Grace A. Johnson's Blog: Of Blades & Thorns, page 18

Author Interview: M.C. Kennedy

A Wolf's Rose, M.C. Kennedy's Christian YA fantasy novel, is officially out in the world! In honor of its release, I've joined M.C.'s blog tour (which I'll be sharing all about in just a moment)... In fact, I get to have her on for an exclusive (I love that word) author interview!

Without further ado, please welcome the lovely Miss Kennedy!

What first inspired you to write?

I’m the second of four kids, and I always had to do what my older brother was doing. When we were in elementary school, he started writing some short stories for a class. Being a dutiful mimicking sibling, I had to write a story, too. It was a dreadful story about a girl whose entire family died from scarlet fever, and she had to go to an orphanage. It was entitled “The Best Easter Ever.”

Though it was a terrible example of writing, the bug had bitten me hard. I realized how fun it was to tell stories, and I resolved to be an author one day. And the rest is history.

What are some of the driving forces behind you and your writing now?

Originally, my writing was just about having fun creating stories. I wrote a lot about horses and dogs in my early years. As I got older and more experienced, though, I started caring more about the themes in my stories. Fiction is such a powerful medium for portraying truth! I especially love the opportunities fantasy provides for depicting spiritual realities in a way “real world” stories just can’t do. I see writing as a ministry, a way for me to share what God has taught me in story form.

Can you name any authors who have inspired your voice in different ways? How can you see their influence in your writing?

J. R. R. Tolkien has without a doubt been the biggest influence on my writing. I first read The Lord of the Rings when I was nine, and though most of it went well over my head, I fell in love with Middle-Earth. I appreciate Tolkien’s beautiful, poetic writing style, but I even more so appreciate his ability to communicate spiritual truths through fantasy. His explanation of evil as being not the opposite of good but rather a corruption of good is central to many of my stories, especially A Wolf’s Rose.

What are some of your most favorite books/genres—to read and to write?

My two favorite genres to read are fantasy and historical fiction. It’s hard to find good, clean fantasy, so I’m mostly limited to Tolkien and Lewis. But there’s reams of good historical fiction out there! I really like Roseanna M. White and Tessa Afshar.

In terms of writing, I started off writing historical fiction, but I’ve come to realize that I despise research. I’ve found my niche in fantasy, where I can make up literally everything. It’s fantastic!

What do you do when you aren’t writing?

I actually have quite a few hobbies. I love to read, but when I’m not doing that, I’ll be knitting, drawing, painting, cross-stitching, playing the piano, or going for a walk. (That’s when I have free time, anyway. It’s a different story during the school year.)

Looking back, what has changed for you as a writer—be it how you write or what you write about—over the last few years?

The biggest area I’ve grown in as a writer has been my ability to write a cohesive story. For a while, my stories would just ramble, not following any particular plot. They were fun to write, but it mostly just me playing with my imaginary friends. Over the past couple of years, I’ve been studying story theory and learning how to properly pace a story and make everything fit together.

In terms of what I write, I’ve definitely started writing on more mature themes. My first stories focused on sibling issues and bullies. Now I’m writing about depression and heartbreak and moral dilemmas that have no good answer. Basically, as I’ve grown, so has my writing.

Your debut novel, A Wolf’s Rose, just released June 3rd! What inspired this story?

I’ve always loved fairy tales and the myriad of retellings produced in the past few years. The Disney version of Beauty and the Beast (the cartoon) is a childhood favorite, and I’ve always wanted to do a retelling of it. I tried a historical fiction one, but it never went anywhere.

As I was researching names for a completely unrelated series, I came across the Irish name “Roisin” (pronounced RO-sheen). It means “little red rose.” “Hmm!” I thought to myself. “What if I did a retelling of ‘Beauty and the Beast,’ naming the protagonist ‘Roisin’?” And then I found the word “cochall,” which is Irish for “hood.” “Hmm!!!” I thought to myself. “What if I blended ‘B&B’ with ‘Little Red Riding Hood’???”

And so A Wolf’s Rose was born.

What part of A Wolf’s Rose was the easiest to write, and which was the hardest? Where did you stumble and second-guess yourself?

The easiest was the beginning. It was so fun to set up the story and introduce all the characters!

The hardest was the second half of the book. I had everything built up to the Big Middle Moment, but it was difficult to maintain the pace and not end it too quickly, but also not drag it out. I had to delete a few scenes, create a few others that weren’t in my outline… It was stressful at some points.

What’s next for you writing-wise?

I’ve got big plans for the world of A Wolf’s Rose! This book is the first in The Feyfolk Trilogy, which is a sub series of The Chronicles of Rinnil. I’m planning three trilogies within this big series, with each trilogy focusing on a different race in the world. (The other two will be about the gnomes and the merkin, respectively.)

I’ve already started on the basic plans for the second book in The Feyfolk Trilogy. This one’s going to be a blend of “Robin Hood” and “Snow White.”

What does your writing process typically look like?

I’m a very scheduled, routine person, and my writing process definitely reflects that. I’ll start off with some preliminary thoughts, like “What if Red Riding Hood was a messenger with a magic ring? What if the bad guy wants that magic ring? What if he captures Red to get the ring?” And so on.

Following the starting questions, I’ll start creating the plot while also getting to know the characters. I’ll fill out those fun questionnaires and do interviews with them and all that jazz. This is probably my favorite part of the writing process.

From there, I’ll just keep building the outline until I basically have the first draft in outline form. Then I’ll start telling the story.

What do you want, most of all, for readers to take away from your writing?

I start off all my stories with a theme, some specific truth that the story will revolve around. For example, the theme of AWR is redemption and how we can’t earn it for ourselves. I want readers to take away the biblical truths presented in this fantasy world.

Have you ever endured any discouragement as an author? If so, what inspired you to persevere?

Oh, absolutely. I’ve tried publishing before (under a different name), and I had really high hopes for those books. They didn’t sell well at all, though; no one outside of my immediate family and close friends actually bought them. That was hard, because it felt in a way like a personal rejection. There have been several times when I’ve just wanted to give up writing.

But as I said earlier, I see writing as a ministry. It’s something God has called me to do, and He’s not going to let me give up on it. So I kept going. I love writing so much, and I’m learning to view it as a kind of worship. God’s given me the ability to write for a reason. I learn so much about Him and my relationship with Him as I write my stories, and I want to be able to share at least a little of that with my readers.

What are your greatest aspirations for your future, be it as a person or as a writer?

My biggest aspiration is to be a pastor’s wife, raise seven children, and have at least two dogs. But regardless of if that ever happens, I’ll be working in ministry. I’m currently involved in children’ s and youth ministry. My heart is especially in discipleship; believers need to know what they believe and what they need to do because of it!

As a writer, my biggest goal at the moment is to finish The Chronicles of Rinnil. I have so many plans that I’m excited to see on paper!

What has being a writer taught you?

Being a writer has taught me most of all the importance of persevering. Writing is not easy. It’s just not. The only way you can produce a decent work is if you work hard and keep working hard, even when you want to give up.

What inspired you to self-publish A Wolf’s Rose? Will you continue to self-publish, or do you have plans to traditionally publish one day?

I had actually hoped to have AWR traditionally published. I submitted it to a publisher, but it was sadly rejected. That was disappointing, but I was still determined to have this story see the light of the printed page. I’ve had experience with self-publishing through Amazon, so I just went back to that.

I still hope to be traditionally published one day, but I also really like the freedom and flexibility that comes with self-publishing. Given the current trajectory of my life, I’ll probably stick with self-publishing for a while.

What are your thoughts for other aspiring writers on writing and publishing?

Keep at it! No matter how things might be going for you, no matter how badly things might be falling apart, just keep going. Writing a story is hard work. It takes consistent effort and perseverance. But God has given you a talent for a reason, and He wants you to use it for Him. So write with all that you have, even when it doesn’t seem like it’s going anywhere. “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men” (Colossians 3:23).

about the book

Roshien Cochall has one goal: appear before the Gwyns and prove that she can move beyond the mistakes of her past. Nothing seems to move her closer to that goal, however, and she is left feeling stuck.

Lorcan Mactíre has been waiting patiently for nearly ten years to seize a cochall’s magic ring. Taking Roshien’s grandmother hostage, he lures Roshien to his fortress, confident that he will soon uncover the secret of her ring.

Is this Roshien’s opportunity for redemption? Can she somehow convince Lorcan to let her go—and maybe even take him with her? Or is this the beginning of her ultimate failure?

about the author

M. C. Kennedy is a self-proclaimed nerd with a deep love for the Lord and for fantasy. She enjoys nothing more than escaping from the real world into the realms of her imagination. When she's not rambling through fanciful forests, you can hunt her down at her website (mckennedyauthor.com), or her Facebook page (M. C. Kennedy, Author).

the tour

Sunday (06/05)

Review – Ember (,bookdragonparadise.wordpress.com)

Author Interview – Shine (,hauntingghosttown.wordpress.com)

Monday (06/06)

Book Spotlight – Jane Mouttet (,janemouttet.wordpress.com)

Tuesday (06/07)

Author Interview – Grace A. Johnson (,graceajohnson.com)

Wednesday (06/08)

Review – Esther Jackson (,neaththehackberryreadingclub.wordpress.com)

Thursday (06/09)

Book Spotlight – Bree Dawn (,thelongvoyage.org)

Friday (06/10)

Book Spotlight – Joy Caroline (,discipleshipwithjoy.com)

Author Interview – Jane Mouttet (,janemouttet.wordpress.com)

Saturday (06/11)

Author Interview – Ember (,bookdragonparadise.wordpress.com)

Review – Jane Mouttet (,janemouttet.wordpress.com)

M.C. is also giving away two EPIC prizes to anyone who enters her blog tour giveaway! First prize is a signed hardcover copy of A Wolf's Rose and two hand-painted peg dolls; and second prize is a paperback copy of A Wolf's Rose and a rose-shaped ring! Just click the button below to enter!

And don't forget to sign up for her newsletter to receive a companion short story!

I hope y'all enjoyed reading our interview as much as I enjoyed putting it together! Y'all make sure to stop by all the other blogs for more about A Wolf's Rose and its lovely author!

yours in spirit and script, Grace

#newrelease #blogtour #authorinterview #newauthor #debutauthor #indieauthor #youngauthor #youngadultfiction #christianfiction #fantasy #indie #giveaway #romance

Welcome to June! (May Wrapup + June Goals)

WHERE IN THE WORLD DID MAY GO? HOW IS IT THE DREADED JUNE ALREADY?!?!?!

I have a bone to pick with you, Father Time.

As much as I’d like to sit here and complain about how busy and quick and stressful May was...I honestly don’t have the energy for even that. *falls asleep on her laptop*

Speaking of laptop, though, I lost a whole week of my life over this thing. It pert near about died on me thanks to a durned corrupted file, and once I wiped it (don’t worry, I saved all my precious files, thank the good Lord!) and restored everything, my web browser was being so slow that it took me four days to send one email. One. Email.

I FINALLY got that figured out, only for my mom to get seriously sick for a half week...as soon as she got better, we had a lot of garden work to do (five hours of weed-pulling in 98 degree weather over two days). Then I spent two days baking for the Georgia Blueberry Festival (hosted in my hometown for all 45+ years!) and worked my nana’s festival booth on Friday (which, believe it or not, is tomorrow when I’m writing this...yes, I can see the future).

AND NOW VBS is tomorrow (your tomorrow, the real tomorrow, Sunday, June 5th), so I’ll be busy every evening with that…and I STILL haven’t taken my driving course.

*sobs*

I ended up complaining anyway, didn’t I?

