Grace A. Johnson's Blog: Of Blades & Thorns, page 47

Bound and Determined Sneak Peek #4

I don't know about y'all, but I love sneak peeks! I love getting a behind-the-scene glimpse at a book, especially before it releases! I really love sharing sneak peeks! I hope I've gotten you guys hyped up for Bound and Determined, because I'm getting closer and closer to my end goal!

Now, I know I promised y'all a romantic sneak peek, but even though I've finally made it to my first real kiss scene in Bound and Determined, I'm not yet ready to share it. I'm not ready to share any of the action or drama or suspense yet either.

Why?

Well, because I've been getting a lot of spiritual revelation whilst writing this novel, and that is certainly the most important thing to share!

Back in August, I shared a little bit of Xavier's revelation and Rina's sermonizing, while I shared a deleted scene in November. For the new year, we're kicking things off with a bang! I was actually in the middle of writing an emotional and romantic scene when something jumped out at me--and, what do you know, it was the answer to all of my questions!

Just like my characters, I've struggled with the whys and the hows during the writing of this. Keaton and Daisy have a lot of complications, and they're certainly not black and white. I know what point I want made with this novel, but I didn't know how I was going to make it until recently.

Without spoiling anything, I just want to share a few paragraphs that just...came to me. In my experience, it's the work of the Holy Spirit, and I'm gonna go ahead and say that it was--is--God and only God that has brought me this far and helped me with all the controversial and problematical issues I'm discussing in Bound and Determined.

Firstly, a little bit of backstory. We all know Keaton's story--he lost his little sister and his parents, all within a year, and then was sent to live with his uncle on board Rina's ship. Keaton grew up in the church, was saved at an early age, and possessed a deep, abiding faith in Christ that could only be shaken by the sudden loss of his family--and the guilt he assumed for it.

As for Daisy? Well, I can't spoil her story, but suffice it to say, she has been through a lot. Both her and Keaton are born-again Christians. Sure, they don't always act like it, but they very much are Christians. However, circumstances have brought them both to such a low point that they aren't even sure they deserve their salvation. Some sin they have willingly committed, others they have not. Either way, they see themselves as too far gone. Lost. Too sinful for even grace to save.

And, when you consider just how acceptive they've been of some of that sin, it's kind of hard to believe that they aren't. So that's where I'm at. Where sin runs deep. (Please note that the excerpt below has yet to be edited.)

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She looked up at me, eyes bespeaking her torment as a rush of green overtook the blue and streaks of gold shot to the center of her irises. “I-I don’t know, Keaton. So much has been said, and I…I don’t know what to believe anymore. If…I believe.”

“Don’t or won’t? Because it sounds to me like you’ve stopped looking as well.”

In one way, I was the consummate expert concerning the subject of disbelief. In another, I was the absolute worst person she could be talking with. I had been here before. I was here. The uncertainty, the doubt, the wondering. It was detrimental, really. I had so readily accepted it because I’d thought it right—that after losing all that I had by mine own hand, I was no longer deserving of faith. I was too dirty a man to believe in a God so holy or a love so pure. It was false. Rina was proof. She had chosen to believe what I refused to: There are no limits to grace.

Finding that faith again, finding one’s footing whilst walking upon water, was no easy task. Not when sin ran deep. Not when it was easier to succumb to the emptiness. Not when the odds seemed insurmountable.

That was as far as I went. I was lost in limbo, stuck in between faith and fantasy. I wanted to believe again. I just…didn’t know how. I didn’t know why I’d stopped in the first place, or even if I truly had. It had seemed like giving up was my only choice, that there was no choice.

But there always was. It was simply making the right one when all one could see was the wrong.

I couldn’t give her the advice she wanted. If only she would open up to Rina, I knew she could. She had been there. In that place where belief and doubt warred violently. Where one chose the wrong and still kept on. How could one? the righteous asked, shaming the fallen. Grace had a price, they claimed, and sin and grace could not coexist. But oftentimes we mistook that price for what we thought was right. Oftentimes we cheapened our grace by relying too heavily upon it, as though it were the clearance that allowed us our way.

It wasn’t. Any good man knew that. Luther had said so over a century before, redefining whole nations by his revolutionary teachings. But it wasn’t until one was placed there in the midst of uncontrollable evil that the concept was manifest.

Grace was for tomorrow. Not for today. Not for yesterday. It was the second chance one had yet to take.

One could not apply grace to what had already happened. Mercy took over then, wiping clean the slate of every repentant heart. Grace, on the other hand, was the clearance that allowed us our way out.

