Grace A. Johnson's Blog: Of Blades & Thorns, page 23

In Search of Betas for My First Devotional!

So...*cuffs the back of her neck* I'm going out on a proverbial limb here and publishing my first-ever devotional. Yes, a devotional. As in, a piece of nonfiction. Crazy, right? *winks* (Those of y'all who know me well know I all but vowed to never write nonfiction apart from blog posts/articles. Look how that turned out.)

I started by writing and posting a devo a day in January, and people actually seemed to like them and were asking if I'd compile them into a book...so here we are! Now, the theme is iffy and none of the devotionals have any structure, but I wanna give this a go anyhow.

So I need betas.

I'm looking for two different sets - the first set of betas (maybe two or three readers) to help me with the structure of each devotional, proofread my writing, make sure everything is clear; and the second set (again, just a few peeps) to gauge the spiritualness, I guess? *winces* That's not even a word. I just need a few readers to give me their perspective on my message, make sure it comes across, let me know if the devotionals inspire them to get into the Word and examine their faith in God. Stuff like that.

I'll probably send out the manuscript the first of March and wrap things up after a couple weeks, so if you're also planning on beta-reading Bound and Determined, don't worry...this won't coincide at all!

If you're interested in reading but not beta-reading, that's perfectly all right as well! I'll send out a few advanced reader copies (not reviewer copies, because it feels wrong to ask for people to review a devotional...but if you wanna leave a review, that would be lovely too!) to whoever would like to read at their own pace! *grins*

I don't have a final word count yet (because I'm still doing some editing of my own), but there are thirty devos and they aren't too long, so it shouldn't take too much time to read through them! The devotional is titled With Fear and Trembling...and I have a cover...

Whaddayall think?

If you'd like to read and edit, just comment below and let me know! If you'd like to read and leave feedback, do the same! And, lastly, if you'd like to just read, again...comment! *winks*

Not interested at all? Please share! Y'all know that means just as much as anything! *grins*

Well, thank y'all for letting me monopolize your time again! Y'all are the best!!!

So, to close, do you read devotionals? What is your favorite thing about them? What do you look for in a good devo? Let me know in the comments!

Yours in spirit and script, Grace

#devotional #betas #betareaders #betareading #withfearandtrembling #faith #nonfiction #booknews

The Writerly Resolutions Tag

I never make personal resolutions, but I’m all for writerly ones! Thanks, E. G. Bella, for the tag! I can’t wait to get into your questions and share some of my writerly hopes for this year!

(Dude, that was legit the shortest intro ever. Comment yea if you preferred this short intro over my long, rambling ones or nay if you would rather me rattle on for another hundred words!)

Rules Include the official Writerly Resolutions banner in your post. Link back to the person who tagged you. If you weren’t tagged, link back to the website you found the tag on. (Thank you, Bella !) Tag at least 5 other bloggers who are also writers. You can tag as many people as you want! Ask them 5 new questions about their writing goals.Questions

1. What’s one aspect of writing you’d like to improve in this year?

All of it. I mean, it’s never good enough. #professionalperfectionist Seriously, though, I’d love to get better at plotting, researching, outlining. Technical stuff like that, since I’m a total pantser for everything. Of course, I’m always open to honing and developing my writing style/voice more, so once I finally finish Bound and Determined, I’d like to try and find my personal style again (I had it once upon a time, but then I lost it in the middle of all this pirateyness) and experiment with new styles!

2. Do you have a new type of writing you’d like to try this year? (screenplay, poetry, short stories, novels, blogging, etc.)

I have literally done all of the above except for screenwriting. As much as I would like to give that a go, I don’t think this is the year. However, I would like to get better at poetry, flash fiction, and short stories, as I tend to err on the side of 220k-long projects. I need something shorter and less time-consuming, y’all.

3. What’s your biggest writing goal this year?

FINISH AND PUBLISH BAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I MUST complete this novel and get it off my hard drive and into the world!!!!!!!!

4. Is there a writing habit you’d like to develop this year?

Actually writing.

*cough cough* Not that I don’t write...I do. Just not consistently, and I stink at time management, and I want to be more in control of what/how I write instead of just winging it all the time. Even though winging it is soooo fun. So, basically, every kind of positive and beneficial writing habit. Including sleeping.

5. One year from now, how would you like to be able to describe your writing?

Ooh, that’s interesting. I’ve thought about how I’d describe my writing once or twice, but I never could come up with anything. As for how I’d like to describe it in a year from now...hmm...well, let me try to describe my writing now, just for comparison. I’ll go with five adjectives because why not?

Introspective, rambling, engaging, verbose, and antique.

Introspective on my characters’ parts, not mine; rambling on Rina’s part...and mine; engaging in terms of...I dunno, I just needed something positive; verbose, because as you can tell by my 220k novel, I am nothing if not wordy; and antique not necessarily because my writing itself is outdated or because I write like I’m from the 19th century, but because I naturally have a more historical slant to my prose.

As for a year from now…

Balanced, poignant, emotional, vibrant, and versatile.

I want my writing to be balanced between all my wordy ramblings and what really needs to be said; poignant so that every word has an effect on the reader; emotional in terms of the emotion I express through my writing and the emotion I invoke in readers; vibrant, because writing that is alive and vivid and colorful possesses a beauty all its own; and versatile, as I want to be able to transition smoothly from era to era, genre to genre, and character to character without my prose seeming out of place.

That’s a pretty tall order right there.

Questions + Tagees

#1 Looking back, how has your writing changed over the course of last year? Are you satisfied with your growth or are you looking to evolve more over this year?

#2 What needs the most change and thereby the most attention?

#3 How will you be focusing more on that aspect of your writing this year?

#4 What kind of impact do you want your actions to have upon the aforementioned aspect?

#5 Because all these questions sound like something out of a writing self-help book, it’s time for a fun one! What plot trope, character, theme, idea, etc., would you like to write about this year?

I'm tagging...