The only bright spot in my month, y’all, has been Hallmark’s Signed, Sealed, Delivered. Now, most Hallmark shows/movies are (pardon my language) crap. BUT NOT SSD!!! It is literal perfection. Tender but realistic romances...perfectly developed, unique characters...expert continuity and intriguing facts...exciting plots...SPOT-ON dialogue and acting...just. Pure wonderfulness, you guys. I’ve even changed my phone ringtone to the show’s theme song! (Anyone wanna guess which song it is?)

When we finish the last of the TV movies (it’s a film series and series series), I’ll probably do a blog review, because WHY NOT?!

Anyway. Enough about all that. (Unless y’all wanna hear *coughs* read me fangirl over Oliver O’Toole…)

Time for the monthly wrapup!

what i did last month

My goals were supposed to be simple: two rounds of BAD edits; polish TMYLM; post on all my blogs; catch up on reviews; grow my Instagram; plan the BAD cover reveal; prep the next issue of Sky’s the Limit Literary Journal…

But, despite all of that, I completed none of it. I mean, I finished the first round of BAD edits and started the second round, finished my line edits for all the TMYLM stories (on to proofreads now), reviewed a couple books, posted on IG at least thrice a week, and posted a time or two on STLP and BN. AND my designer has started work on BAD’s cover, so hopefully I’ll have more to share about that in the coming weeks!

Accomplishment-wise, I did edit a couple projects through my editing business, S&J Editors! E.K. Seaver and I worked with Alison Propps to do a line and copy edit combo for her Christian nonfiction book, and then I tackled Kellyn Roth’s upcoming novel, After Our Castle, with quick line edit! (In fact, Kell’s also tasked me with doing some specific developmental edits on a secret-ish project of hers that I’m super excited about! I finished the first readthrough + analysis about a week ago!)

If you’re interested in working with E.K. and me, check out our website HERE! Or, if you have something specific or unique you’d like me personally to work with you on, feel free to contact me through the form on the homepage! I’d love to help you edit and polish your writing!

Speaking of working with me, y’all make sure to stick around ‘til the end! I’ve got something fun to share with you guys!

this month’s goals

Survive. That’s literally where I’m at right now. Technically, though, I’m just gonna commit to and focus on Bound and Determined—editing it and preparing for the launch (already got some book swag in!)—and Tell Me You Love Me—editing it and getting it out to betas! Sure, there are a TON of other things I wanna do, but I know if I write them out here, I’ll feel disappointed and less accomplished if I don’t get them done. Plus, I’d like to make room for anything else that comes my way—like those last-minute editing projects I had in May!

monthly progress

Again, I have not been writing. I have been plotting/brainstorming (which, believe it or not, I actually do *gasps*) and editing my butt off, but no writing apart from blog posts, a poem or two, and one flash fiction piece. (Flash fiction is awesome. Like, I thought it would be torture for my loquacious self, but it’s actually super fun and is really satisfying. I can write a whole story in a sitting, even if it’s only 1k words!)

If you wanna read a couple of March’s flash fiction stories, then consider becoming a patron! All members get access to my exclusive flash fiction pieces and short stories! You can learn more HERE!

reading highlights

*gulps* This is honesty time. I only read four books in May. I feel like a fraud, but it’s true. And since I only read four, I thought I might as well highlight them all!

Deceived by Madisyn Carlin. An intriguing allegorical fantasy! Review here. To Bring You Back by Emily Conrad. A sweet and inspiring contemporary romance! Review here. Boulevard of Confusion by Sandra Merville Hart. A subtly romantic Civil War espionage novel! Review here. Shadowed Loyalty by Roseanna M. White. A thought-provoking Mafia romance! Review here.top blog posts What’s Your WIP Tag Giveaways, Polls, and More! Welcome to May!guest appearances

I’ve written a few guest posts last month, so I though it’d be fun to throw in a short section with the links to all my guest posts/author interviews! (I have such a hard time remembering to share the links.)

In honor of the release of With Fear and Trembling, I was featured on Sword of the Penmaiden early last month! You can read my post debunking one of the least-preached-on Scriptures in the Bible and how it’s relevant to us today HERE!

Also in honor of WFAT’s release, I did a slightly more outside-the-box post for Lilacs & Reveries about how romance is a relationship and not a genre, and how writers can write their romances as such! You can read that (and rant with me in the comments) HERE!

I got to join Alyssa @ Seeking the Timeless Anchor’s Memorial Day Countdown, and shared some of my thoughts on remembering the sacrifice so many men and women have made for our country HERE!

Lastly, I wrote a SUPER fun article all about Pride and Prejudice for Kingdom Pen that you’ll definitely wanna check out...especially if you don’t like P&P! You can read that HERE!

And I think that sums it up!

BUT WAIT. THERE’S MORE.

I’m seriously considering becoming an author coach (and not because Jenna Terese is becoming a book coach; trust me, I may be a pirate, but I don’t steal ideas...only tags), because so many of y’all have emailed me with tons of different questions, from “How do I focus on one story at a time?” to “How do I self-publish?” and I think it’s time I made it official!

If this sounds like something you’d be interested in learning more about, then I would greatly welcome your feedback! Just click the button below and answer whatever questions you want! I appreciate it!

Aaaaand, now we're done! *wipes sweat from brow* Thank y'all for sticking with me through all this! Y'all are the. best.

Have a fabulous summer, my lovelies, and enjoy your break from school! And don't forget - here, we HUMBLE ourselves, turn away from our wickedness, and seek God's face! I recommend subscribing to my newsletter (next issue comes out Monday!) to learn more about Humility Month and walking in true love during a time where sin is celebrated!

yours in spirit and script, Grace

#welcometojune #monthlygoals #monthlyupdates #updates #goals #progress #reading #guestposts #authorcoaching #feedback #whathaveyoubeenreadinglately #monthlywrapup #ihatesummer #humilitymonth

Review: Shadowed Loyalty by Roseanna M. White

*Warnings*

#1 This is a long review, so pull up a chair and grab a bowl of popcorn. You’ll be here awhile. #2 When I read a review, I want substantial information. So I will not skimp on the details. Which may mean some spoilers, so watch out.

Stars: 5

Synopsis: When criminal charges are brought against her father, mob boss’s daughter Sabina Mancari sees the world of the Mafia for what it truly is: dark, deceptive, cruel, and self-serving. She also begins to see her fiancé—the very same one she betrayed with the undercover Prohibition officer who busted her father—in a new light. In the Light. When her father becomes embroiled in one man’s feverish mission of revenge, will Sabina cling to the Light and the love she has found, or will the darkness overcome it?

The moment I found out Roseanna M. White was releasing Mafia Princess—I mean, Shadowed Loyalty into the world, I nearly squealed with excitement! I love the Roaring 20s and the Mafia and all of it (actually...I don’t really love it, because it was all very dark, but it makes for good stories *winks*), and I was eager to read White’s take on it!

Naturally, I had high expectations for this book...and I think it exceeded them.

Shadowed Loyalty definitely stands out from White’s other novels. Apart from her biblical fiction novels, SL was the darkest of her works, and it certainly wasn’t the traditional romance. Like Dreams of Savannah, White focused more on themes and character arcs than she did developing a romance from start to finish (in both DOS and SL, the hero and heroine were already engaged to be wed), but I actually really enjoyed and appreciated that! (Y’all, Enzo and Bean’s relationship was so much better than Phineas’ and Delia’s, just sayin’.)

As far as the grittier elements go, White handled them all tastefully, realistically but not gratuitously, and with a biblical perspective—all of which I greatly appreciated, of course. (I can stomach a lot more than most readers, so some of the *coughs* relationships in here didn’t both me like they would most people...but none of them were detailed, which was a relief. I don’t mind including things like prostitution and extramarital affairs, but don’t treat them like the main romance. Don’t treat them like it’s fun and games. Treat them like it’s harsh reality and vile sin, showing the motivations and consequences with clarity. Which White did exceptionally well!)

Speaking of all this, the themes in this. Gosh, y’all. It was so very relevant and applicable, because as Sabina and Lorenzo felt like lone candles in the dark dungeon of the Mafia, we often feel in this depraved world overrun by Satan. But just like Bean and Enzo learned, we were called to be the light, the immortal diamond, and our light—which is the Light of Christ—will be used to change other people, whether through a single lighted candle and whispered prayer, or through diving into the line of fire for them. And that light will never be extinguished.

The only qualm I had was how loosely the word love was thrown around. Fortunately, Bean made it clear that she and Roman never loved each other, but love was still applied to whatever Manny felt for his family (and those outside of it) and others. In truth, love doesn’t hurt those whom we love. Love is patient, kind, selfless...and I wished the virtues of love had been explored and defined rather than the term love being slapped like a label on every nice feeling or kind action. I understand that it’s hard to find another word, and that perhaps that painful love is as close to the real deal as humanity can get, but still. Could’ve slipped 1 Corinthians 13 in there, just for good measure.

And I’ll be honest. I. Loved. The Catholicism. I know all my Baptist friends are gonna start hating on me, but y’all. The way Catholicism was portrayed in here was so beautiful and genuine; just simple, true faith in God. No confusing theology or divisive doctrines. Just Christianity, which is neither Catholic nor Protestant. And I appreciated that so much! I would love to see more Christian fiction with Catholic characters, fiction that can unite both Protestant and Catholic under Christ’s banner of love.

Now, y’all are probably waiting for me to get into the good stuff, like the characters and plot and prose and pacing and all those fun technicalities, aren’t you?

Well, I think we’ve all been around each other long enough to know that White can write (the rhyme was intentional), and that I always love her prose, no matter if it’s written with a clipped London accent or in flowing descriptions.

This story was definitely very character-driven (most of White’s are, actually), and while that can often result in (1) a story that drags like crazy , (2) a story that’s far too short, (3) or a story with no solid focus. This was none of those. It was perfectly paced; not too fast, not too slow, consistently and smoothly flowing over everything in a way that was intense but not stressful. (Books stress me out. I’m that sensitive.)

And even though I’ve noticed a plotline decline (again, intentional) in some of White’s other books (i.e., On Wings of Devotion and Dreams of Savannah...both of which were still awesome stories regardless), the plot in SL was perfect. Very focused on the characters and their actions...but since I didn’t know quite what they’d do next, it was very suspenseful and kept me guessing!

(Let’s face it. Suspense/mystery novels should all be character-driven.)

Speaking of the characters...y’all. This was hard.

Of course, I didn’t love Bean...but I didn’t hate her or dislike her or even feel nothing for her (which is quite common for me and heroines). I actually liked her and enjoyed her character (mainly because she wasn’t obnoxious or bothersome), even though she didn’t really have a personality. Like, at all.

Then there’s Enzo. He was so perfect, and I admire him to bits, but I’ve found that I tend to fall for the imperfect bad boys, so there’s that. Still, great hero, just not my type. (Scratch that. He’s my type in real life, just not in fiction. *winks*)

And Roman. Oh. My. Gosh. I hated this man. I hated his guts. Not necessarily because he was a filthy, rotten, stinkin’ mongrel...but because he was annoying. I can handle mongrels. But not annoying people. He did grow on me, and I have very high hopes that White will write a sequel and redeem his blighted soul.

So just who was my favorite character in this novel? The answer will surprise you…

Sally.

Seriously. This girl. Oh, y’all, she was just hilarious! Her deadpan humor was classic, and of course I just felt for her so much. I think the tenderhearted prostitute character may be overdone a little in some circles (I feel like I’ve read a lot of similar characters, even though I can’t tell you what in), but Sally wasn’t cookie cutter. I kinda ship her and Roman, even though, to be honest? She deserves better.

(And then there’s Ava. Liked her too. All these sweet women with tragic backstories are gonna make me cry.)

