John than to exist in a loveless relationship out of duty. And He has other plans for us than to live out our lives in a world of darkness and pain. Only in Him can we truly find love.

True love is more than flowers and chocolates, or sweaty palms and breathless kisses. True love compels us to do for another what they cannot do for themselves—see their value through the eyes of another.

Meet seven American women who were named for various flowers but struggle to bloom where God planted them. Can love help them grow to their full potential?

 

Mail Order Brides follows 7 brides as they meet their grooms for the first time—after they answer an ad for a wife.

 

 

Donna lives in Denver with husband Patrick, her first-line editor and biggest fan. She is a hybrid author who writes historical suspense under her own name, and contemporary suspense under her alter ego of Leeann Betts. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Sisters In Crime; facilitates a local critique group, and teaches writing classes and courses. Donna is also a ghostwriter and editor of fiction and non-fiction, and judges in a number of writing contests. She loves history and research, and travels extensively for both. Donna is proud to be represented by Terrie Wolf of AKA Literary Management.

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**Connect with Cynthia Roemer on Facebook and Twitter. Read more of her writing at: Putting on the New Blog.

Read how God works in the lives of Cynthia’s characters in her debut novel, UNDER THIS SAME SKY, available in both e-book and print at Amazon.com

 

 

Now it’s time to give away a print copy of one of these lovely books (US only). Just leave a comment to unlock several chances to win!

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