E. K. Seaver Saraina Whitley Kads @ Your Writerly Friend Kads Kristina Hall Vanessa Hall Iris @ Elfwing’s Adventures

Y’all are it! And, yes, I’m only tagging six people because it is like pulling teeth to get me to think of more than two bloggers on such short notice...but, if you’re a writer, do consider yourself tagged! Tag piracy is encouraged in this vicinity. *winks* *lifts bottle o’ rum in salute*

Yours in spirit and script, Grace

#writerlyresolutions #newyear #blogtag #writing #writer #writinggoals

Review: The Lady of Galway Manor by Jennifer Deibel

*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: 3.5

Synopsis: Lady Annabeth De Lacy, daughter of Galway Parish’s newest landlord, is apprenticed out to the local jeweler, Seamus Jennings, upon arrival to satisfy her creative curiosities. However, her apprenticeship becomes much more as she becomes involved in the community...and involved with the heart of Seamus’ grouchy son Stephen.

We’re gonna be here a while, y’all. My notes on this book alone were three pages! I’ll try to keep things as concise as I can, but I make no promises.

First things first, I loved the setting. Of course, anything set in Ireland is bound to be delightful, but Deibel did a lovely job of highlighting Galway and its culture, making it seem so vibrant. Unfortunately, I feel like this story was so short and rushed, almost skimpy, so I didn’t get the time to fully experience and enjoy the beautiful setting.

While we’re talking about the setting...was it just me or did some thing seems very 1880s? Especially in the beginning, I noticed a lot of views and whatnot that stood out to me as Victorian rather than 1920s, so I had a hard time defining the era in some ways. (I needed flappers. There. I said it.) Fortunately, the technology fit the era, even if everyone’s outdated ideals didn’t.

Speaking of views, before we get into anything else, I must address the ageism. Deibel makes mention of ageism in her author’s note when she mentioned overcoming prejudice...but this book was chock-full of ageism! Our heroine Anna and her sister continually refer to Lord Corning (whose exact age is unknown, but he’s supposedly middle-aged or older) as a “prune” and a detestable old man. Now, I understand him not being the most swoon-worthy suitor in the girls’ minds, but they didn’t even respect him as a person in general because of how old he was. This is something I’ve noticed more and more in Christian fiction—young girls are engaged to old men, and the old men are presented as horrible humans even though they are never present or explored in the book (like Lord Corning). First of all, ageism in that respect wasn’t common in history, nor is it now. *looks at Katharine McPhee and Catherine Zeta-Jones *

I understand if the heroine doesn’t want to marry someone that much older than her, but please, please, authors, don’t portray all old men as villains and, if at all possible, quit employing this trope! If you have to give your heroine an unwanted suitor/engagement, give her a reason to not like the guy! I’ll feel sympathy for the girl if she’s being forced to marry someone abusive, unfaithful, or immoral, but not if she’s shunning a respectable man and disrespecting her parents all because “well, I don’t like him, he’s old and ugly, I want to marry a young, handsome fellow.” Or, I dunno, why can’t the girl find love with the man in spite of his shortcomings? Why does age have to be a shortcoming? Why does she have to find love with a young, handsome dude? Are men not valuable or suitable husbands unless they’re young and hot?

So, yes, rant aside, I was just about to really get into the story when I found out that Anna was struggling with an unwanted potential engagement. Why is it that every single story has to do with an unwanted engagement? Why? Please, I must know! This trope is so overdone it makes me sick! If you need drama, pick something different and actually interesting, not the same thing everyone else is doing.

I will say this...I have noticed that authors have begun including the perspective of the heroine’s father in these matters, giving them more depth and sympathy instead of making them out to be evil, cruel, cold-hearted manipulators. I appreciate that even as I realize it means all the cold-heartedness is attributed to the old fiance. Can’t win for losing, eh?

Now, I’m done with it. We are moving on, y’all.

Let’s talk about our other old man, Seamus Jennings. I loved this guy and his humor, but y’all. He seemed way too perfect. Like, he knew everything that was going on and exactly what to say in every situation. An admirable trait, yes, and typical of a perceptive father with a caring heart; however, Seamus took the place of God in his son’s life. By that, I mean that Stephen never prayed or read the Bible or sought Christ’s opinion in anything...mostly because his father already told him exactly what to do or say. Not something I recommend, in part because God is our foremost authority and because no human is as perfect as Seamus Jennings.

Fortunately, this was not so for Anna. There was a subtle faith theme woven into her side of the story, and the prayers she would whisper up were inspiring. I do wish that God had been more involved in Anna and Stephen’s relationship—perhaps then it wouldn’t have been so unnecessarily dramatic and flip-floppy.

(Don’t tell me I was the only one who didn’t like the constant on-again off-again toward the end there…)

Speaking of Stephen. Y’all, I wanted to like this dude...but he annoyed the heck out of me in the beginning with all his whining and grumbling. Broody, I like. Whiny baby, I do not. BUT THEN. Yes, but then. Toward the middle there, when Stephen started softening his heart to Anna, he began really growing on me and I could’ve sworn I liked him. But then. Yes, but then again. He got all whiny on me again and couldn’t stick with his decisions to save his life. I wanted so bad for him to fight for love, to stand firm in it, to be strong...but nope, he faltered and fell apart and acted like love was all about him. Well, it’s not.

Fortunately, he saw the light at the end, but by that point, it was too late for me to fall in love with him.

As for Anna, I could have liked her. She wasn’t annoying or obnoxious, but she wasn’t really anything else either. Had we gotten time to see her creating jewelry and working on designs or interacting with the community, her character would’ve been much deeper and more interesting. However, her interactions were limited to her family and the Jenningses and her character was limited to the plot and all the romance drama. Like, the scene with Paddy or when she helps clean up after the storm...she really shined in those scenes, and I wanted more moments like those. But nope.

Speaking of Paddy...he was my favorite. I loved him, his perspective, all of it. I wanted more of him!