Moving on...loved the cast and how vibrant they were, even if I ended up rooting for Sally the whole time, and the romance between Enzo and Bean was just precious! I LOVE how we started a dialogue about purity and passion and how both are important and can coexist...Julie Lessman would be proud.

(Or she will be. As soon as I convince her to read this…)

Case in point: I need a sequel. Or five. Seriously. Sally and Roman gotta get their lives right and get together. Isadora and maybe Tony can get together. Helen and either Cliff or Val.

Unless...what if Sally and Cliff (kinda ship them too, actually) and Helen and Roman got together? Hmm...I must think on this. It’d be simpler and whole lot less messy if Sal and Rom got hitched, but WAIT. A LOVE TRIANGLE. WE MUST HAVE A LOVE TRIANGLE.

*rushes off to plot a fanfiction sequel to Shadowed Loyalty called Shrouded Devotionor Shaded Faith.*

Long story short, good book. Need more. Bye.

Seriously, though, Shadowed Loyalty was a refreshing read after a lot of duds without heart or soul...it was literally a novel of light vs. dark, good vs. evil, in a clash of loyalties and love that will tug at your heartstrings and make you wonder...have you gotten comfortable in your own darkness? Have you turned a blind eye to all that’s wrong in your life? Or are you striving to live pure and holy?

Disclaimer: A complimentary copy of this book was provided bythe publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

(PS: After writing that synopsis, I realize that the song “You Belong to Me” by Grey Holiday fits this story perfectly.)

snag your copy about the author

Roseanna M. White is a bestselling, Christy Award nominated author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. When not writing fiction, she’s homeschooling her two kids, editing, designing book covers, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several continents and thousands of years. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her books…to offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary. She and her family make their home in the beautiful mountains of West Virginia. You can learn more about her and her stories at www.RoseannaMWhite.com.

yours in spirit and script, Grace

#historicalfiction #romance #historicalromance #christianfiction #indie #review #bookreview #newrelease #catholicfiction #mafia #roaringtwenties

Featured Story: Walk the Garden by Louise Taylor

This lovely story (the last of the Tell Me You Love Me runners-up that I'll be able to share) is such a beautiful mix between lighthearted banter and serious heart-to-hearts! I love the humor and the intensity and how Louise managed to develop two intriguing characters and their relationship through just a few lines of dialogue! I think y'all will enjoy this one just as much as I did!

Without further ado...Walk the Garden by Louise Taylor!

The room was clamorous, endless chatter filled her ears, the people, the unhelpful music that never stopped playing. It pained her to listen to the musicians play song after song after song… And nothing made the night worse than a poorly fit ball gown. She closed her eyes, trying to quell the oncoming headache.

“Well hey, Diana. You look like you’re enjoying yourself.”

She blinked, glaring at the familiar voice. “Please, not now, Wesley.”

“It was just an observation.” He shrugged, coming to stand beside her in the corner. A corner of his mouth quirked up, making it hard to brush him aside.

Supposedly they were celebrating the soldier’s victory at the battle of Mount Hurst, but nothing said defeat like thousands of dead troops, and a mountain soaked in blood. “Well I don’t want to listen to anybody’s observations at the moment.” She glanced at him again out of the corner of her eye.

He glanced back, smiling now.

She looked back at the rich and official, trying to slow her heartbeat. At least he looked comfortable, she fumed. At the moment she felt like she couldn’t breath, the bodice of her dress was unbelievably snug, she didn’t know how Mom had managed to zip it up. And the skirt… It was so heavy. There’d been several moments she was afraid of falling.

“What about a dance?” he turned to face her, hands in his pockets, brown eyes twinkling.

“No, Wesley. Do I look like I want to dance?”

“You look like you want to go home.”

She folded her arms, tilting her head to look him full in the face.

“Which is why I asked. You might enjoy yourself more if you danced.” He held out a hand.

“I can tell you right now the only thing I want to do is go home and change and take a nice, long, quiet walk outside.” She wanted to get out of here, away from the false festivities, from the people who pretended all was well. This was nothing but a show put on for the officials who financed their battles.

Wesley wasn’t one of those people, he was a medical lieutenant, a front-line doctor. But through some misfortune, even he wasn’t paid attention to. She turned away from him, scanning the people.

“Well, what’s stopping you?”

“The stupid crowd, that’s what.”

“What, you can’t make it to the entrance?”

“No.” She practically growled, looking over the masses, she spotted her sister, their identical black curls, Adelaide’s long, hers short making them easy to see among the fair-haired of the court. She picked out her brother, who was talking to the king’s top official, of course, and (as expected) standing taller and more confident than any of them. Her parents stood across the room… and there, there was Wesley’s mother, looking nothing like her blonde-haired, broad-shouldered son.

He leaned toward her. “Come with me.” He whispered, linking her arm in his and starting toward the south side of the room.

She tripped over her own feet following him. “Slow down! I can’t walk in these shoes.” Or the skirt, for that matter.

He glanced back, at her feet, which he couldn’t see due to the billowy skirt, but slowed down.

She followed easily then, weaving through the people. Despite Wesley’s slow gait she bumped into a girl with roses in her hair and a bright pink dress.

“Watch it!” the girl glared, holding her crystal glass aloft.

“Sorry.” Diana scoffed, hiking her skirts above her ankles. “Sheesh.” She whispered to Wesley as they started walking again.

“It’s not you.” He whispered, glancing back at the girl over his shoulder. “In fact,” he leaned his head closer and lowered his voice. “In fact, I think she’s jealous. You look like a grand duchess and she but a lowly flower-girl.”

“A-” Diana stopped, frowning up at the lieutenant. “A grand duchess? What the heck, Wesley?”

He shrugged, looking at her head to toe. “Royal, prestigious, wisdom of the ages.” He suggested, grinning at her.

“Oh my word.” She readjusted the skirt material in her hand and scanned her surroundings. “Which way are we going?”

“Those doors.” He nodded toward two french doors, one of two sets… on either side of double doors tall enough to allow a truck through, and likely worth enough money to send any middle-aged man or woman straight into retirement.

Wesley drew her to a stop in front of one of the french doors, the set on the right, leading to the terrace.

Diana tried the handle. “Brilliant. They’re locked.” She set her jaw, glancing over her shoulder and mentally planning the best route to the stairs… And freedom. She turned back to the lieutenant to tell him her plan, but he was fishing through a pocket.

He pulled out a pin.

“What are you doing?!” She hissed. “Those are locked for a reason.”

“Do you want to get out or not?” his grin only made it worse, out of place with his military dress suit, he nodded over his shoulder. “Turn the other way, make it seem like you’re talking to me.”

She looked over her shoulder, sighing. The girl with the roses in her hair was dancing now, she caught sight of Diana and stuck her tongue out.

Diana gasped. The absolute idiocy… She clenched her jaw. “Fine. How are the men in the ICU?” Mount Hurst had been a battle between nine-hundred of their men, and two thousand of the enemy… Whoever had given the green light was a man Diana wanted meet. How he’d authorized such a blunderous move was past any logical thought. He’d known they were out-manned, out-gunned, and on the lower part of the mountain, forced to battle uphill. Eight-hundred fifty had perished before they’d called the last forty-three to retreat. Seven had gone missing… no trace to be found.

When Wesley said nothing she turned back to him.

He gently inched the door open, the night breeze washing gently over them both. “We lost five.” His dark eyes no longer twinkled, his service cap pulled low over his white-blonde hair, shadowing his strong features as he looked into the night.

Her throat threatened to close in. “Which ones?”

“Does it matter?” He pushed the door open further, holding his arm out. “Ladies first.”

She folded her arms. “It does too matter. Five families lost their sons, brothers, and husbands due to our officials stupid-”

He stepped back and slid his arm around her waist. “Wait until there isn’t anyone to hear you.” He guided her out the door.

“Men died.” She threw his arm away, pivoting on her heel once she was out in the night. “I don’t care about some nobleman whose feelings I’m going to hurt. This is not acceptable.”

“Diana.”

“What?”

He pulled the door shut, looking at her like they hadn’t just been in a room full of people. “I know you care, I do too.”

“Caring isn’t at stake here, lives are, Wesley! And those daft-minded military officials can’t-”

“Hear me out.” He whispered, the moonlight bouncing off several decorations pinned to the breast of his coat.

She rubbed her tongue along the roof of her mouth, afraid breaking eye contact would equal defeat. Slowly she regained her senses, felt the chilling breeze, heard the frogs and crickets singing in chorus, remembered that she and Wesley were on the same side, that he had intellect abounding when it came to this subject… More than she did.

She nodded numbly.

“Everybody in there has stakes in this war. The things we say greatly affect how they view the battle. Mount Hurst was a mistake, our leaders were divided, and the officials with the strongest driving force won. That doesn’t make our mens deaths right, or worth it.”

She folded her arms against her middle and lowered her head, resting her chin against her chest. Her skirt blew gently around her, the deep red reflective of the countless gallons of blood shed.

“We can’t give the impression this war isn’t worth their time or they’ll pull resources, and, Diana-” He stepped forward, lifting her chin and meeting her eyes. “If they pull resources, those men’s lives will have been wasted, it will all have been in vain.”

She took in a slow breath.

He dropped his hand. “We can’t let that happen.” His voice was mournful, acknowledging the sacrifice, acknowledging the suffering. He, a lieutenant with a thousand accomplishments to his name, standing there dressed in his uniform, medals and all, was willing to sacrifice his side’s dignity and pride… In order to finish the fight they didn’t start. Mourn the men, but don’t speak negatively of the leaders. Or they might lose.

And the sooner it was over, the less men would die.

The silence carried on for a moment too long.

Diana couldn’t meet his eyes. Everything in her wanted to fight him, to claim there was another, better way. But she knew he had a point. He was realistic. He knew the wars leaders couldn’t be replaced, not now, they could bring in new ones, but no official who’d sided for attacking Mount Hurst would be condemned. They simply didn’t have the guts.

“I got you outside.” Wesley gave a small bow, gesturing to the quiet terrace, inviting her to forget the worries of the world for a small moment in time.

Crickets and birds chirped and sang, frogs croaked in nearby ponds and streams. Just the smell of the night air relieved her of the social tension she’d been in. “Just because you got me outside doesn’t mean I’ll forgive you for calling me an old duchess.” She lifted her chin and conceded the argument.

“A wise duchess.” He gave her a considering smile, tilting his head back and looking down his nose at her.

If he was so intent on lightening the moment, so be it. “You’re pathetic.” She gave him a wry look. “You’re short and you know it.”

He hid a smile, she could tell by the brief dimple that appeared in his right cheek. “I’m taller than you, that must count for something.”

She set her hands on her hips, leaning forward. “I’m a woman, I’m graceful at this height.” She leaned back. “You’re just stocky.”

He rolled his eyes. “I’m almost six feet tall, Diana.”

“Yes. Practically a dwarf compared to my brother.” She looked him up and down, nodding with satisfaction at the fact he was much shorter than her six-foot-four brother.

“What does that make you?” he waited a moment as she opened her mouth in a retort. “A graceful mushroom?” he smiled. “Woman?”

She set her jaw. “You changed the subject.”

“Successfully.” He pointed a finger at her. “Don’t diminish my success.”

“All right, fine. You win.” She dropped her arms.

“Good, so we do what I want now?”

Her eyes widened instinctively. “No, I didn’t-”

“How about a walk?” he held out his arm, giving her a genuinely gracious smile.

She watched him for a moment. “Alright.” She lifted her skirt just off the ground, pulled off her she's, and took his arm.

He glanced at the shoes. “Those look painful.”

“They were.” She grimaced, lifting her right foot up and rubbing it in an attempt to soothe the throbbing pain.

“You’re even shorter now.” Wesley smirked.