With faith came repentance, and with repentance mercy, and with mercy grace. With grace, freedom.

I was not the one to tell her, though. I’d exhibited enough signs of hypocrisy within the last few days, and it was up to me to realize these things for myself before I extolled them to others.

That didn’t mean, however, that we couldn’t change together.

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Grace is for tomorrow. It is the second chance one has yet to take.

That's really inspiring, isn't it? Grace is a gift, and no one receives gifts after the occasion, right? Gifts are usually used at the moment they're given or later on. Mercy is what is applied to our past sins, wiping our slate clean. But grace? Grace is our way out, our second, third, or one hundredth chance.

Even I was unsure how my characters could continue falling into the same sin. But then I realized: it wasn't because they used grace as an excuse to keep sinning; it was because they hadn't accepted grace to begin with.

Talk about revelation! I have learned so much writing Bound and Determined, and I'm not even finished yet!

Speaking of finished, I'm sure y'all are looking for a progress report! If you'd like monthly updates on my word count, you can subscribe to my newsletter! So far, I'm on Chapter 36, in the middle of all of the climaxes--romantic, emotional, and suspenseful. That puts me at nearly 120,000 words, super close to my goal of 160k.

I don't know if BAD will end up being that long or longer, so I can't be certain if I'll be done by the end of March, but I should have 160,000 words written by then! Even now, this is already my longest project ever, with me having worked faithfully on it for nine months. My past novels have been written from start to finish in six months. I started work on BAD in December of 2019; however, I didn't start writing constantly until last March.

Anyway, I hope y'all enjoyed taking a peek into Bound and Determined with me! I promise you that my next sneak peek will be either romantic or way too suspenseful! Y'all have a wonderful week!

Favorite Books of 2020

It’s taken me a while to get this post out, but here it is! My all-time favorite books from last year! It may be a little different than last time, because my reading wasn’t at all like it usually is. I read some books for review, read a few nonfiction and classics (which I, surprisingly, hardly ever do), bought a lot of books I still haven’t read yet, and read a TON on my Kindle! A couple books also got lost in between year transitions—one I read after I wrote my 2019 post, and then one I read in the very last days of December. I’ll be adding both into the 2020 mix, however.

The biggest reading experience I had in 2020 was discovering Julie Lessman. When COVID struck the libraries, I turned to free eBooks to read on my Kindle—and one of those just happened to be Julie Lessman’s A Glimmer of Hope. You can read all about my “discovery” here! I could easily add all of her books to my list today, but I’m going to stick with just my two favorites of hers. They happened to be tied for first place!

(Click on the book titles to view my review of the book!)

#1 A Hope Undaunted and A Passion Redeemed by Julie Lessman. I’ve finally found my niche! Not only is Julie a fabulous person and just an all-around great author, she also caters directly to me! Her stories are so full of life and love, drama and passion, and—most of all—God! Every time I pick up a book now, I know it could never compare to anything by Julie Lessman! I devour her books, and rightly so, because they are everything that I want in fiction! These two especially include some of the most passionate kisses, the most adorable heroes, and the greatest portrayal of true romance! I just melt every time I think about Mitch and Luke!

#2 On Wings of Devotion by Roseanna M. White. This one was *technically* read at the very, very, very beginning of 2020 (or else the very end of 2019; I’m not sure), but I knew even then that it was going to be one of the best reads of 2020! On Wings of Devotion is quite possibly the best book White has ever written (or at least with A Lady Unrivaled and A Soft Breath of Wind). Camden is definitely my favorite hero of hers, and I really enjoyed reading Ara, who was all things good and beautiful without being a cliched “perfect” heroine.

#3 The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Technically, I started reading this book sometime in October or December of 2019 and didn’t finish it until just a month ago. It’s not a book you can just fly through—it’s deep and thought-provoking, certainly one of the greatest theological works of all time. I’m so glad that my dad recommended The Cost of Discipleship to me, because it really edified my spirit and helped me put a lot of the Bible into perspective. I would say that everyone—Christians and non-Christians alike—need to read this book!

#4Shadow Road and Shadow Dance by A.E. Pennymaker. This was new for me, without a doubt. I never read indie and I haven’t read fantasy since Sara Ella’s Unblemished series last year and before that it’s been about three to five years. That being said, I very much enjoyed this debut author’s steam/seapunk novels—way more than I’d expected! I’m on pins and needles waiting for the third book!