Lastly, THERE WAS AN EPILOGUE. That made my heart sing. The epilogue alone is worth a whole star, if you ask me. And while we’re on the subject of the ending, the author’s note was spectacular! I loved learning that all of it—for the most part—was real! The Claddagh is a real ring, a real symbol, a real story—all of it! That was also worth a star in my book!

Long story short, this story just didn’t do it for me. There were elements that were amazing (the Claddagh), elements that were subpar (the characters), and elements that flat-out sickened me (the ageism). Unfortunately, that’s not a good balance. However, Deibel’s writing itself wasn’t half bad, so I just might give her another go...just this time with a story that holds a wee bit more promise than The Lady of Galway Manor.

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

Snag Your Copy About the Author

Jennifer Deibel is a middle school teacher and freelance writer. Her work has appeared on (in)courage, on The Better Mom, in Missions Mosaic Magazine, and others. With firsthand immersive experience abroad, Jennifer writes stories that help redefine home through the lens of culture, history, and family. After nearly a decade of living in Ireland and Austria, she now lives in Arizona.

Debut novel, A Dance in Donegal, releases February 2, 2021 from Revell. Follow Moira Doherty to the wilds of rural Ireland in 1921. Available for preorder wherever books are sold.

Yours in spirit and script, Grace

#bookreview #review #historicalromance #Christianromance #historicalfiction #Christianfiction #romance

Submissions Open for Tell Me You Love Me Anthology!

What's this? Someone's putting together an anthology? All about love and romance? And submissions are open now?

Sounds interesting, doesn't it?

Well, what if I told you that I was the one putting together a romance anthology? And that anyone is allowed to submit their romance short story of up to 5k words between now and March 31st for a chance to be one of SIX stories selected to be published this coming June?

I dunno about y'all, but I'd be pretty excited if that were so.

And guess what?

IT IS!!!

YES! I had this crazy idea just the other day that it would be SO cool to put together several romantic short stories to share the love with the world! I was thinking about releasing it next Valentine's Day, but (1) that's so far awaaaayyyyy and (2) wouldn't it be lovely to put some God-honoring and pure romances out just when the world is celebrating evil and immoral relationships?

It would, so here we go! You, my friend, have been invited to submit your story highlighting the most beautiful and tender moment in which the words "I love you" are uttered (hence the title, Tell Me You Love Me)! If, of course, you detest romance or can't write more than your name, please do share this post with your friends!

Now, I know I've not made a lick of sense so far (I'm excited, can you tell?), so I'mma sum up what I've said so far and what my criteria is!

Submissions close March 31st Only six stories will be selected the first of April Each story must be no more than 5,000 words (if you do go little over, don't worry! I wouldn't want you to cut out anything that's necessary to your story!) You can submit as many stories as you like, assuming you have more time than I do and can actually write multiple stories for one contest. I'm talking clean, authentic Christian romance here - so no cheesy Hallmark relationships, flippant flings or one night stands, or immoral relationships. Your story must be God-honoring and portray a real, lasting romance that reflects God's love for His people!

When you're ready to submit, just click on the button below! (You can go ahead and save the submissions form to your bookmarks, of course, if you'd like!)

I can't wait to read y'all's stories and put this anthology together! THIS IS GONNA BE SO GREAT!!!! There may be a little something extra in there for the six selected authors, but I make no promises...there is, however, an amazing opportunity for new and emerging writers, a publishing credit for your resume, and bragging rights!

Anyway, enough jibber-jabber! Let's get writing!!!

Yours in spirit and script, Grace

#tellmeyouloveme #anthology #submit #submissions #contest #shortstories #romance

Review: Preacher on the Run by Jayna Baas

*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: 4

Synopsis: As a member of the Regulators and a God-fearing Baptist preacher, Robert Boothe is already destined for destruction in the eyes of the tyrannous British government. But when Colonel Drake comes to town, Robert realizes just how much he’s laid on the line for God and his country...and how much he’ll have to sacrifice if he wants to keep on serving Him.

Boy howdy, was this a wild ride or what! Even though Amazon says this novel is only 346 pages, I’m pretty sure it was closer to seven hundred, because y’all. Preacher on the Run read like an epic. And I don’t just mean length-wise (*glares at her own seven-hundred-page novel*). I mean, a novel about one man on a mission to save his family, friends, congregation, county, and country from the oppressing and unethical rule of not just the British government but the Church of England also (more specifically, one heartless and cruel individual that reminded me way too much of Colonel Tavington)?

Yep, definitely an epic.

And certainly worth the three months I spent reading it. (Because, yes, this story must be savored. Or else read all in one sitting.)

The story itself was never rushed or hastily thrown together—it was so well thought-out and developed, so even though it did seem to drag sometimes, it was never because a scene was useless or sloppy; rather, everything was so strong and smooth!

In fact, it quite amazed me how detailed and informative the story was while also being extremely immersive and engaging—exactly how historical fiction should be. It was the perfect balance of authentic, accurate history and fictionalization, and the way Baas wrote it was perfect. Not like textbook material or a drama, but realistically. Truthfully. A bit classically and a bit straightforwardly.

Her prose itself fit the story and the characters to a T; blunt and to-the-point but never threadbare or lacking. There was emotion, internal monologue, descriptions, and dialogue as there needed to be, but it never overshadowed the action and general narrative or took on a fanciful romantic slant. (Which is my favorite thing, but we all know it wouldn’t have worked for our hardened frontier preacher, now would it?) And what tied it all together was that even though Baas’ writing had a masculine flavor to it and was tailored to the story and the characters, it was so smooth. It had a musical, cinematic flow, with no info-dumps (praise God) or awkward moments.

Now, I know y’all are tired of hearing all about the technical mumbo-jumbo; y’all wanna know if I liked the story and the characters and if it fit my insanely strict requirements (as in, no stupidity, no woke ideals, and lots of Jesus).