“Hush up.” She looked down as they began walking, hoping the night could hide her blush.

“Oh come on, be nice, you know you like me.”

“Do not.”

“I find that offensive.”

“You’re the one who wanted to spend time in company.”

“I saw you were suffering, I wanted to be a gentleman.”

“And see where that got you? Honestly, Wesley, with that brain of yours you should have been able to see this coming.”

“Seen what coming? Wait, no, go back to the first part of that sentence… You think I’m smart?” his eyes were full of mirth as she glanced at him.

“On some level, yes.” she nodded thoughtfully, focusing on the marble path in front of them. “But not especially intelligent.”

“Is that good or bad, considering I’m a doctor?”

“It’s alright. Like I said, you’re intelligent on a level…” she pursed her lips. “Possibly a medical level-”

He chuckled.

“-you’ve got an impressionable amount of intelligence.”

“Impressionable?”

“Yes. Not terribly impressive, but enough to make an impression.”

“You do know what impressionable means, don’t you?” his lips curved up in a smile.

She paused, thinking, then shook her head vigorously, displacing several black curls. “No wait, that’s not what I meant.”

“Uh-huh.”

“You make an impression without impressing.”

“I sound dull.”

She squinted at a lattice covered in closed morning glories. “Vapid.”

“Hey!” he tugged gently at her arm.

“No, like you could use that word instead. I didn’t mean you were vapid.” She shoved his arm gently with hers.

“Am I vapid?”

She tilted her head in thought. “I don’t think so, no.”

“But you just said I’m not impressive.” He raised his eyebrows in conjecture.

“I have a ridiculously high standard. People think Drake is impressive… really though-'' she looked at him somberly, once again picturing her brother. “He’s just a dork.”

“So you consider neither of us impressive.” He reiterated.

“You’re clearly more impressive, you’re a heart-surgeon.”

“Medical Lieutenant.”

“Same thing.”

“Um… No. Not even close, Diana.” He shook his head at her.

“Well anyway.” She waved her hand, trying to focus her mind off the fact that she was thoroughly enjoying his sense of humor and conversational skills. “He’s not a doctor, heart-surgeon, medical lieutenant, whatever you want to call it.”

He rolled his eyes.

“But on the other hand, I have met other men who are possibly higher on the achievement scale.”

“I can live with that.” Wesley nodded, smiling. “At least I’m on the achievement scale.”

“Exactly.” Diana nodded.

“At least you’re realistic.”

She thought about this for a moment, realizing he was the only one who’d ever called her realistic, or at least the only once in recent history that she could remember.

They continued slowly along the marble path, the lack of lights revealing the stars. She was grateful it was slow going, her aching soles protested each step. But it was well worth it.

“So is that what everyone always gets defensive about?” curiosity filled his dark brown eyes.

“What?”

“Your high standards?”

“I suppose.” She mused.

“Maybe you expect excellence, and whenever anything comes short you’re disappointed.”

“Maybe… Or maybe I’m just stingy.” She sighed deeply, remembering the “friend” she’d encountered through-out her family’s stay at the palace. “Negative Nancy” she’d dubbed the girl. Negative Nancy didn’t take to her name, and accused Diana of being a stingy brat. So far they hadn’t spoken again… To Diana’s relief. “Either way, I’m clearly not a favorite among anyone in particular, so I guess I should try to be less stingy.” She joked.

“Or you could just expect less.” He frowned at a distant copse of trees. “Although not so you can be liked by anybody.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t want to share you.” He said seriously.

She gave an involuntary laugh. “Oh my word, Wesley, you don’t have me in the first place.”

“I beg to differ.”

“Go ahead then, differ.” She watched him carefully.

“One of the biggest parties being thrown inside the palace, and I convinced you to come with me, out here, to walk. So clearly you like me more than anybody at the party.” His smug smile told her everything she needed to know.

“That’s not true, I just considered it less painful to be here with you then inside by myself.”

“Exactly! You like me more.”

“That’s not what I said, and it was my idea to leave and come walking.”

“I would have asked you eventually.” He countered.

“Oh sure.”

“Make all the excuses you want, I know more than you think.” His reserved tone made her curious.

She opened her mouth, trying to come up with another witty line, but nothing came out. “I already said you were smart.” She tried.

“I know I’m smart.”

“Well don’t be arrogant.” She shivered suddenly as they passed all the barriers between them and the open sky. No more trees or bushes, or lattices overflowing with morning glories.

“I wasn’t.” He said superiorly. “I was conveying a fact.”

“Ha ha.” She looked dryly at him, then pressed her free arm into her side as another shiver racked her body. She hadn’t known it was so cold out. Her dress should have been enough, what with its hot skirt, long sleeves, and… Oh. Of course. She remembered the small open space at her back as the wind brushed gently over her skin. The fabric came to a point just below her shoulder blades… The dresses only defect. Well, other than it being a ball gown.

“Are you cold?”

“No.” She swallowed, shaking her head.

“You look like you’re freezing.”

“I’m fine.” She took a deep breath, trying to look normal, it only made her shiver more.

He removed his service cap, and she noticed for the first time the pin on one side of the peak. “Would you like my hat?”

She stared at it for a moment, then smiled. “Thank you.” She took it and pulled it over her black curls. “I’m so much warmer now. It’s like we’re in the desert, or a suna-”

“You’re hilarious.”

“A beach, maybe the tropics.”

He shook his head.

“Down south, sitting under the sun…”

“Alright alright.” He unbuttoned his coat.

“No, you don’t have to-”

He slipped it over her shoulders. “There. More like the tropics now?”

It took a moment, but slowly she warmed again, the thick material heavy around her shoulders. “Yes. Thank you.”

His eyes twinkled at her, and he nodded.

She kept it close around her shoulders, sliding her arms into it for maximum effect. It was dark navy, like the rest of his suit, and he wore a tie that had just peeked out the top of his coat, pinned to his shirt down closer to the middle, to keep it from moving… She supposed.

“Where’d you get all these decorations?” she asked, peering down. Several pins and color strips rested just under the left shoulder, with a patch on the right proclaiming his medical lieutenancy.

“Oh, I collect them now and again.” He stuck his hands in his pockets as they continued walking.

She scoffed.

He smiled, then looked back at the coat like he hadn’t remembered they were all there. “I got a couple right after I graduated medical school. I was already a part of the military, but after I graduated I fought in one of the civil battles.”

“They gave you a bravery medal?”

“No.” He shook his head slowly, his eyes clouding with memory. “It was an honorary medal. In honor of the lives I saved.” He glanced back at the coat. “Now I carry their memory’s with me.”

It suddenly felt weightier than before. This man had saved countless lives in risk of his own… And each one he saved saw the sun another day. “Did you graduate top of your class?” she raised her brows.

“No, actually.” He smiled. “I didn’t. I was seventh.”

“Oh.” Her brows drew together, and she found she had a difficult time picturing it. “Out of how many?”

“Six.”

“Wait-what?”

“I’m kidding. There were six of us. I was the least intelligent of our group.”

“But-”

“But what?”

“You-” she stopped, mouth open as she struggled for words.

“You think I’m too smart to have gotten seventh?” his eyes twinkled obnoxiously.

“Sixth.” She corrected, then pressed her lips together, resolved not to say another word.

“I was the youngest though, by five years.”

“Oh.”

He nodded. “Yeah. I guess it makes sense.”

“Slacker.” She playfully shoved his arm.

“Hey, I made up for it in the long run.” He shoved her back.

“No joke, you never take a break now.” Her eyes caught on the floor to ceiling windows to their left, dark and unused. She glimpsed only a sliver of her face, dainty nose, pronounced cheekbones, curly cropped hair covered with the service cap. On impulse she turned to Wesley, stopping their progress down the path. She folded her fingers over the edge of the coat, which was by far too large for her. “How do I look?”

“Like a regular medical lieutenant.” He smiled.

“Oh perfect.” She turned, once again surveying her image.

“Actually,” he spun her back to face him. “You look very much like Diana.”

“In a military outfit? Oh, that’s nice.”

“No.” He smiled again. “The colors.” He brushed a stray piece of hair back under the hat, following it with his eyes. “They compliment your skin tone.”

“I had no idea my skin tone was so complimentable.”

“Why not? Haven’t you ever looked at yourself in a mirror before?”

“Well yeah, but what I see isn’t nearly as compliment-worthy as you make me sound.”

“Oy.” He studied her for a moment.

“Don’t give me that look.” She pulled away from him. The curl fell back against her cheek. “I’ve got enough things to worry about… Like how I’m a mushroom.” She lifted her chin.

He smiled again. “Well, I guess you’re a pretty mushroom.”

“Oh gee, that makes me feel so much better.”

“I bet you anything people prefer pretty mushrooms over stocky dwarves.” He offered her his arm again.

“Stocky dwarves are useful.” She took it. “Pretty mushrooms aren’t.”

“What’s one thing a stocky dwarf can do?”

“Make jokes?”

“That’s useful?”

“Build things?”

“Okay…”

“Attack naughty children?”

“Diana.”

“What? That’s useful.”

“I’m not going to attack anybody’s naughty children.”

“Not even your naughty children?”

“I don’t have naughty children.”

“Well duh, I meant when you do.”

“No, I will not attack my future children when they’re being naughty.”

“Will you be a good father?”

“I would hope so.”

“Well good father’s don’t attack their children so I suppose that’s a start.”

“I suppose.” He mused.

“Good father’s play with their children.” She said decisively, wanting to see into what he saw of the future. “I’ve never seen you play, is it possible?”

“Yes.” He looked sideways at her. “No, I’m not going to prove it.”

“What about resources? Good father’s need resources…”

“Like?”

“I don’t know, income?”

“I make enough money… more than the average soldier. And most of it is never spent, Mom insists on using her income, since she already has retirement.”

“Oh. Interesting. So you’ve saved most of it then?”

“I’ve saved some of it, yes.” He eluded.

She gazed up at him, trying to read his features.

“I gave the rest away.” He said quietly, taking his turn to study the path.

She followed his eyes, wondering if there was another man on earth like him. It seemed so impossible, she’d met so many people, and no man was like Wesley. The silence would carry on until she broke it, she realized. So she nodded slowly. “You need books to read to the children.”

He sucked in a deep breath. “I suppose medical books won’t do.”

“No.” She shook her head. “Actual children’s books.”

“I’ll have you write one for me.” He suggested, looking down at her.

“I don’t write children’s books. Or any books, really.”

“But if I asked you to?” he raised his eyebrows.

“No, you’d have to convince me.” She pursed her lips, tilting her head back to take in the sky.

“How do I convince you?”

She looked slowly back at him. “I’m not so sure. No one really tries to.”

“Well I’m not just anyone, am I?”

“No, I guess not.” She licked her lips, playing with a button on his coat. She dropped her hand as her words sank in.

He stopped walking, turning to stand toe to toe with her. “So if I’m not anyone, who am I?”

She folded her arms, pausing a moment before answering. “You’re Wesley.”

“And when you think of me, what does it mean to you?”

“I don’t know, I usually think of a certain medical doctor with blonde hair and brown eyes.”

“But what does that image mean to you?”

It means the world. The thought tingled at the back of her mind. He was Wesley, brown-eyed, blonde-haired, selfless and dedicated. She loved him. Loved the man he was, the work he did, the sacrifices he made. “I didn’t realize it would be this unromantic.” She said bluntly.

He snorted.

“That was definitely not romantic.” She said pointedly.

“Diana, you’ve read too many novels.”

“Well excuse me! I would suspect some kind of overwhelming feeling or something, and all I get is your stupid smile making me feel like the world is ours.” She cocked her head at him, expecting a joking apology.