#5 The Convenient Marriage by Georgette Heyer. I’ve been wanting to read Heyer for several months now, especially after all the amazing things I’ve heard about her. Even though I own a few of her mysteries (and Devil’s Cub; I want These Old Shades before I read that one, though), I’d never actually set down and read one of her books until I found The Convenient Marriage at a local antique store. I’d been banned from my computer (ha ha), so I got started on this 400-some page novel and was immediately sucked in! It’s definitely out of my comfort zone (I don’t read a lot of 20th or 19th century fiction, minus Eugenia Price), but I laughed out loud the whole time! (Didn’t expect that from a “staid” Georgian romance!)

#6 Hadassah: One Night with the King by Tommy Tenney. I’ve loved this movie for years, and they always say that the book is better than the movie. I agree, apart from Gone with the Wind, of course, because Tommy Tenney’s version of the Book of Esther was exquisite! I absolutely adored his depict of Hadassah and his lyrical prose!

I’m actually ending my list right here with some honorable mentions:

True to You by Becky Wade, Persuasion by Jane Austen, and The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie. With these books (a classic romance, a Christie mystery, and a contemporary romance), I stepped out of my comfort zone and was actually glad I did! I’m not quite an Austen girl yet, but I can say I’ve read my share of classics, so I’m very pleased with that! As for True to You, it was surprisingly good—and I haven’t liked Becky Wade in the past.

Of course, everything by Julie Lessman is fabulous, and I really enjoyed reading Roseanna M. White’s Dreams of Savannahat the very end of 2020!

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So, in addition, I’ve got a few goodies and announcements for y’all!

First, my cover of Prisoner at Heart has made it into Round 2 of AllAuthor’s Cover of the Month contest, so y’all keep on voting! Click here to vote!

Second, I have sixteen copies of Prisoner at Heart available for a FREE download! Download your copy here!

Third, some of my favorites authors are hosting a giveaway over the next few days, and YOU have a chance to enter! Just click here to enter to win Sarah Sundin’s When Twilight Breaks, Laura Frantz’s The Tidewater Bride, and Tara Johnson’s All Through the Night! These are some amazing authors, so don’t pass up this opportunity, okay?

Also, I want your feedback on a few things, so PLEASE leave a comment or drop me a line in the contact section on the homepage. What do y’all think of another Daughters of the Seven Seas short story? I have a lapse of time in between Prisoner at Heart and Bound and Determined that I want to fill, and then another gap between BAD and Book 4. Do any of y’all have any comments or suggestions? Would y’all like to see another short story (or two)? Is there anything that you’d like to see happen in the lives of Rina and her friends and family? Don’t hesitate to let me know, guys!

PLUS, would you all like to see character/story collages? I’m not the greatest designer, but I’m trying to get some fun aesthetics together, so y’all let me know if you’d like to see my sorry amateur attempts at designing! If y’all do, I’ll post a few in the coming days!

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Well, that’s all for now! Give me your feedback and votes, and don’t forget to keep reading! I’d love to hear what your favorite books were this past year!

#WritingCommunity Blog Award Tag

I am super excited about this post! I was gracious tagged by Jenna Terese @ Jenna Terese -- YA Speculative Fiction Author. The gist of this tag is to answer questions about your experiences as a writer and writing blogger (which I have just become, thanks to my Writer's Advice Column!), then to tag some of your favorite writing blogs/bloggers!

So here we go!

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The Rules

Display the award logo on your site. (Check!) Link back to the person who tagged you. (Here’s Jenna's post !) Answer the 5 questions. Tag 3 blogs (must be blogs related to writing, not book review blogs) and ask them 5 new questions. Follow as many blogs with this award as you can!

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The Questions

#1 Why do you like to write?

Wow. I honestly don't know how to answer this question! I know why I write--but why do I like to? Why do I stick with it after scraping hundreds of stories, bemoaning my subpar writing, nitpicking at every word I type? Why do I keep on after feeling defeated, discouraged, and totally unfit to undertake such a task? Why do I bother when I have a million other things I could be doing? (Believe it or not, I was going to pursue careers in acting, ballet, fashion designing, photography, and baking before the writing gig came along.) Why am I so consumed by the lyrical cadence of sentences flowing into paragraphs, words morphing into lives, scenes dancing across empty pages?

In the natural, I like writing because, despite all the heartache, work, and disappointment, it's fun. It doesn't really take the blood and sweat dance does--although, believe me, there are plenty of tears. It's something that can be waded into carefully or dove into with full abandon. It's for everyone, really. The fantasy lovers and the romantics. The detailed historians and the carefree contemporaries. It's creation. It's life. Writing is a wellspring that refreshes me, so I keep coming back.