First of all, I loved the story. It was exciting in a real way (let’s face it, Pirates of the Caribbean and The Avengers is not in the least bit realistic. Exciting, yes. Realistic, no), authentic and genuine, and so unique on top of that. Mainly because no one’s ever written about the Regulators (that I know of), and you certainly don’t hear about them every day.

And just because you don’t hear about something doesn’t mean it’s not intriguing. Google Samuel Nunez if you don’t believe me (fun fact, he’s an ancestor of mine, and he’s got a rather interesting story).

As for the characters… Y’all, Boothe was perfection. He was that strong male lead that wasn’t (1) obnoxious, (2) unnecessary, or (3) feminine. (Don’t tell me you ain’t read at least one story in which the guy just didn’t seem like a guy. Yes, yes, I know guys can be sensitive and emotional, and that’s all well and good, but I really don’t want to read about a whiny-butt boy when I already live with four of them. I’m sure you don’t either; hence why Boothe takes the cake for a genuine male lead who is calm, levelheaded, normal, necessary to the story, and masculine without being obsessively macho.) He was steady and strong, but from the heart and spirit rather than the body or mind, while also being emotional (in a non-whiny way, mind you) and human. Not to mention, he was admirable. He was a true hero, because even though he had his flaws and imperfections, he didn’t let them define him or let his own problems become main focus of the story.

And by “own problems,” I don’t mean being thrown in prison for preaching the pure, unadulterated Gospel. I mean his petty disagreements or strained relationships or sensitive pride. Those things weren’t the driving force of the story; the real and universal problem effecting everyone in the book (Colonel Drake, if you couldn’t guess) was.

I know that seems like a strange thing to pick out, but I’ve read many stories in which the “hero” or “heroine” became almost the villain of the story by making everything about them and their personal drama or by making decisions that put others at risk. That may be realistic or what the author intended, but it’s still annoying.

Moving on...Maggie was lovely, a perfect helpmate for Robert who actually contributed to the story and wasn’t obnoxious or aggravating. Saul, Elsie, Gunning, Hank...all the secondary and minor characters were so interesting and vibrant. I loved the entire cast!

Especially Alec. Seriously, he was awesome...even if I couldn’t help but think of my uncle Alec when book Alec would get ticked off at something. *grins* Plus, his story was just so heartbreaking. I need more of Alec! And Mitch was pretty epic too. I think, if Baas wanted, she could easily make the rest of this series about Alec and Mitch. I know I’d be satisfied!

As for our villains, Drake and Chauncey. In a way, Drake seemed almost too vile (like Tavington, for example), which is surprisingly possible. (I mean, Hitler was a dog person. Surely Drake had something unrelated to soul-deep evil in his life.) So he kind of took away from the realistic aspects of the story with his rogue actions and lack of weaknesses, whereas Chauncey was an antagonist I rather liked! He had much more depth and connection to the story than Drake did, I should think, and more character and arc. He had what I call proper motivation...and a wee bit of a moral compass too.

Lastly...the spiritual themes and faith elements. Y’all know when the story’s about a preacher that it’s gonna be jam-packed with biblical truths and Scripture and whatnot, right? Well, that hasn’t always been the case with some books, so naturally I was beyond pleased to see the strong faith presented in this book! Boothe’s beliefs were so real and present in his life, and I loved watching him walk out his faith and work out his salvation! Of course, the way he touched others not just in the capacity of pastor but as friend was beautiful.

What I liked the most was how sound the theology was and how biblical! I grew up Baptist, so I know a thing or two about what they believe now, but the Baptists of the 18th century were much different, and you can see how Boothe’s teachings reflect that...but more importantly, they reflected the Scripture and God. So whether you’re Baptist or Church of England yourself, I think you can understand and hopefully agree with Boothe’s views, because they’re all derived from the Bible. And that in and of itself is something that he emphasizes a lot, which y’all know I liked a lot, since most everyone these days is a bit like the Church of England was then. *sighs* We need a Boothe in this world, y’all.

Really the only thing I had a qualm with was the accents. I may be wrong, but the accents of that time and place were a cross between lower-class Irish and Cockney rather than today’s Southern accent. So the way Baas wrote them kept throwing me off of the era a bit. Of course, I knew it was set in the 1700s, but they all talked like cowboys or rednecks from the late 1800s. And believe you me, there’s a big difference between a Southerner in 1771, one in 1881, and one in 2021 (or ‘22, but y’all know I had to end in one for repetition’s sake).

So whether I’m wrong or not, I still didn’t get the feel of the Carolinian mountains in the 18th century from the way everyone spoke, which kept slapping a cowboy hat on Hank and some terbacker (and, yes, that’s how we pronounce tobacco down here) in Alec’s mouth.

Come to think of it, did men chew back then? I know cropping tobacco didn’t get popular in the Carolinas until much later, and not until the mid-1900s in Georgia, but would they’ve imported chewing tobacco? Was that even common in any region, or was snuff the go-to?

I’ll have to look that up.

Well, back to the task at hand now...Preacher on the Run was a rather exemplary historical novel following one man’s journey to save his loved ones and stand up for his beliefs against a rather Goliath-sized enemy. Of course, that’s not my typical go-to book, but I can’t ignore how well Baas swept me into this story and how every chapter had me coming back for more! Between the quality of her writing and the quality of the story, I think we have a winner here, folks! A story any history buff or escapist reader would enjoy!

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

Snag Your Copy About the Author

Jayna Baas (pronounced as in “baa, baa, black sheep”) lives in northern Michigan with a great family of real people and the family of pretend people who live in her head. (Yes, she does know her characters are not real. No, she does not want you to tell them she said so.) She is notorious for working on several projects at once and writing her series in the wrong order. She hones her craft amid loud southern gospel music and an embarrassing number of composition books, and is convinced God wired her to write—she can’t not write, even though she believes German writer Thomas Mann was correct in saying, “A writer is someone for whom writing is more difficult than for other people.” She enjoys writing and reading in a variety of genres, but her favorite story is this: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Learn more at www.booksbyjayna.com.