“Oh, and that’s not an overwhelming feeling at all?” his smile made her smile.

“Well…” She paused. “I’m sort of used to it, I mean, I’m a dreamer and what-not, it’s pretty common among the creative ones. All facts and logic people maybe not so much.”

He rolled his eyes. “So are you admitting you love me?” `

“I did not say that.”

“Well it sure sounds like that’s what you mean.” He raised his eyebrows.

She sighed.

“Are you trying to convince yourself otherwise?”

“No.” She folded her arms tighter around herself. “I’m not trying to convince myself, because I’m not in the position of needing convincing.” She bit her lip.

“The world could be ours, if you wanted it to.” He whispered.

“What are you going to do? Lasso it and give it to me?”

“I could try.”

“Uh-huh. And what are you going to do when that doesn’t work?”

“The next best thing.” He said, holding her gaze.

“Which is?”

He paused.

She could see thoughts swirling in his dark eyes, different answers, maybe. She waited, standing only inches away, ready to hear him out. Ready for his next words.

“The next best thing…” He held eye contact, confident. “If I can’t give you the world, Diana, I’ll give you a piece of it.”

“Dirt, you’re going to give me dirt?” she raised her brows, testing his reaction.

“Yes, Diana, I’m going to give you lots and lots of dirt.” His eyes twinkled at her once again.

She rolled her eyes.

“I’m serious.” He enfolded her hands in his. “Except this won’t be just dirt, Diana, it’ll be your dirt.”

“Oh, my dirt? That makes it so much better.”

“Yes.” He let go of one of her hands, turning her so that she stood just in front of him. He spread his fingers out in front of them, as if he were giving her a presentation.

She felt like they were dancing, his fingers entwined with hers, resting against her waist, standing nearly against him under the moonlight. And he was talking about dirt. Definitely the moment she had in mind.

“Imagine it, Diana, brown dirt, green grass-”

“Blue sky, yellow sun.” She interrupted.

“We can put a house on the dirt.”

“Definitely don’t want it to cover the grass.”

“Paint it any color you like.”

“What about red? Can we make it look like a barn, and the barn look like the house, so whenever the guests come over they go to the wrong place and we don’t have to cook?”

“Why not?”

She smiled.

“And let all our children tell strangers we live in a barn and Mommy doesn’t cook.”

Her smile widened, and she had an odd sort of sensation cross her chest when he said that. Their house, their children… She tilted her head up to look at him. “I would like that.” She whispered.

“Living in a barn?” he smiled, his eyes alight like she’d never seen them.

“No.” She bit her lip, staring into his eyes. “Marrying you, Wesley.”

He stared back. “Are you sure?” he whispered.

She glanced back to where his hand still hung in the air, placing where the dirt would stop, the grass would grow, and the house would rise. Where their children would run about in the sunshine, not a care in the world upon their shoulders. She could see it, crystal clear. And she loved it. She loved him. Truly, She was ready to pour herself out day by day, for him.

She looked back up at him. “I’m sure. I’ve never been more sure of anything else.”

He dropped his hand, a slow smile crossing his lips. “Cause if I remember correctly, you said the moment you got a chance, you would exile me into “the oblivion”. Whatever “the oblivion” is.”

She pursed her lips, trying to look innocent. “Maybe I was being a tad over-dramatic, don’t you think?”

“I hope that’s not your way of telling people: ‘I love you’.”

“No, usually I just say it.”

He raised his eyebrows. “Well go ahead, I’m listening.”

She sighed, leaning her head back against his chest and looking up at the stars. “I love your pig-headedness…”

His arm tightened around her waist. “Diana Ashdown, that does not count.”

She laughed. “It does too.”

“It does not and you know it.”

She could practically hear the smile on his face. “I love you, Wesley.” She whispered. “On the days you love me, and the days you don’t want to talk to me.”

“And what happens when life rocks the boat?”

“Well just remember jumping overboard in a storm will probably kill you…”

He responded by tickling her side.

After a moment of uncontrollable laughter she calmed enough to lean back and look up at him. “What will you do?”

“Love you.” He placed a kiss against her temple.

The house could never be built, and clouds could flock the skies each day, and both they and their children could be refugees in a strange land, and still… At the end of the day none of it really mattered. Because she loved him.

That ending, though!!! *sobs* So sweet and tender and yet tinged with humor! Let me know what you thought - and what you're looking forward to the most about Tell Me You Love Me anthology - in the comments below!

yours in spirit and script, Grace

#featuredstory #shortstory #romance #tellmeyouloveme #anthology

Review: Boulevard of Confusion by Sandra Merville Hart

Stars: 3

Synopsis: When Beatrice Swanson’s wealthy father tasks her with delivering a gift of gold to the Confederacy on her next trip to visit her aunt in Richmond, Bea finds herself in the midst of danger, confusion, and betrayal. And perhaps, when a certain Southern gentleman catches her eye, in the midst of a beautiful love story.

As some of you may know, I am a Confederate (yes, I hear your gasp of shock), so reading Civil War era fiction is literally torture for me, as everyone these days is a Unionist, and few—if any—modern novels include an accurate representation and viewpoint of my beloved South.

So I had both high hopes and low expectations for Boulevard of Confusion. One half of me was hopeful that this could be the book...the one that for once gave grace to the Confederacy and painted the circumstances of the Civil War with more shades of grey than blunt black and white. The other half knew that no book would ever be written that would satisfy that fruitless desire of mine, least of all this one.

In the end, I’d say I got the best of both worlds. Yes, the Union is portrayed as absolutely perfect, without fault or blemish...but the Confederacy was given grace, praise the Lord! Our hero, Jay, never conformed to the North or shifted his allegiance to the Union; he was loyal to his country, to his home, to the land that was as much a part of him as his right arm, and I so admired how he and the other Southerners in this novel were never portrayed as dumb, racist, or heartless. They were beautiful, devoted, honorable people (most of them, at least).

And even though the issue of slavery was brought up on many occasions, and many points are made that none of the main characters supported it, the author at least acknowledged that there were other reasons why men fought for the South.

Still, it wasn’t perfect, and there is so much that most people don’t even know, let along write about, but I am grateful for this small morsel I was offered.

Now, enough about all that. Just how was this novel of loyalty and values?

Well, if anything, the themes were apparent! I did appreciate how well Hart wrote the themes, although I was certainly missing definable character arcs. I feel like the main character(s) should always grow in some way, big or small, during the course of the story; however, in Boulevard of Confusion, they did not. Both Jay and Beatrice, the heroine, stayed stagnant.

Naturally, Beatrice didn’t appeal to me a whit, and though I tried to like Jay, I found him...rather bland, to be honest. The characters seems kind of two-dimensional. Like they were missing something that would have perfectly topped them off (like whipped cream...and cherries).

The same went for the plot. We started out strong—with Beatrice being sent on a mission to deliver gold to the Confederacy by her father—but once the main plot point fizzled out within the first few chapters, I felt like the story was left floundering. Oh, sure, things happened! But either they were never fully developed or they never fully engaged Beatrice and Jay, making it seem like our two point-of-view characters were really just standing by and watching others do things.

It was just…missing something. Something to quicken the pace and engage the reader. Perhaps all that it ended was a bit more romance, for I did feel like Jay and Beatrice’s relationship got very little page time. Maybe it was more realistic that way—they met, they liked each other, they courted a little with a chaperon, etc.—but because Jay and Beatrice seemed so smitten with one another and yet had a scant amount of development and interaction, it came off a more unrealistic.

Then again, I just don’t like subtle romances. I need a romance that’s on fire with chemistry, emotion, conflict, connection, expression, and, yes, passion.

I did, however, really like the emphasis that was put on respect. Beatrice and Jay respected each other and their convictions and loyalties, and I was glad to see that! Neither of them expected the other to change or become exactly who they wanted them to be...because they were already exactly who they needed!

Let’s face it, though. The fact that Beatrice thought Jay was “perfect” and that Jay wouldn’t shut up about how beautiful Bea was doesn’t bode well for their continued relationship. (That, and I just prefer to read about ugly people. Seriously. It’s so much more beautiful when everyone is ugly. Or at least not gorgeous, y’know?)

Also...I felt like the spiritual content was as subtle as the romance. Oh, they prayed, and let me tell you, I adored how everyone prayed about all the different decisions and choices they made (except for where they put their loyalties, that is)...but I guess I would’ve liked to see Bea and Jay’s personal relationships with God fleshed out a wee bit more. Maybe even had some growth within their relationships with Him. Either way, I can’t complain, because I got much more than I usually do (but, truth be told, most of that didn’t come in until the last half of the book).

Now, last but certainly not least...the writing. Oh, boy. Hart wove in some very intriguing historical details and didn’t shy away from including historical figures and events, which was awesome...but her actual writing wasn’t as immersive as her facts. I wanted to feel Virginia. I wanted to see Virginia. I wanted to smell it, touch it, taste it. That’s the thing about the South...our cities come to life, and we as Southerners love it when people capture the essence of our cities, our ports, our towns. (Like how Eugenia Price captured Savannah and how Margaret Mitchell captured Atlanta.)

When I feel transported into that time and place...it’s just surreal. Especially when it’s a Southern setting, so vibrant and unique and full of life.

*sighs wistfully* Oh, well. The characters’ perspectives weren’t very immersive either, and there were some moments of telling rather than showing (and not in a classical manner, mind you). Hart’s writing wasn’t bad, no, but it too was missing something. Honestly, a deeper emotional connection and a few vivid descriptions probably would have done a world of good!

Long story short...Boulevard of Confusion had the potential to be a perfect book or an absolutely horrible book. It fell somewhere in between, with some elements just needing a little something extra to make the story shine! It’s not necessarily a short, fast-paced read, but it is a bit of a Civil War slice of life with some interesting facts woven in!

Disclaimer: A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley and CelebrateLit Publicity. All opinions expressed are my own.

about the book

In times of war, is anything as it seems?

Her aunt’s invitation to Richmond is just the change Beatrice Swanson needs after her brother’s release from a Union prison. Bea’s father agrees to the trip with a condition—one that tosses her emotions into swirling confusion.

Though Jay Nickson wants to serve his country as a Confederate soldier, his work is too important to the government. Bea’s interest in his job, which includes secrets that would benefit the Union, arouses his suspicions. Is she spying for the North? His growing feelings for her are hard to squelch.

Though she participates in activities to benefit Confederate soldiers, Bea struggles with her own loyalties and her father’s demands. Where does her cousin, Meg, go on her solitary errands? Bea’s own growing love for Jay, a Southerner, only adds to her confusion. Tensions escalate in Richmond as the Union army approaches, drawing her into more secrecy. Where does her allegiance lie? And how will she be forced to prove it?

Nothing in war is simple…especially when the heart becomes entangled.

Boulevard of Confusion is a Christian historical romance that released May 10th, 2022.

snag your copy about the author

Sandra Merville Hart, award-winning and Amazon bestselling author of inspirational historical romances, loves to discover little-known yet fascinating facts from American history to include in her stories. Her desire is to transport her readers back in time. She is also a blogger, speaker, and conference teacher. Connect with Sandra on her blog, https://sandramervillehart.wordpress.com/.

a word from the author

In Boulevard of Confusion, Book 2 of my “Spies of the Civil War” series, two people in love—one supporting the North, one supporting the South—struggle to rise above their differing loyalties.

In my book, the hero is a Virginian who supports the South. Though Jay hates slavery, he cannot turn against his state. His job at Tredegar Ironworks supplies the Confederate army with artillery. They develop new weapons and technology, such as submarines, that must be kept secret even from Richmond residents.

Our heroine is from the North. Bea has Southern ties and her brother, a Confederate officer, was recently released from a prison camp. Bea’s understanding of both sides of the conflict tosses her into confusion, especially in light of her growing feelings for Jay.