Which brings me to the spiritual. I like to write because God wrote me. He wrote my life, my story, every nuance of my personality, my body, my future. I like to write because (1) it's a connection to the Author of the Cosmos and (2) because it's a way for me to witness to people all across the world! I like to write because He instilled a love and a passion for it within me, and I couldn't get rid of that gift even if I tried!

#2 What’s your favorite writing topic to blog about?

Hmm... Since I just started my advice column in December, I haven't really blogged about much. (I still consider myself qualified for this tag, thank you very much.) I really like talking about POV, voice, and writing styles. I love getting deep into my characters' heads and hearts, and so I LOVE talking about different ways to do that. My next Ask Ann-Marguerite™ post will be about POVs, so that's going to be a ton of fun. Apart from my advice column, I do a lot of ranting about voice and POVs within the writing community--particularly on Kingdom Pen, the best writer's forum out there!

I also hope to get in a few posts about my most favorite subject ever--romance! I love encouraging writers to accurately write fabulous romances, whether as a subplot or as the story itself.

#3 What topics/issues/people do you want to bring awareness about through your stories?

Oh, my word--there are so many! I want to write about the truth behind the Civil War and the antebellum South--but that's because I'm opinionated. I want to write romances that show people that there's more to love than just hugs and kisses. I want to write simply to show that books are more than "make-believe" or "fairytales"--they're glimpses of reality we might never see otherwise.

But the topic? The one above all others?

Well, that's Jesus.

Not only to I want to write stories that lead people to Christ, I want to write stories that bring Christians to a deeper awareness of who God is, what His love looks like, what the church should be, and how He sees things like depression, suicide, mental illness, rape, abortion, prostitution, etc. It's difficult to tackle the philosophical, the theological, and the physical--the ideas we wrestle with, the truth in God's Word and His nature, and the seemingly "natural" things around us--but I'm trying. In Bound and Determined, for example, I'm taking a look at what faith really is, what it means to be a Christian, and how grace works. I'm learning a lot and receiving a lot of revelation, because I don't have all the answers.

I also want to make the spiritual real. We're entering an era where we are going to really see God's hand moving--and the devil's as well. We need to understand that we have power and dominion over the world and the works of the enemy. We need to be aware of the spiritual realm around us. So I'm introducing this into my stories. In Prisoner at Heart, miracles happen, demons are cast out, and visions are beheld. Bound and Determined will be more theological, I think, but I'm not skimping on the spiritual. It's out there. God is out there, and He is very much real.

#4 What’s your favorite genre to write and why?

I'll be honest here. I don't know. I adore historical fiction, but there are times when I really want to write fantasy. I have a few ideas, and I've been trying out a few of them for years, so we'll see. I'm actually a fantasy/speculative and mystery reader--at least, that's how I started out. I still have some of that in me, but right now I'm focusing on historical. I think I love them both equally, but historical is *surprisingly* easier for me to write.

I also want to try my hand at mysteries one day--but there will always be romance. No matter what I write, there will always be romance. Maybe not as strong as it is in my stories now, but there will be romance. And God. Always God.

So, yeah, my favorite genre is probably romance. Not YA or contemporary, though. Only well-balanced, action-packed, suspenseful, intriguing romance. That being said, I do have a few Georgette Heyer and Jane Austen style stories for the future...

#5 How do you want to impact people through your blog?

First of all, I don't see my advice column hanging around for long. Eventually, I'd like to create a separate site just for Ask Ann-Marguerite™, and I'd like to see that branching off into editorial/beta services and guide books.

As for personal impact, I'd like to encourage writers, young and old, to go for it! I know from experience that if you put your heart and soul into a story, you can give it wings! Self-publishing has made everything leagues easier than they were ten or twenty years ago, and I want to see good writers with a lot of passion honing their craft and reaching past the stars!

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The Tags

So, doing this is probably pointless because (1) nobody reads my blog except my grandmother and (2) nobody reads my blog. (Haha.)

Anyway, I'll be tagging some peeps who give some great writing advice on their blogs!

Em @ Painting With Words

Kellyn @ Lilacs & Reveries (Kell is actually a writing teacher who has a mailing list full of goodies for aspiring authors!)

YOU! If you just so happen to be reading this post and are not related to me (and have a blog about writing, which is optional at this point), feel free to consider yourself tagged!

Also, since we're discussing writing blogs, Kingdom Pen is a FANTASTIC blog for writers! It's comprised of articles written by regular ol' writers like myself that are chock full of unique and necessary advice pertaining to all things writing!