Yours in spirit and script, Grace

#bookreview #review #historicalfiction #christianfiction #revolutionarywar

New Release: Rise of the LivingWood by Kylie Beevers

We're doing something a little different today, folks! I'm sharing about a brand new children's book written by a friend of a friend, Kylie Beevers!

She's penned a lovely little book following the journey of a young fox...but, oh, don't let me bumble a summary! You can read about it below!

About the Book

Bramble is just your ordinary fox scrounging the forest floor with his Da, Mum, and kit brother before he is thrust snout first into the warrior life.For his whole life Bramble has known the LivingWood to be a safe, secure place. A place where he and his family live in peace with no threats. But one day Bramble encounters his Uncle, who he had no idea even existed, and now he’s got no choice but to trust his gut and blaze a trail into a battle he has to fight.

Wolves have besieged the borders. War seeks to devour them all.Will Bramble uphold his call? And what will it cost?

Before you head off to go check out Kylie's book, I recommend y'all moseyin' on over to her website and blog! You can learn more about her and read some glowing reviews for Rise of the LivingWood! Plus she's got some inspiring blog posts about life, God, and writing!

Do y'all still read children's books? (C'mon now, admit it. Even I like to skim through some of my old favorites!) Or do y'all have younger siblings, children, or nieces and nephews that you like to read to? What children's book will always be a beloved favorite of yours? (I have so many, but if I had to pick, it'd probably be Small Pig by Arnold Lobel! Oh, and Tell Me The Christmas Story by Joni Walker. And The Boxcar Children. And...y'know what? Never mind.)

Yours in spirit and script, Grace

#newrelease #indie #indieauthor #youngauthor #childrensfiction #fantasy

Good Enough

We live in a world that tells us all are equal, but why do I feel like I’m not good enough? Why do I feel worthless to a culture that has such low standards? Why is it that I’m told that I have to be stronger, have to work harder, have to know more to be valuable? Why is it that the culture is pushing this idea of a strong, capable woman with higher knowledge and power as if women aren’t already strong and capable? Why are women encouraged to be just like men in every respect?

Are women not good enough? Am I not enough as I am? Am I not valuable as I am?

Is this sexism I smell? Is this prejudice and discrimination against me because I was born female? Is this a culture of social inequality that’s telling me I need to have a job and an education to contribute to society? Because I know a hundred years ago, the culture wouldn’t pressure me to get three different degrees and have a job that pays a million dollars a year. The world a hundred years ago wouldn’t tell me that I had to be just like a man, that I need to be stronger and more powerful.

A hundred years ago, women were valued for women. For who they were, not what they could or should be. They were good enough.

In my generation, the female role models we have are ones who worked their behinds off to get into a man’s position before they were ever noticed or valued...and the ones who sold their bodies and lives to gain fame and fortune.

In my generation, the mothers we look up to are ones who have college degrees, jobs, and a steady paycheck.

In my generation, girls are told that being a woman sucks, that your period is annoying and painful, a reminder of the antiquated idea of—gag—childbearing. You aren’t worth your salt unless you’re working, making money, reaching goals. You can’t achieve anything or be successful or make a difference unless you’re just like a man. You have to alter every aspect of you who are to be valuable—your dreams, your religion, your skin color, your social status. You have to keep striving, keep working, keep running.

Women these days are treated like their body is good for nothing but passing around to whomever wants a moment of pleasure, that reproductive organs aren’t needed for anything but sex—who said anything about kids? Women aren’t respected; rather, they’re tossed around just like men. Women aren’t valued; instead, they’re twisted and warped to fit a specific mold.

But women were given periods and uteruses and eggs for a reason. Women were given emotions and sensibilities for a reason. Women were born a certain way—into a certain family and way of life, with a certain skin color and appearance, with a special purpose and destiny—for a reason.

Are you telling me that I was born wrong? That if I come just as I am, I’m not enough? That I can’t achieve anything on my own, with my God-given strength and wisdom? That I can’t make a difference or contribute by being kind, by showing respect to my elders and authorities, by spreading love and hope, by loving my husband and children?

Are you telling me that loving is wrong? That if I want to marry a man and show him my love and respect for him, I’m being weak? That if I want to have children and raise them to be kindhearted, God-fearing individuals who know their worth, I’m throwing my life away?

We have an entire day set aside just for the celebration of women as they were created to be—mothers. Eve was called the mother of all living, and was designed so that humankind could propagate. Our culture tells me that’s sexist, that Eve was just bending to the will of a man...but a wise person once said that the hand who rocks the cradle rules the world. Millions of wise people have said that their mother was everything to them; that she was the best person they knew; that she shaped them into better people; that she was the strongest and smartest woman even though she was 4’11, never had a job, and never graduated high school.

Am I saying that women are just child-baking ovens? No, I’m saying that creating and carrying and delivering a human life is the most amazing, awe-inspired, jaw-dropping thing I’ve ever heard of. That I know of no greater honor on this earth than to be able to bear a child.

Am I saying that women who do have jobs and educations aren’t women? No, I’m saying that a culture that tells them they have to have a career and an education to be a valuable member of society isn’t feminist and certainly isn’t pro-women.

Am I saying that women can’t dream beyond their circumstances and aspire to become something greater? No, I’m saying that those dreams shouldn’t define your worth; that you’re valuable even if you’re the poorest person on the planet and have the worst homelife ever; that you should have dreams not out of discontentment or pride but out of a desire to do good, walk in love, and further the Kingdom of God.

I’m simply saying that, despite what this world tells me, I am good enough. I’m beyond good enough, because I was created exactly as God wanted me to be—in His image. And God is the most loving, most sacrificial, most creative, most holy, most powerful, most strong, most amazing Being in the enter universe...and He made me to reflect all His attributes, to be loving as He is loving, sacrificial as He is, creative as He is, holy as He is, powerful as He is, strong as He is, amazing as He is.