Part of my research for this novel involved a trip to Richmond museums. One display in particular at the American Civil War Museum at Historic Tredegar made me want to do a little dance. (If you followed me around on my museum visits, you’d witness my enthusiasm for historical people and events and how they impact my stories. Perhaps you share my love of history. )

Anyway, this particular display was a painting of Julia Ann Mitchell, who lived in Richmond at the start of the Civil War. She was from a well-to-do family that traveled often. On one of these trips, she met and fell in love with Frederick Coggill, a New York City resident. Though they loved one another, the couple was divided in their loyalties.

Sadly, Julia’s brother, who fought for the Confederacy, was killed in battle. This probably added to the conflict between Julia and Frederick.

I’m happy to say that the couple seemed to enjoy a happy ending, for they were married in 1863.

I didn’t yet know my characters when I read this display, for the stories ferment in my imagination as research reveals the history. I tucked it away in my mind and it later inspired me.

Boulevard of Confusion isn’t Julia’s and Frederick’s love story. Not at all. It’s simply that history’s record of them overcoming their differing loyalties to marry proves that it happened. That’s all I needed to know.

Avenue of Betrayal, Book 1, is set in the Union capital of Washington City (Washington DC) in 1861, where a surprising number of Confederate sympathizers and spies lived. Boulevard of Confusion is set in Richmond, the Confederate capital in 1862. Actual historical spies touch the lives of our fictional family.

Through both real and fictional characters, this series highlights activities spies were involved in and some of the motives behind their decisions.

I invite you to read both Avenue of Betrayal and Boulevard of Confusion. And please watch for Book 3, Byway to Danger, which will soon follow!

the tour

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 10

Texas Book-aholic, May 11

Inklings and notions, May 12

Betti Mace, May 13

Books, Books, and More Books, May 13

For Him and My Family, May 14

deb’s Book Review, May 15

Locks, Hooks and Books, May 16

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, May 17

Connie’s History Classroom, May 18

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 19

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 20

Blossoms and Blessings, May 21

Pause for Tales, May 22

Tell Tale Book Reviews, May 23 (Author Interview)

Of Blades and Thorns, May 23

the giveaway

In honor of Boulevard of Confusion's tour with CelebrateLit, Sandra is giving away a grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card! (That'll buy a lot of books, trust me!) You can enter by clicking HERE and gain extra entries by leaving comments on each blog post in the tour! Y'all have a lovely week, and thanks for reading!

yours in spirit and script, Grace

#bookreview #review #blogtour #civilwar #historicalfiction #historicalromance #christianfiction #romance #intrigue #spies #giveaway

GIVEAWAY!!!

Yep. You read that right! I've joined a group giveaway with eleven AH-MAY-ZING authors like Kristina Hall, Vanessa Hall, Judith McNees, Madisyn Carlin, Penny Zeller, and MORE to bring you the chance to win TWELVE fantastic Christian indie books! From epic fantasies, pirate romances, and touching contemporaries, we've got it all!

First prize is all twelve books (author's choice of format) and second prize is your choice of three books (out of the twelve, that is)! The giveaway closes TOMORROW, May 21st, so y'all hurry!

Just click the button below to enter!

with fear and trembling

Also, just wanted to give y'all a quick update on my With Fear and Trembling sale goal! I didn't meet the 10 sales by the 18th...BUT there's still time to sell 20 copies by the end of the month! I hate to sound like an advertisement...but, yes, the devotional is only $2.99 on Kindle and $9.99 on Amazon, and it makes a PERFECT birthday present, graduation gift, thinking-of-you gift, or an addition to a gift box!

If you've already ordered your copy, one of the best ways to help promote and support the devotional is to share about it with your friends, family, and on social media!! I've seen a picture or two of readers' copies on social media, and Y'ALL. I think that is my new favorite thing!!! Seeing my book in readers' hands? *heart melts* IT. IS. AMAZING!!!!

Thank you all for suffering through my marketing tactics - er, I mean, encouraging and supporting me! Y'all are FANTASTIC!!!

reader poll

Before I leave y'all to your pool parties and ice cream treats, I want to thank everyone who voted on my "What Should I Write Next?" poll (which is still open HERE if you haven't voted yet)! Y'all's feedback is WONDERFUL, and I LOVE seeing (or hearing or reading or whatever) y'all's ideas and expectations!!! I'm still undecided on what I'll do next...but I've got your help, and that means a TON!

Now, go have fun in the sun!

yours in spirit and script, Grace

#basketfulofbooks #christianbookgiveaway #christianfiction #christianbooks #giveaway #indiebooks #indiefiction #historicalromance #suspense #contemporaryromance #piratebooks #fantasy #readingcommunity #freebooks #entertowin #update #withfearandtrembling #devotional #poll #vote #feedback

What's Your WIP Tag

I absolutely LOVE this tag...even though I’m at the point where Bound and Determined is a wee bit beyond the work-in-progress stage and where I’m not actively working on anything else because I’m swamped with editing. So even though y’all may *think* you know everything there is to know about Bound and Determined and y’all may be tired of hearing about it by now, I’m just gonna give in and share more about it!

Besides...there are some noobs around here that ain’t got a clue what I’m talkin’ about...so this is for you!

Thank you to Vanessa Hall for reading my mind and tagging me! The link to her post is below; y'all gotta check it out! Her WIP sounds FANTASTIC!

the rules Thank the person who tagged you & link to their blog. (Thanks so much, Vanessa !) Link back to the creator, Katja @ Little Blossoms for Jesus, & add the tag graphic. (Thank you, Katja!) List the rules. Answer the questions. Feel free to add snippets! Tag as many or as few people as you wish & let them know they’re tagged. Add a clean copy of the questions at the end of your post for the tagged.the questions

Has your WIP a working title? If so, tell us! If not, have you any idea of what it might be?

It has a final title, naturally! Bound and Determined! Fun fact: this title is dual-purpose. It plays into the plot, in that Daisy is determined to find her sister and Keaton is bound to help her (I know that’s backwards, but still)...and it fits with the rest of the titles! Held Captive, Prisoner at Heart, and Bound and Determined all include an element of imprisonment/captivity, which fits the stories PERFECTLY!

In Held Captive, Rina is “held captive” (I drop the title so many times in the story *shakes head *) by Xavier and her own sin. In Prisoner at Heart, Crimson is a prisoner to her past in her heart; Elliot is a prisoner to his guilt and prejudice; and naturally, Crimson is a literal prisoner to Rina and Elliot is quickly captured by Crimson’s charms. *snorts*

And in Bound and Determined? Well, Daisy’s bound in slavery, in sin, in generally wretched life circumstances, and Keaton’s bound to his past and guilt and basically every other problem out there. (I just kinda heaped it on for him…)

And that was a much longer answer than I’d planned…

Have you a synopsis for your WIP? If so, give it to us! If not, can you give us a blurb on what your WIP is about?

Yerp! I have two, actually! The original one is up on the homepage, and the official one will be going on the back of the book! (Speaking of, I need to add it to Goodreads…)

So far, I’ve only shared the official one with my beta readers and cover designer, so now is the time for the synopsis reveal… Drum roll, if you please.

Port Royal, Jamaica

1686

A wicked twist of fate—or perhaps the hand of God—has landed Captain Rina Bennet in the most precarious situation yet. When her husband and the father of her twin boys leaves at the behest of a family friend, she is left to take charge of the ship she has not sailed on in two years, alongside her two toddlers. She finds herself between a rock and a hard place when her first voyage drastically turns into a rescue mission, leaving her to the ghosts of her old life.

Daisy Sharow has risked it all by escaping from her owner’s tavern in search of her sister. Following God’s direction, she seeks out the only person she trusts to help her: Keaton Clarke. When Daisy stows away aboard the Rina, quartermaster Keaton is faced with a ghost from his past and a decision neither he nor Rina are prepared to make.

Rina has to make a judgment call when the ghosts come knocking, a call that could mean either life or death—for both an innocent girl and herself. Can Daisy, Keaton, and Rina band together to save Daisy’s sister...or is the risk too great?

Y’all let me know what you think in the comments! *grins *

Have you a working/mock cover for your WIP? If so, show us! If not, have you an idea in mind?

I actually have a mock cover, but it’s not much to look at… I do have an idea for the actual cover (which my designer will be getting to work on very soon!), and I’ve filled up a Pinterest board with inspiration! Y’all can check that out here!

How did you get the idea for this story?

Good question! My answer could be a post all its own, actually, so I’ll keep it short...but BAD has existed in one form or another since I first started writing The Lady Pirate (the original version of Held Captive), because I have OSD. (Obsessive Story Disorder, which causes me to create stories for every. single. Character.) In the early versions of HC, Xavier had a sister, who OF COURSE, needed a story...so I invented the lovely Keaton Clarke to be her love interest.

Well, as I rewrote HC, I wrote Xavier’s sister out of existence (she came back as Xavier’s half-sister Chloe and as Keaton’s sister Christabel) and gave Keaton another story, based on a prompt from a local writing friend. Once HC was actually written and published, Keaton’s character and storyline had changed, and therefore, so did Bound and Determined! And, y’all, this story has really changed SO MUCH just since I started writing it! Sure, the plot and characters are the same, but everything has grown and become so much more vivid and defined!

How long do you think it will be? Is it longer or shorter than you thought it would be?

HA. HA HA HA HA.

This puppy turned out WAAAYYYY longer than expected, at 210k words and 65 chapters (not counting the epilogue and prologue). I’d been shooting for 120k originally, I think, and the more I wrote, the longer this story got! I’ve been trying to cut down the word count during edits, but it might not be by much. So far, I’ve only trimmed it down by a thousand words or so!

Who’s your favourite character so far?

I’ll tell y’all this...it ain’t Daisy or Xavier. Otherwise, I don’t know!! It is SO hard to pick a favorite! Naturally, I ADORE Rina...Keaton gets on my nerves but is also my perfect baby...Mathew and Tomas and Billy are mah sweet little baby boys...Crimson is just PERFECTION in this book...Elliot ALWAYS cracks me up...Scarlette and Julius are so wonderfully horrible (or horribly wonderful?)...the twins are the CUTEST little munchkins EVER...and the VILLAINS!!!!!!!!!!! Yes. I actually have villains this time. And, no, Scarlette does not count as a villain, despite all appearances.

Granted, these villains aren’t your typical villains—more like sources of immense conflict for a period of time. In all honesty, they’re kinda like Cutler Beckett and Captain Barbossa from Pirates of the Caribbean. Good, bad, and ugly. Either way, I love them. They’re awesome.

What’s your favourite memory related to this WIP?

Favorite memory? Shoot! When you’ve been working on a project for over two years (two and a half just writing; four years having it around in your brain), you end up with too many memories to remember. (Which is an oxymoron…)

Honestly though, I know there has been at least one time (probably three in total) that I got teary-eyed and achy-hearted (#notaword) while writing BAD. I rarely ever cry while reading/writing, but sometimes...the emotion just hits you. I know I’ve sat on my bed, in the middle of the night, whispering to myself about how intense or beautiful (or heart-breaking) the scene I was working on was...and then just crying. Some of these moments...characters...themes are literally a piece of me. Heck, the whole book is a huge chunk of my soul, more so than any other project has ever been, and the entire journey of writing it—from the tears to the maniacal cackles—has been one of the most beautiful and memorable experiences of my life.

Any special person(s) who helped create it?