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The Questions

What first inspired you to write? When did you first begin blogging? Which mistake/cliché do you think writers should avoid? Who was your writing mentor? What was the best writing advice you ever received?

Author Interview: E.B. Roshan

I had the pleasure this past month of reading E.B. Roshan's debut novel, Wrong Place, Right Time. (You can read my review here.) After I read it, I jumped at the chance to interview this new indie author--so, without further ado, let's welcome E.B. Roshan!

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ER: First of all, thanks so much Grace for letting me share this interview today! I really appreciate the opportunity. I've really enjoyed poking around on your blog and reading some of your articles and reviews.

GJ: Aw! *grins sheepishly* Thanks! You are so very welcome! On to the first question...What first inspired you to write?

ER: I've been writing nearly all my life. When I was very young, I would write letters, that were really just wobbly scribbles, to my great-grandmother telling her about what I was doing. Writing runs in my family, I think. Nearly everyone seems to enjoy doing it on some level. Also I love making beautiful things; it's a stress reliever and has helped to keep me sane through some challenging periods of life (lockdowns, bombing, sickness, etc.) Writing, whether it's letters, essays, blog posts or stories, is a great way to do this if you move around a lot and don't have much money. About two years ago my husband bought me a computer, and then my writing really took off.

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

ER: To tell the truth, it was the Coronavirus pandemic that inspired me to begin this series. It has nothing to do with pandemics, or even with disease, but if that hadn't happened, I wouldn't have had nearly so much head-space available to plan stories in, let alone time to write. So while it was, (and still is) a difficult time for us and many others, I'm thankful for the gift of a very fruitful novel-writing year.

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

ER: I love to read old-fashioned sounding books. The elaborate diction and lengthy sentences of writers like Dickens, the Brontes (or even E. Nesbit with her magical children's stories) delight my soul. But I have never even attempted to imitate them. Actually, what I think has influenced my writing style as much as anything is my years of teaching English to speakers of other languages. I'd like to think I can tell an exciting and moving story using language that even non-native speakers could easily follow.

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

ER: Two of my all-time favorite books are Moby Dick and The Brothers Karamazov—both good stories to get lost in. More recently, I've really enjoyed The Poisonwood Bible and All the Light We Cannot See. However the genre of the book actually matters less to me than how well it's written. If a book has that special touch that makes the words sing, I hardly care what it's about.

The series I'm currently working on is romance, but I could see myself moving on to action or sci-fi when I'm done.

GJ: What do you do when you aren’t writing?

ER: I cook, I clean, I teach, I chase my boys. I sleep. Sometimes.

GJ: I just finished reading your debut novel, Wrong Place, Right Time, and I was wondering could you tell me how you came up with the idea for this story?

ER: I began with the climatic scene near the end (which I had previously written a short story about) and started asking more questions. Then I worked back from there, building the story around my answers. I realized pretty quickly it wasn't an adventure story after all, but a romance. When I had got that fact clearly in my head, the story took off on its on.

GJ: What was your writing process for Wrong Place? Did you pants it? plot it? How long did it take you to write it?

ER: Well, I wrote a novel, and it was a mess, so I scrapped it for parts. One of those parts ended up being the basic plot-line for Wrong Place, Right Time. When I'm writing a story, I often begin with inspiration that comes from imagining a climatic scene at or near the end of the story, and then I work back, and around, and in and out from there. As far as an outline, I'm not too detailed. Perhaps a dot-to-dot picture is the best analogy. I have the dots in mind, but the lines in between pretty much just appear as I write. And it's not unknown for a dot or two to shift as well! From start to finish, writing, editing and publishing the book took about six months. It's quite a short book, though.

GJ: What made you choose self-publishing for your Shards of Sevia series (great series name, by the way)?

ER: Thanks! I'm glad you like it. I decided early on if I was going to publish at all, I'd self-publish. It just seemed simpler and more fun, and I like doing things hands-on as much as possible. It was a major learning curve, and I wouldn't necessarily recommend it (especially if you want to sell a lot of books) but I've really enjoyed the process and wouldn't want to do it any other way. In addition, I self-edited and designed my own covers. This is not to say I didn't have help—I had a great deal of help from the very supportive community at ChristianWriters.com—but so far I haven't spent a penny on the process of getting my books into the hands of an eager (or perhaps not so eager?) public.

GJ: What is your most favorite character in Wrong Place, Right Time, and what endears them to you?

ER: I like Anna, to tell the truth. She's not the most vibrant or exciting character I've ever written, but because she's sweet and generally optimistic, I find it fun and relaxing to write from her perspective.