I’m saying that I want to be a wife and mother, not because I think I “have to” or I’m being forced to, but because it’s so beautiful. Being a wife...loving a man and being loved by him in return, being his chosen one, his only one, living with him as his partner and lover and helpmate...is such a beautiful thing. To think, I can enrich his life, I can love him as God loves us, I can help him through his struggles, I can come alongside him in his endeavors, I can remind him of God’s blessings and grace. And being a mother? What can I say? My mind cannot even comprehend the fact that God can take the most painful parts of womanhood—menstrual cramps, back pain from carrying a ten-pound person inside you, hours upon hours of hard labor—and create life from them. Not just life, as a flower is alive, but another person, another soul, another reflection of His greatness.

My body is the house of Lord knows how many people, people who will change lives, work miracles, change the world. Whether you believe in God or not, I know you can agree that a woman’s body and the ability to have children is a wonderful thing. Just imagine if the mother of the doctor who saved your loved one’s life hadn’t had her baby, or if your best friend’s mother never had them, or if that person who made your day brighter had never been born.

Not only that, but God has given women a heart for children, for other people. Not just our own children, but other women’s as well. God has equipped us with the tenderness and the love and the patience (if you don’t think you have it, start asking God for it and walking in the fruit of the Spirit) needed to raise children, whether biological or adopted, and to touch the hearts of everyone we come in contact with.

It sounds like I have everything I need, that I can make a difference in people’s lives and in this world just by knowing my worth as a woman.

You, my sister, have everything you need. You have worth. You are valuable. You are good enough. You are worthy of respect and honor, just because you’re a woman. Isn’t that something? People often see other cultures’ treatment of women, whether that’s covering their head or holding the door open for them, as sexism or mistreatment...but it’s honor. It’s respect. It’s out of love for women and a desire to help them (not saying we’re helpless, but if we’re to help men, oughtn’t they help us? That’s equality, isn’t it?) that they treat them like that.

And even though our culture wants to scorn you—scorn us—and tell us we need to be different, “better,” in fact, I want to you know that you’re worthy of respect. You’re worthy of love. And you need to be told more often—I know you do—that you are enough, that you are good, and that you are beautiful. You’re strong and intelligent and important and full of purpose, just because you’re a woman, on top of every other aspect of yourself!

So whenever you think you’re the only woman who wants to be a wife and mother above being like a man, you’re not alone. I’ve wanted that all my life, not just because God has called me to it, but because it’s the most glorious calling I can personally imagine.

So whenever you need to be reminded of your worth, remember that God said His creation (that would be you, sister) was good; remember that God chose a girl (multiple women, actually, throughout the course of time) to bring His salvation into this world; and remember that God gave you an amazing destiny.

So whenever you want to curse your period or take birth control, remember that your period is there for a reason. Remember that your period is a symbol of your amazing capabilities—capabilities that men don’t have—and that God creates life within your body.

So whenever you want to give yourself up, lose your virginity, or sleep with someone who ain’t your husband (or forget it all and become a nun), remember that YOU ARE WORTH MORE. YOU ARE WORTH A LIFE AND DEATH COMMITMENT, WOMAN. You are worth the most beautiful and tender loving ever. You are worth respect and honor. You are worth a man who puts you above his own needs, who chooses you above every other woman, who waited just for you. You are worth a man who loves you more than life itself and would give you the world if he could. You are worth a man who would dedicate his entire earthly existence to you, who would vow to love you no matter what, to give you all his worldly goods, and to worship you with his body. You are loved by God Most High, and no man’s love can come close to that, so you wait until you find a man who loves you through Christ and with His love. Your virginity is a precious gift, so don’t “lose” it; give it to the man who stood before you and vowed before God and man to choose you and only you until the day he died. You’re worth that. Your virginity and your body is worth that.

So whenever someone—your parents, your friends, your teachers, somebody on social media or the news—tells you that being a woman isn’t good enough, that you’ve got to try for something bigger and better, you just smile to yourself and keep on doin’ your thing, girl, because you are good enough. You are valuable. You are a woman, for crying out loud, and that is a blessing from God. You are the one who was needed on this earth and created to fill that need, to make all God’s creation worth it. Don’t forget it. Don’t you dare forget it, sister.

God loves you, girl, and I love you too.

Yours in spirit and script, Grace

Review: Unknown by Vanessa Hall

Stars: 4.5

Synopsis: Returning to his childhood home of Russia should’ve been a time of joy, reunion, and happy memories for Gabriel Kelly. Should’ve been...but for the fact that he’d returned to bury his parents. As the days pass, the shadowy circumstances surrounding the deaths of his missionary parents pull Gabe in along with all those around him, drawing them into a world of danger they’re wholly unprepared for.

Man, I am ashamed of myself. I finished this back in August and I’m just now reviewing it in February. (Please don’t kill me, Vanessa. I didn’t mean to, honest.) Fortunately, that means if I had any qualms with this book, I can’t remember them beyond what I jotted down in my journal...and basically everything I jotted down was positive.

I reckon that just goes to show how good of a novel Unknown is.

When I first heard that this was a romantic suspense about ballerinas in Russia and the mob, I could have squealed. Already, Unknown was destined for greatness in my mind. And, boy, lemme tell ya...the ballet aspect was so beautiful. Russia was, as you can imagine, so lovely, and I quite honestly want many more Russian-set novels. And the mob. Y’all who know me well know I love anything even remotely mafia-related.

The entire premise was so engaging and unique—I didn’t want to put this down, and I know I’ll never find another story quite like it. And Hall pulled it all of so well! The action and suspense was so fast-paced and had me gripping the edge of my seat, and the way she paced everything was, well, en pointe! *winks* (I had to throw in a ballet pun. I just had to.) What was especially good was that the plot seemed so realistic and authentic. For example, she didn’t make Gabe a trained special forces officer and give Sophie a nursing license so that they could handle everything thrown at them perfectly—nope, Gabe and Sophie were completely normal people who handled the situations in a normal and realistic manner as pertained to their characters rather than the plot.