Dude. That’s tough. Again, with two-to-four years of work in this book, there have been SO MANY people who poured a little bit of themselves into it. Some for just a moment, others for a year’s worth of writing…

In the end, though, the one person who has just poured so much of themselves into BAD is Sophia. We connected back in December of 2020 when she won one of my books in a giveaway on Goodreads, and by March 2021, we’d become bookish buddies and she’d become one of my first official fangirls. I asked her if she’d be interested in alpha-reading Bound and Determined, and she agreed! Fast-forward a year later, and she has cheered me on, helped me brainstorm, given me the most amazing feedback, and generally been an insanely epic person. Just...I couldn’t have done it without her. My story-esteem (like self-esteem, but for stories *winks*) was CRAZY low for BAD, and she boosted it up SO MUCH. I’m honestly not sure if I would’ve made it this far without her encouragement and friendship!

And I’ve gotta give Issabelle a shout-out too, of course!!! From sprinting with her to sharing snippets to threatening to kill Xavier (the threat is still on the table), this girl has been a HUGE inspiration and encouragement to me!!! Not to mention, my second official fangirl! She’s one of my beta readers now, and Y’ALL. Her feedback and reactions are pure gold!

Then there’s Kristina and Vanessa who have kept me on track with getting this puppy finished...and my local friends who’ve asked me every time they see me when that third book is coming...and so many of y’all reading this blog post right now who have just supported me and loved on my books so much.

Y’all, I’ll be here all day if I start listing everyone who has been a part of this book! I can’t imagine how many more will join us in giving this story life!

What’s your favourite scene so far (if you can tell about it without spoilers!)?

Can I pull the it’s-65-chapters card? Keep in mind that’s like 2 scenes per chapter average, so that’s at least 130 scenes and you want me to PICK ONE? My FAVORITE ONE?

Wow.

Um...lemme see...to be honest, my favorite scene is one of the most spoilery… Actually, all of my favorites are spoilery. They’re either romantic scenes, spiritual scenes, or action/suspense scenes…

Let’s go with my one slightly-humorous scene then, shall we? This one is just hilarious and so sweet to me, because we’ve really never had a scene that was just Rina and Elliot. That is, Rina and Elliot and no yelling.

Fun fact: I actually got the chance to make and try the Jamaican chocolate tea featured in the scene below!

Can you give us a snippet?

Fortunately, I can! Feast your eyes on this!

When we entered the galley, I found Mav already seated with a bowl of soup before him and—oh, what was that heavenly smell? I gently set Dick in the chair beside his brother and leaned over to breath in the delicious aroma emanating from Mav’s cup.

Chocolate.

My insides melted as my stomach gurgled and my tongue slickened. I’d not had chocolate in years! Not since Lavinia, I believe, for she had been the one so fond of chocolate that she had all but trained Uncle’s cook in preparing it. After she’d left and Dorian replaced our old cook, I’d tried to get him to make the beverage according to the fragments of Lavinia’s recipe I remembered, but my attempts were fruitless.

I glanced about the galley for the origins of this delightful concoction to find Elliot standing over the fire.

My jaw dropped.

“You…” I stalked both toward him and the source of the cocoa-scented steam, wagging a crooked finger. “You’ve been holdin’ out on me, El. All these years, you’ve been hiding this from me…to think, I could’ve been getting drunk on chocolate all these years.”

My ex-first mate snorted, pouring a ladle-full of chocolate into a cup. “First of all, ye can’t get drunk on cocoa and milk. Second, ‘tisn’t been ‘all these years.’ I only ever remembered less of Lavinia’s recipe than ye; ‘twere Crimson who knew how to make it an’ helped me fill in the blanks.” He extended the cup, and I eagerly wrapped my hands around it and groaned as the rich, spicy scent of cocoa, cinnamon, cream, and some indiscernible something assailed my nostrils.

“You, experimenting in the galley with Crimson? That I’d like to see. Or, rather—” I raised the cup to my lips and took a small, savoring sip “—taste.” Just a drop of chocolate was enough to set my senses on fire as the warm goodness burnt a trail down my throat.

“Well.” He hitched a shoulder. “When ‘tis just ye and yer new bride sailin’ fer days on end, ye’ve got t’ find something to entertain yerself with.”

I downed a whole gulp this time, amazed by how well this matched my childhood memories of nursing cup after cup of chocolate whilst avoiding my evil stepmother (well, evil would-be aunt, that is). The flavors were exquisite, sweet cream, exotic spice, and rich cocoa married perfectly. If only Europe and England knew of this wonderful Jamaican treat; rather, their cocoa was so bitter one might as well be eating the beans themselves.

I sighed into my cup, spewing out the first thought that came to my mind. “Stay with me, Elliot.” And make us gallons of chocolate every day. We can bottle it and sell it. Start a whole new venture, spreading chocolaty goodness across the Seven Seas.

A deep groan cut through my thoughts. “Y’know I can’t do that, Rina.”

Very well, only one gallon of chocolate a day. And we could start a shop rather than bottling it. We’d be settled then.

“But you must, Elliot! I’ll not be able to survive without chocolate after this.” I gave him my best Scarlette impression, sticking out my lower lip and batting my lashes over widened eyes.

“Don’t make light o’ it. We both know there’s more than chocolate to do with this.”

There was? I didn’t—

Oh.

Yes.

*coughs* Did I intentionally leave that last bit as a cliffhanger? Why, yes. Yes, I did.

Is the story still what you thought it would be or has it thrown you a couple curveballs?

HA. HA HA HA HA. (You’ll notice me laughing a lot during this post…) Y’all, this story has gone CRAZY. I knew the backbone of it long before I began writing, and the story itself hasn’t strayed much from my outline/idea...but Y’ALL. Keaton Ellioted the whole story and turned it on its head in a way that just blew my mind. No spoilers, but uh...let’s just say one of the most climatic/intense/dramatic moments was ENTIRELY unplanned. Like, unplanned even while I wrote the words.

And, yes, Elliot is a proper verb. I even use it in the book. Multiple times.

Is there a Bible verse, poem, hymn, picture, or quote that helped shape this story?

We gon be here AAAALLLL day. I’ve got my object inspiration (aka physical aesthetic) board HERE and my written inspiration (aka written aesthetic) board HERE, both of which are FULL of quotes and images that have inspired (or are just eerily similar) to this story!

As for specific Scriptures…

Matthew 14:30-31, 2 Corinthians 12:5, and Isaiah 43:2 were just a few of the verses that have inspired the themes and messages in BAD!

When and where have you done most of the writing so far?

My bed. At night. Specifically during January of 2022. Somehow, that was one of my best writing months ever. I may have had better months back in 2020/2019 that I didn’t keep a record of...but I highly doubt that.

Where do you get inspiration for this story?

Everywhere. Specifically Pinterest and Spotify...because Y’ALL. The playlist for this book has 86 songs, and I STILL keep coming up with new songs!

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

Technically a plantser. I pants my stories, then plan them. Or I plan them, then pants the actual writing. *shrugs* I do it all.

Do you have a little ritual before you start writing?

Not really. Since I write at night before bed, there’s no music, no food, no drink, no nothing, really. I try to get everything done for the day before I focus on writing, and sometimes I’ll read back over what I’ve written before to get inspired for the next scene.

Are you thinking of publishing this story?

We all know the answer to this one...YEAH DUH.

What things have you learned while writing this story?

Everything. Like, everything.

Specifically that I probably need sensitivity readers for everything I write from here on out…

*coughs* I’ve learned about grace, faith, salvation, repentance. I’ve learned about consistency, time management, and more about what makes me feel accomplished, as well as my writing style. And the entire process of this book has really served to define and strengthen my convictions, what I write and why, and my audience. (Which is not ten-year-olds. Sorry.)

tags + clean copy

I tag Saraina Whitney, Kads, Lily Keith, and Issabelle Perry. Just gonna stick with three this go-round, because I kinda stink at remembering people. THAT SAID, if you wanna answer ANY of these questions in the comments or steal the whole tag, PLEASE DO. Tag piracy is encourage here; y’all know that.

Y’all will find your clean copy below! *grins*

Also, if any of y’all are interested in reading more sneak peeks of BAD, check out this post, and this post, this one here, this ol’ thang, and ye olde sneaky peeky!

Has your WIP a working title? If so, tell us! If not, have you any idea of what it might be? Have you a synopsis for your WIP? If so, give it to us! If not, can you give us a blurb on what your WIP is about? Have you a working/mock cover for your WIP? If so, show us! If not, have you an idea in mind? How did you get the idea for this story? How long do you think it will be? Is it longer or shorter than you thought it would be? Who’s your favourite character so far? What’s your favourite memory related to this WIP? Any special person(s) who helped create it? What’s your favourite scene so far (if you can tell about it without spoilers!)? Can you give us a snippet? Is the story still what you thought it would be or has it thrown you a couple curveballs? Is there a Bible verse, poem, hymn, picture, or quote that helped shape this story? When and where have you done most of the writing so far? Where do you get inspiration for this story? Are you a plotter or a pantser? Do you have a little ritual before you start writing? Are you thinking of publishing this story? What things have you learned while writing this story?yours in spirit and script, Grace

#tag #blogtag #tagged #boundanddetermined #sneakpeek #snippet #wip #abouthebook #abouttheauthor #aboutme #writing

Giveaways, Polls, and More!

Have I got news for you! Let's see...there's a giveaway of over 40 books (Held Captive included, of course), a story idea poll (because why not?), and some EPIC updates for With Fear and Trembling!

Let's not waste any time, shall we?

garden of books giveaway

I've joined with CelebrateLit Publicity and 40+ other authors to bring y'all an amazing giveaway! You have the chance to win either 42 books (from historical romance to cozy mysteries to contemporary romcoms to fantast epics to...well, the list goes on!) or a $500 Amazon gift card to buy books!

If that doesn't make you wanna enter...

Aren't they all just BEAUTIFUL?! You know you want to...yes, you do...just click that little button down there...

There are SO many fantastic reads that are part of this giveaway! Like Deceived by Madisyn Carlin (which I just reviewed) and Souls Astray by Kellyn Roth (which I absolutely love) and Labor of Love by Marguerite Martin Gray (which I can't wait to read) and *coughs* Held Captive by yours truly (which isn't too bad, I guess). You're sure to find something interesting, I just know it!

the project poll

Now...I don't plan on writing anything this year accept for a few short stories and maybe a couple chapters of a new story...mainly because I've just finished the novel I spent two and a half years on and have a TON of other projects...

BUT I want to be prepared for the next step! Before I write Book #4 in the Daughters of the Seven Seas series, I want to (1) take a break from it and (2) rewrite Held Captive...so I'm interested in seeing what y'all would like to see next from me!

Hence the poll below! Y'all can pick as many ideas as you like, leave your own suggestions in the comments, or ask for more information about each project below! (I'd love to share all about them!!!) Most importantly, of course, have fun! *winks*

with fear and trembling

Last but certainly not least...I have this CRAZY idea to sell 10 copies of With Fear and Trembling (either print or digital) by May 18th...and if I do, I'll publish WFAT in HARDCOVER!!! (Dunno about y'all, but I ADORE hardcover books!)

And if I can sell 20 copies by the end of this month, I'll release a guided prayer journal to go along with the devotional!

So what does that mean?

It means if you haven't bought your copy of With Fear and Trembling yet, now's the time to do so! The Kindle copy is $2.99 and the paperback copy is $9.99! And if you already have bought a copy (in which case, thank you SO MUCH, you precious thing!), then please share about it with your family and friends or on social media!

Keep in mind, I won't publish the hardcover or release the journal if I don't meet these goals! (Yes, I'm basically giving y'all a purchase incentive...is it working???)