GJ: Which part of your debut novel was the easiest to write, and what was the hardest? Where did you stumble and second-guess yourself in the writing of this novel?

ER: I really struggled with writing from Boris's point of view—not least because he is a guy and I am not, but also because I wanted to make a character who's hurt, who's angry, but at the same time, appealing and sympathetic, so readers won't be furious (or incredulous) when our heroine falls for him.

GJ: If you could rewrite your novel, right now, what would you change about it? What would you leave the same?

ER: To be honest, I don't think I'd change anything. That is not to say that it's perfect, or even incredibly good, but one day I was agonizing over the story (as one does) and I realized, “This is as good as it's going to get. Time to be finished.” That doesn't mean I couldn't write the same story (but better) three years, or five years from now—though by that time I might have even better stories to tell—it simply means that what I've written is the best work I can accomplish at this particular season in my life as a writer. It's a milestone. I'm pleased with it, and very thankful. Besides, I'd rather move on than look back.

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

ER: I'd say to have fun with it—there's no high like the creative high—it's what we were made to do, after all. Write lots, scratch lots, write lots more, have fun (did I already say that?) and most of all, don't let criticism or the achievements of others discourage you. As long as you're learning, and doing your very best with the skills you currently have, there's nothing to worry about.

GJ: What do you want your readers to take away from this story?

ER: It may sound cliché, but forgiveness really is one of God's best gifts. Bitterness is deadly for love, for relationships, for life. Whatever happened, it's not so bad that it's worth destroying your life over. Besides that, I'd love for my readers to enjoy my stories as much as I enjoy writing them—which is a lot!

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

ER: Writing, like any creative activity, is going to have its ups and downs—but after the initial disappointment of struggling for days over a scene and STILL not getting it, say, or an un-constructively critical comment, I try to take what I've learned and move on. There's more to life than writing, after all, and no point in getting bogged down by something that's supposed to be refreshing, revitalizing and relaxing.

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

ER: I want to love God better each day I live. If writing more is one of the ways I can do that, I'm all for it!

GJ: What has being a writer taught you?

ER: I've learned that online communities (while no replacement for flesh-and-blood ones) are great! The encouragement, criticism and advice I've received from mine brought me from an occasional scribbler of random bits to a published author.

Also, I've learned that made-up people can be feel surprisingly real at times—almost like you might meet them walking down the street. But perhaps that's because I often see people who look how I imagine various characters would...

And that's all I have for you now! Thanks for reading, and please do check out my series website at and writing blog at: https://shardsofsevia.wordpress.com!

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I hope y'all enjoyed getting to know E.B. as much as I have! If you're interested in reading Wrong Place, Right Time, you can purchase it here! Thanks for joining us, guys, and keep your eye out for more author interviews and book reviews!

Review: Dreams of Savannah by Roseanna M. White

Guess what today is!

Today is the release day of Dreams of Savannah, and I'm super psyched to share with y'all this fabulous book! I had a time getting to read DOS this last month--I'd hoped to read the NetGalley copy on my Kindle (which I was just handed down from my grandfather), but the 10-year-old e-reader wouldn't work right, so I had to wait for my paperback copy to arrive in the mail. It came on Christmas Eve, just in time for me to read it after the holidays and get my review out for release day!

I'd first like to introduce this book to you, before we jump into the review.

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Cordelia Owens can weave a dream around anything and is well used to winning the hearts of everyone in Savannah with her whimsy. Even when she receives word that her sweetheart has been lost during a raid on a Yankee vessel, she clings to hope and comes up with many a romantic tale of his eventual homecoming to reassure his mother and sister.

But Phineas Dunn finds nothing redemptive in the first horrors of war. Struggling for months to make it home alive, he returns to Savannah injured and cynical, and all too sure that he is not the hero Cordelia seems determined to make him.

As the War Between the States rages ever nearer and Savannah’s slaves start sneaking away to the islands off the coast to join the Yankees, both Phin and Cordelia get caught up in questions they never thought they’d have to ask–questions that threaten the very dreams of a future they’d cherished.

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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. You can learn more about her and her stories at www.RoseannaMWhite.com.

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Those who have enjoyed authors like Jody Hedlund, Jocelyn Greene, Tracie Peterson, Tamara Alexander, Siri Mitchell, Laura Frantz, Julie Lessman, and Beth White will ADORE Roseanna M. White's Christian historical romance. And if you love Gone with the Wind (just like me), then it's a guarantee that you'll at least like Dreams of Savannah. I'd go ahead that bet that you'll love it!