I loved that. I love it when I can pick up a suspense and feel genuinely immersed in the story, as if I myself am the one on the run for my life. When the story is about a cop or EMT or some unheard of trained professional something, I simply can’t get into the story. The characters know it all, have all these fancy terms, and do everything according to the playbook instead of coming to life like their own individual people—like real cops, EMTs, and trained professionals are.

So, yes, making the hero a would-be American missionary and the heroine an orphaned ballerina was a smart decision on Hall’s part...not only in regards to the plot, but to the characters themselves.

Gabe, for one, was precious. He was sweet and tender to a fault, but in an authentic way, and I loved how Hall portrayed him. Same goes for Sophie—she was so unique and interesting. Together, they made a rather smashing pair. I’ll admit, the romance was subtle and took second fiddle to the suspense, but not in a way that lacked development or made that subplot (and the characters) fall flat. Nope, there was hot air in both balloons, baby. (Don’t...don’t ask me what that means. I just made it up because…well, just because.)

Of course, the faith elements were *chef’s kiss* absolutely lovely! Both Gabe and Sophie had definable arcs—Gabe in accepting Christ’s call to missions and Sophie to repentance—and their respective journeys were so real and inspiring. You gotta love a story that doesn’t leave out accurately portraying the Christian walk and salvation in Christ!

I’ll be honest, there were a few Calvinist views presented that I didn’t agree with (I’m not a Calvinist...but I’m not Arminian either...long story), and it really bothered me how Hall seemed to totally disregard the Orthodox Christians in Russia. I know Orthodox Christians aren’t Baptists and they don’t do everything just so according to the Southern Baptist’s Guide to True Christianity (please note, not a real guide), but there are Orthodox Christians in Russia who truly believe in God and follow Christ. So even though I totally understand and admire Gabe for standing up for what he’d been taught and for spreading his beliefs, I do think his Russian brothers and sisters could’ve been acknowledged, even in just some small way.

Other than that, have I any qualms? No, no I do not. The story itself was absolutely amazing, which such a vibrancy and flavor that most romantic suspense lack, and such a presence of God that was so touching.

Oh, and have I mentioned yet that Vanessa Hall is a fabulous writer?

Well, she is.

Funnily enough, I can see a similarity between her prose and her sister Kristina Hall’s, and when I started this, I kind of expected the similarity to be stronger (I don’t know why...I guess because they’re sisters and critique partners), but Vanessa’s writing certainly has its own style. (To be honest, you can tell through her blog posts and even her emails how her writing voice differs from her sister’s.) They’re both straightforward and uncomplicated in the way they write, with a decided balance between narrative and dialogue, action and emotion, but Vanessa’s prose has a more descriptive flair to it that fit the characters and the themes rather well, if you ask me!

Technically speaking, not a typo in sight! Gotta love a clean, high quality self-published novel, am I right?

I’m right.

Long story short, romance lovers, suspense cravers, contemporary readers...all of ya, y’all come and read Vanessa Hall’s Unknown! Her debut novel is an epic adventure that caters to almost anyone’s tastes, with a perfect blend of action and romance, a heaping tablespoon of faith and love, and a dash of hope that makes for a lovely read! I dunno ‘bout y’all, but I can’t wait for the sequel, Unworthy!

(Oh, and the next time I procrastinate writing a review, could someone please remind me that these things are literally only a thousand words long and only take me about thirty minutes to an hour to write? Thank you.)

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

Snag Your Copy About the Author

Vanessa Hall is an author, musician, and homeschool graduate. Most days, she is reading, writing, or practicing the violin—or trying to find time for all three pursuits. Currently, she is working toward gaining a degree in instrumental music education. Unknown is her debut novel. Above all, she is a sinner saved and held fast by the abounding grace of Jesus Christ.

#indie #review #bookreview #christianfiction #contemporaryfiction #romance #suspense #romanticsuspense #ballet #russia #mafia

Yours in spirit and script, Grace

Welcome to February!

Dudes. We’re a month into 2022 already. No stinkin’ way.

I feel like I missed a ton of stuff, since I didn’t do a monthly wrapup/goals post in January, so I’ll try and sum up a few things in this one. I’ll end up addressing my yearly goals rather than monthly ones because I kinda didn’t have any for January.

Except for survive. And finish Bound and Determined.

I did manage the first, surprisingly, but the second I’m pushing back. Again. But only until the end of this month.

ANYWAY. Enough jibber-jabber. On to the updates...

What I Did Last Month

Y’all, I actually crossed one of my five yearly goals off my list within the first month of the year! Whoop whoop! To recap, these are my goals for 2022 as a whole:

Publish Bound and Determined. Get my driver’s license. Get my TCC in small business marketing management. Release my first issue in Sky’s the Limit Literary Journal. Launch S&J Editors

No, the goal I met wasn’t publishing Bound and Determined. Gosh, I haven’t even finished it yet, like I’d planned to do in December. Of 2020.

That said, I made a significant amount of progress that I’ll share with y’all in a minute.

First, allow me to introduce y’all to…

S&J Editors!

Yes, my friends and fellow writers, I am officially an editor, alongside my friend E. K. Seaver, so if you’re interested in developmental, line edits, or proofreads for your novel, short story, or nonfiction project, come check out out!

I’m also thiiiiiiis close to releasing the aforementioned journal, which is my main goal for this month. More on that later, though. *winks *

I also wrote and posted a devotion every. single. day. on Facebook, which is quite honestly a consistent commitment I hadn’t expected to uphold. The devotions, although short and simple and really nothing more than commentary on a passage of Scripture, went over really well, actually, and I had multiple people ask me if I planned on publishing them in a book. So I am. Eventually.