So that's my bookish news for today! How about you? How's your WIP coming along? Have you read any of the books that are part of the Garden of Books giveaway? Do you journal your prayers? What story do you think I should write next? (*whispers* What do y'all think about a blog serial???) Let me know in the comments below!

yours in spirit and script, Grace

Coming Soon: A Wolf's Rose by M.C. Kennedy

I am SUPER excited to share with y'all an upcoming release by M.C. Kennedy,

a young, up-and-coming Christian fantasy author! Her novel, A Wolf's Rose, is the first in The Feyfolk Trilogy (which is part of the Chronicles of Rinnil), and is a clean YA fantasy that releases June 3rd, 2022!

If you're looking for an entertaining, high-stakes read with just a hint of romance, then A Wolf's Rose is sure to please! (Let it be noted that there is some magic content, though. H.S.J. Williams kinda magic, not J.K. Rowling kind.)

about the book

Roshien Cochall has one goal: appear before the Gwyns and prove that she can move beyond the mistakes of her past. Nothing seems to move her closer to that goal, however, and she is left feeling stuck.

Lorcan Mactíre has been waiting patiently for nearly ten years to seize a cochall’s magic ring. Taking Roshien’s grandmother hostage, he lures Roshien to his fortress, confident that he will soon uncover the secret of her ring.

Is this Roshien’s opportunity for redemption? Can she somehow convince Lorcan to let her go—and maybe even take him with her? Or is this the beginning of her ultimate failure?

about the author

M. C. Kennedy is a self-proclaimed nerd with a deep love for the Lord and for fantasy. She enjoys nothing more than escaping from the real world into the realms of her imagination. When she's not rambling through fanciful forests, you can hunt her down at her website (mckennedyauthor.com), or her Facebook page (M. C. Kennedy, Author).

yours in spirit and script, Grace

#comingsoon #bookspotlight #youngadultfiction #christianfiction #fantasy #indie #preordernow #romance

PS: If you're interested in having your book spotlighted on my blog, I do offer free spotlights! You can submit your book for consideration HERE!

Review: To Bring You Back by Emily Conrad

Stars: 4

Synopsis: Gannon Vaughn, the lead singer of rock band Awestruck who’s beloved the world over, was just rolled into town...the very same town where Adeline Green, his ex-bassist, old friend, and the girl who stole his heart, lives. When their paths collide for the first time in years, will sparks fly? Or will the ghosts of days gone by come back to haunt them?

Here we go again, writing a review literally only five minutes after finishing the book. (Do I procrastinate...or just work better under pressure? I’ll let the jury decide. *winks*) Fortunately, my thoughts on To Bring You Back are a little more defined. For example, I can tell you right of the bat that this was a solid story.

To be honest, the first half dragged and just seemed really repetitive—just Adeline whining about Gannon, mainly—BUT the second half picked up, weaving in many more elements and kicking things up a notch. In the end, the only qualm I have with the plot is that there were two issues (by the names of Harper and Matt) that were unresolved. My favorite part of the plot, though, was definitely the last ten percent...where Adeline and Gannon had a separation period. I used to hate them, because it seemed like the author was just dragging out the inevitable, but when done right (emphasis on right, because some people really do just drag it out), they’re actually very integral to the story, specifically character development and the romance.

This was one such case. Adeline and Gannon definitely needed some time off to complete their arcs—which were both so well-done! Even though I couldn’t connect with Adeline (like, at all), I still respected her and appreciated her struggles and her arc so much! (There was a reason for all that whining, believe it or not.) And Gannon! He was just the best. Crazily enough, I didn’t fall for him like I thought I would have...but I admired him SO MUCH! His character was the kind we rarely get to see—a genuine Christian male who’s imperfect but has a deep relationship with God. It seems like so many heroes in Christian fiction are missing one or more of those elements—either they’re entirely imperfect or entirely too sanctimonious. I need a realistic balance, and Gannon gave me that and more with his beautiful love for God and his nuggets of wisdom!

Granted, I felt like he could be a little gruff sometimes (not in the best way, though), which was probably for plot purposes…

The secondary characters? Spot-on! I can’t wait to read more about them!

The best part of all, though? The themes. They were exquisite. Conrad wasn’t afraid to ask hard questions or give tougher answers. She was biblical and honest about everything from sexual immorality to grace to repentance to living for God...and I loved it! I guess you’d call this story preachy because the themes were so obvious, but here’s the thing. It all entwined so well. The themes were made for the characters, for the story, for the plot...and not the other way around. It was perfectly woven together, and it flowed authentically!

(Because, yes, preachy doesn’t mean overtly Christian or full of sermons...it means droning on about issues that don’t actually pertain to the story. Like if a character went on a spiel about wearing masks when the story has nothing do to with that, and it’s obvious that the author is just using the character and the book to enforce their opinion. Make sense? Good. Glad we cleared that up.)

More than that, the themes and messages and character arcs were a part of the plot and premise and story...not a separate entity. Everything was interlaced perfectly, flowing together so smoothly! Considering most books seem to throw in a message or skimp on the character arc or change up the plot just because they can...I really, really appreciated that.

Y’all know what else I appreciated?

Premarital sex was portrayed as a sin. A grievous sin, in fact...but not an unforgivable one. I absolutely loved how Conrad gave Adeline and Gannon guilt, shame, and consequences to wrestle with, being honest about how sexual immorality affects you, those around you, and your relationship with God. I also loved how she didn’t just throw that in for scandalous backstory...it was the story. The message of hope, forgiveness, restoration, true grace...that was the story. And it was beautiful!

(Plus, no sexism here! Gannon and Adeline were both equally at fault, and the idea of Gannon having other flings wasn’t portrayed as “just what guys do” or “a part of life” or “something he regretted.” Gannon remained pure—which was amazing to see, even though he had sinned once before...which actually made that even more meaningful, in a way—and everyone acknowledged that premarital sex is downright wrong. Even if it’s a famous guy.)

Anyway. Rant over. *coughs*

On a technical level...the writing was great! Nothing to write home about, I suppose, but evenly balanced and smooth! Nothing seemed to be lacking or dry or stilted, which was lovely!

I will say this...I STILL possess this annoying pet peeve for stories about famous people—ESPECIALLY rock stars. For starters, rock was so twenty years ago (make that thirteen...2009 was the last good year rock had). I hate reading stories about rock musicians when the only famous rock musicians out there are the ones that have been around since 1997 (*glares at The Goo-Goo Dolls*). When will we get stories about POP SINGERS, for gosh’s sake? Pop is what’s in style, people. Has been since—you guessed it—2009 and the dawn of mah man Justin Bieber.

(And all of this is coming from a girl who hates pop and listens to that lovely 2000s rock. My personal music tastes aside, I need realism.)

Still, my pet peeves don’t inhibit me from enjoying a good, strong story—which is exactly what To Bring You Back was! Everything, from the arcs to the themes to the pacing, was on-point, and it all came together to create a beautiful story about love and redemption!

(Seriously, though, what would it take to make these out-of-time rockstars real? I’d love some new quality rock music. Just sayin’. Speaking of...I totally need to make a soundtrack for this book. I’ve already got a few songs picked out. You’ll find two of them name-dropped in the synopsis I gave! Drop the titles in the comments if you found ‘em!)

Disclaimer: A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley and CelebrateLit Publicity. All opinions expressed are my own.

about the book

He’s determined to confront the past she’s desperate to forget.

Broke in more ways than one, the last thing Adeline Green can afford is for her now-famous high school crush to descend on her quiet life.

People in the small town of Lakeshore, Wisconsin, think of her as the hard-working church secretary or as the local food truck’s lunch-hour cashier. They’d never suspect the shame she’s hiding.

She attended high school with both the lead singer and the drummer of the rock band, Awestruck. In fact, she used to play in the band herself, but that was back before Awestruck made it big—and before her relationship with lead singer Gannon Vaughn took a turn that ultimately led to tragedy and heartbreak.

She’s living a different life now, but when Gannon shows up, he brings with him a public spotlight that threatens to expose her deepest regret. The closer she gets to him, the more she risks the carefully curated life that’s finally brought her a measure of peace.

Gannon Vaughn and his rock band, Awestruck, have conquered the music industry, but he can’t overcome his feelings for Adeline.

She may have been right to cut off contact between them years ago, but thanks to the grace of God, he’s a changed man. When he hears Adeline’s struggling, he sets out to turn her life around and win back the love he lost to poor choices eight years ago.

But when Gannon’s fame and their mutual regrets jeopardize their relationship anew, will grace be enough to bring them back to God and each other?

A meaningful Christian romance with a side of fame and fortune for readers who enjoy faith-filled escapes and happily-ever-afters where no one is beyond hope of redemption.

(Dang, that is one looooong blurb. *coughs* To Bring You Back is a contemporary Christian romance that released August 16th, 2021!)

snag your copy about the author

Emily Conrad writes contemporary Christian romance that explores life’s relevant questions. Though she likes to think some of her characters are pretty great, the ultimate hero of her stories (including the one she’s living) is Jesus. She lives in Wisconsin with her husband and their energetic coonhound rescue. Learn more about her and her books at emilyconradauthor.com.

a word from the authorA Guilty Pleasure with a Purpose

When a reader called the Rhythms of Redemption Romances a guilty pleasure, I had to smile because that’s exactly what To Bring You Back, the first book in the series, was to me as I wrote it.

Don’t get me wrong, To Bring You Back is firmly Christian fiction, and it’s not “guilty” of being blush-inducing. Because of the characters’ history, theirs is a slow-burn romance that focuses more on the emotional side of their relationship than the physical.

But, To Bring You Back is a rock star romance.

When I first started writing it, I was embarrassed to admit that’s what I was working on.

After all, rock star romance has a reputation for being an unrealistic and shallow escape from reality with “guilty pleasure” written all over it.

Maybe there was some of that escapism going on. At that point in my writing journey, I was dealing with disillusionment, and I enjoyed the break of writing about rich and famous characters.

However, as I wrote To Bring You Back and went on to read others’ romances about famous characters, I found that the characters’ occupations and net worth don’t impact the most important elements of their stories.

The tales can still showcase meaningful relationships and God at work in the lives of people who—rich and famous or not—need redemption.

Fame, money, and music help up the entertainment value, but those same features add even more rich conflict to explore.

The men of Awestruck, starting with lead singer Gannon Vaughn in To Bring You Back, have allowed me to ask questions like: How good is grace? What does it mean to live in forgiveness? What gives a person worth? And, when is living the dream no longer worth the price?

To write this post, I took a break from working on the first draft of the final book in the series, and it’s been fun to look back and see how much my opinion of these stories has changed.

If To Bring You Back and the books that follow are a guilty pleasure, they’re a guilty pleasure with a purpose. God has worked in my life through them.

It’s my prayer that He’ll also use them in your life, both to explore meaningful questions and to provide a few hours of entertaining escape.

the tour

lakesidelivingsite, April 25

The Sacred Line, April 25

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 26

Inklings and notions, April 27

Remembrancy, April 28

Wishful Endings, April 28

Texas Book-aholic, April 29

deb’s Book Review, April 30

For Him and My Family, May 1

Spoken from the Heart, May 1

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, May 2

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, May 3

Miriam Jacob, May 3

Locks, Hooks and Books, May 4

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 5

Britt Reads Fiction, May 5

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 6

Simple Harvest Reads, May 7 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Pause for Tales, May 8

Of Blades and Thorns, May 8

Before we go, I just wanna say happy Mother's Day! I hate that this post is going up on a holiday, but such is the way of life! I hope y'all enjoyed reading my review and - WAIT! What's this? Emily Conrad is hosting a giveaway in honor of her tour?

Yep! Before y'all go, make sure you enter this HERE giveaway for a chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card and an e-copy of To Bring You Back!

Good luck and have a blessed day!

yours in spirit and script, Grace

#review #bookreview #blogtour #giveaway #contemporary #romance #christianfiction