You can snag a copy at ,Barnes & Noble, ,Amazon, ,Christian Book, and ,Roseanna's online store (copy will be signed by the author)! Click the link and order NOW!

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Now, without further ado, the review!

*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 will mean some spoilers, so watch out. #3—additional warning reserved only for this review—I’m trying something different. Again. We’ll just see how this works. Hopefully I can contain the stream of consciousness…

First Thoughts

I’ve had a lot of experience with Civil War era fiction, and not all of it has been good. As a born and bred Southern girl who comes from a long line of Crackers (aka, poor white trash) who picked cotton and fought for the Confederacy, my opinions on the Civil War are, shall we say, skewed. Because of that, I don’t see the war as everyone else sees—and writes—it. So I’m very picky about my antebellum, Civil War, or Restoration era fiction. I don’t want to read something that stereotypes Southerners as heartless, racist jerks, or something that glosses over slaves (and Crackers) to focus on a bunch of highfalutin Southern belles. I want the grit, the emotion, and the truth behind the war—not propaganda.

Therefore, I wasn’t too sure going into Dreams of Savannah. Everyone nowadays is very much a “Yankee,” regardless of where they live, so portraying all Southerners with including cliches is very difficult. I know I enjoyed reading White’s Circle of Spies, but if it’s not Gone with the Wind or Eugenia Price, I’m not interested.

Roseanna’s last novel, A Portrait of Loyalty, hadn’t particularly been my favorite and though I really like her last two series (Shadows Over England and The Codebreakers), something in her voice has changed. Her stories haven’t been the same.

That being said, I was very wary about DOS. I’ve found that when I’m wary about reading something, the book is pretty much fantastic. This is true for Dreams of Savannah.

We open with a ball just before the boys leave for war, and at first the story is light and our main girl, Cordelia, is daydreaming about her soon-to-be beau, Phineas Dunn. This doesn’t seem to leave a lot of room for grit, darkness, and a well-formed argument for the South, if you know know what I mean. Another belle of the ball and her adventurous, rich, pampered boyfriend. But you throw in a traitor or two and an Englishman? You got yo’self a story, dat’s what.

The Plot

In her earlier works (not including her biblical fiction; they’re on a whole ‘nother level), I could easily describe Roseanna as a “plot-driven” writer. Now, I’m not so sure. I’m beginning to see how she has a vague plot or an inciting incident that she employs on the first page, then a novel that’s carried to The End by the characters. This system has worked pretty well for her in the past—like with On Wings of Devotion, where in the aftermath of Ara’s abduction, not much happens that isn’t, well, drama.

However, I’m not sure if that’s the best way to go. For her previous books, we already knew the characters—like Camden, who we met in The Number of Love. The character has already be established and, at least a little bit, fleshed out. We understand from Page 1 why Camden kidnapped Ara, simply because we knew the sort of bloke he was. Right?

Not so for Dreams of Savannah. We’ve never met Cordelia or Phin before, so when we immediately dive into him leaving for war and Delia promising to wait for him, we’re not quite certain what kind of characters we’re dealing with. The main event of the plot is carried through ‘til about the halfway point, where we begin to see the characters (both main and secondary, like Delia’s dad, Julius James, etc.) use their drama skills to keep the story going. It’s not a bad idea, but I was left wondering halfway through, who are these guys? That left the rest of the novel kind of flat, I guess.

Still, I enjoyed the storyline. Roseanna stuck with a simple method—war + shipwreck + missing person + scoundrel for a cousin = happily ever after. She managed to stay away from politics and bloody fighting without glossing things over. She stayed true to the South, the Cause, and honor without conforming to the image most people today have of Southerners and Confederates (i.e., sexist, racist white jerks)—and that made for a very interesting, enjoyable read.

The Characters

Remember what I said about not really knowing who Phin and Delia were? Well, that’s what will keep this section pretty short. Phin is describe as adventurous, but he didn’t have much “screen time,” at least as his “old self.” His new self is even harder to pinpoint. I couldn’t get a definite read on his personality. He didn’t seem quiet or reserved, but he wasn’t necessarily talkative and outgoing. He wasn’t rakish, but he was apparently quite the catch. Not really an alpha male but not a beta either. *shrugs* He wasn’t a bad character, but let’s just say he won’t be added to my “Best Hero Ever” shelf.