Finally, I participated in Kellyn Roth’s Beyond Her Calling blog tour; interviewed one of my favorite authors, Laura Frantz; and wrote a handful of reviews (I am still insanely backlogged, though, so Lord willing and the creek don’t rise, I’ll catch up some this month).

So far, nothing on podcasting or bookstagramming yet, but I have made the decision to start a YouTube channel very soon...I just need to actually make the videos. In the meantime, I’ve started research on my special project (pst, it’s a nonfiction!) and it’s going much better than expected!

I still have work to do on Book Nations (my Christian writing blog) and on this here blog as well, and I’ll now be juggling both blogs with a Facebook group I created called The Christian Creative Coterie. All my writers and editors and designers and artists out there...y’all might wanna check it out!

This Month’s Goals

Well, y’all all know my main goal is finishing BAD. Fortunately, I think I can finally say that’s an attainable goal...and I’ll explain why in the progress section. A very attainable goal, since I wrote about 13k last month and am now on the glorious Chapter 63. Which means I PASSED THE 200K MARK. I LITERALLY PASSED IT. This novel is officially an epic and I have no idea what I’m going to do with it...or myself once I finish it.

I literally only have, like, a couple chapters left...assuming my characters don’t decide to get lost or shot at or arrested or drown all of a sudden when I’m trying to write them a happily ever after. (Spoiler alert: that will never happen. Because I’m not giving them a happily ever after. MWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!)

Anyway. Moving on.

Next goal? Release Sky’s the Limit Press and The Journal. Oh, and write a blog post explaining what that is. *winks* Suffice it to say that I think y’all will be very excited. Especially those of y’all who have been craving another short story contest…

Other than that, I’m not putting anything else on me, except for wrapping up this semester’s eight-week course. And writing a poem a day based on a Bible verse! And, maybe, putting together that devotional I mentioned.

Monthly Progress

Thanks to Star Wars (long story, but instead of watching the three two-hour long prequel films per my brother’s begging, I got an early start writing), I wrote about 13k last month and am now on the glorious Chapter 63. Which means I PASSED THE 200K MARK. I LITERALLY PASSED IT. This novel is officially an epic and I have no idea what I’m going to do with it...or myself once I finish it.

Aside from edit it to death, of course.

Reading Highlights

I don’t know how, but I read like only two books last month. Okay, okay, five. But considering I typically read twice that many, that seems like barely anything at all.

So, naturally, I’m only going to pick three favorites from this month. *winks *

A Heart Adrift by Laura Frantz. Everything this woman writes is g o r g e o u s and just so perfect. Her latest novel included, and you can find out why in my review! Beyond Her Calling by Kellyn Roth. Of course, it’s another Alice and Ivy novel. How could I not love it? Exactly, and you can read more gushing in—you guessed it—my review! Reviving the Commander by Nadine C. Keels. When I heard that this was a “mature” romance, I jumped at the change to read it! And by mature, I mean with a middle-aged hero and heroine! I love stories about older heroines and heroes (especially heroes *swoons*), but only when they’re well-done and authentic. Suffice it to say that this classically-written inspirational fantasy was beautifully executed! I loved it!Top Posts

Most of my posts last month were for the Beyond Her Calling blog tour, so as you can imagine, the two most popular posts were Kellyn’s guest post (which is amazing. You must read it) and my review of the novel!

Guest Post: Why Christian Fiction CAN End with a Kiss by Kellyn Roth Review: Beyond Her Calling by Kellyn Roth Introducing...S&J Editors!

Whew. It’s over. We made it through January and all the busyness thereof. So now I must ask...how was your new year? How was your January? Did you complete all your goals for January? What about February? What are your plans?

While we’re at it...how’s your writing (or other creative project) going? Read any good books lately? Let me know in the comments!

Y’all have a fantabulous Valentine’s Day! May you grow more in love with Jesus this February and show His love to every you come in contact with!

Yours in spirit and script, Grace

#monthlyupdates #goals #wrapup #welcometofebruary #progress #readinghighlights #topposts #writing #reading #generaldoingofstuff

Cover Reveal: Deceived by Madisyn Carlin

Woowee, y'all! January is the month for cover reveals, lemme tell ya! I've done four on my Facebook, and now it's time for cover reveal on the blog!

Y'all know I'm not too keen on suspenseful scrolling, so if y'all will just give me a nice, steady drum roll, I'll introduce you to Madisyn Carlin's debut novel Deceived and its lovely cover!

*drum rolls*

*drum continues rolling*

*drum rolls for another fifteen minutes...

...while I make you scroll*

#sorrynotsorry

Hey, before I show y'all the cover, allow me to direct you to the designer, Lynnette Bonner! She herself is a Christian novelist who designs covers tailored to other indie Christian fiction!! Y'all be sure an check her out!

*drum stops* *silences ensues* *a cricket chirps in the background*

It...is time. The cover is here... Let me know what y'all think in the comments! And don't forget to preorder your Kindle copy in time for the release in April of this year!

About the Book

In a land built upon lies and deception, uncovering the truth can be deadly.Therese Westa is sick of death, but taking lives is what provides for her younger sisters. When a client approaches her with an unusual request, Therese takes the job offer, which includes the condition of “no questions asked”. As Therese uncovers the reason for the request, she is faced with a choice: kill an innocent man or save her sisters.Therese’s hesitation to carry out the assassination thrusts her into the aftermath of a dangerous chain of events. Caught between security and truth, Therese must choose where her loyalties lie, for the answer will determine who survives.

Snag Your Copy About the Author

Madisyn Carlin is a Christian, homeschool graduate, blogger, voracious bookdragon, and author. When not spending time with her family or trekking through the mountains, she weaves tales of redemption, faith, and action.

Connect with her on her blog, Pinterest, Goodreads, and on Instagram (her handle is madisyn_carlin)!

#coverreveal #indie #debutnovel #debutauthor #comingsoon #newrelease #fantasy

Yours in spirit and script, Grace