As for Delia, I actually liked her. She’s not my type of heroine, I guess. She had a little more personality than Phin, but I would’ve liked the simple questions answered—not the difficult ones. It was easy to figure out that she liked people, was curious, and loved to dream. She’s optimistic, but also has a lot of deep-seated fears. But what kind of sister is she? Would she rather be gathering inspiration by socializing with her friends or putting it to paper holed up in her room? Why does she get along with everyone but not her mother? On that note, I would’ve liked to have seen more of her family, Phin’s included. Lacy was a great little sister until suddenly...she’s not. Ginny’s never present in the book. Delia’s relationships with her parents are, to say the least, crazy.

This is what I was saying. We jumped right into the plot, the story, without first coming to understand the main characters and what makes them tick.

Because of this, I really liked Salina and Luther more than Delia and Phin, and I would’ve loved to have seen more of them! Their motives and personalities were pretty clear, and they were so unique (or at least Luther was) and had more interesting storylines of their own.

I would’ve liked a lot more romance. Because Phin and Delia were all but engaged by the first chapter, their first kiss wasn’t all sparks and fire. The conflict surrounding them wasn’t as...conflicting as it would’ve been had they just met or fallen in love. As for Salina, her relationship with River just *poof* happened all of a sudden. I would’ve liked to have watched them fall in love, probably more so than Phin and Delia.

Luther was fabulous, though. A story about him and Eva when they met and fell in love would be SO AWESOME! He had a lot more personality than Phin did, in my opinion, and so seeing only a few scene here and there of him was kind of disappointing.

I was beyond happy when White put in four POVs. Her earlier series usually included four—from the villain to the two love interests to the “other guy,” whether that be the villain’s accomplice or the third point in a love triangle. Even though Phin and Delia weren’t the best characters, Luther and Salina more than made up for it!

The Subject

Speaking of romance, I’m not entirely certain Roseanna was going for a romance when she wrote Dreams of Savannah. Most romance writers don’t dare go for the story where the characters have already fallen in love and everything seems on the fast track to success. The first kiss and meet cute are almost always nonexistent, and that’s pretty much what makes a romance. Because of the way White wrote this book, I’d probably be more inclined to call it just plain historical fiction than a romance.

Without a doubt, it’s more philosophical than anything. And I appreciate that. When one pays too much attention to romance or action, one misses the depth of it all. White’s always been a very thoughtful writer, and even if I may not agree with all of her opinions, I like that she’s not afraid to express them in her writing and carefully craft characters who discover those thoughts and opinions for themselves. It makes the story that much more authentic.

I was so terrified that the Civil War was going to be presented as a bunch of heartless white men fighting for slavery and a group of patriots fighting against it. However, White was very mindful of the Confederates’ and the Union’s true agendas, that the war wasn’t just about slavery—that it was a war of honor. She tackled that subject so well and portrayed Phin’s change without a hitch. Instead of embracing racial equality with unrealistically open arms, he struggled with his views and what he’d been taught, without being a jerk. Make sense? I think the transition was really good. It’s difficult to pull off a realistic transition into anything in fiction, so I more than appreciate the care White put into writing that aspect of Phin’s story.

The Prose

I’ve always loved White’s prose. Her style is unique without being overly so, if you know what I mean. I’d actually say she’s got two separate voices—the one she’s used for her Shadows Over England and Codebreakers series, and the one she’s used for everything else.

The latter has visibly grown since A Stray Drop of Blood debuted in 2009, but it has always retained its sense of balance—between emotion, action, dialogue, and narrative. The flow has always been measured and even, not quite melodic but not at all choppy. Perfect, you could say.

The first, her “new” voice, is choppy and abrupt, like a clipped London accent. Her one or two word sentences make for a sudden jar—not an unpleasant one. An emotional one. I like both styles. I’ve tried them both in my own writing, and I’ve seen where they fit certain characters and situations better than others.

But...I’m really glad she reverted back to her voice. Maybe it’s because she wrote Dreams of Savannah years ago, in 2011, or maybe it’s because she saw that her American accent (not the clipped London one) fit well for her Georgia girls and boys.

Speaking of Georgia, can I just say that I LOVE my state? I know nothing’s perfect (and Georgia certainly isn’t), but DOS release day also happens to be the date for the run-off election for senate, so...prophesy, maybe? For those of y’all who enjoyed (or think they will enjoy) Dreams of Savannah, I HIGHLY recommend reading Eugenia Price’s Savannah. You’ll suddenly understand why Delia dreams of Savannah once you read Price’s take on this historic port.

Long Story Short…

To summarize, Dreams of Savannah wasn’t a perfect book. But it was a perfect reading experience. Not only was I uncertain about White’s novels, I was also uncertain if I could get sucked into anything again. I haven’t been reading like I should (or used to, that is), and I’ve had to force myself to get through some things, so I wasn’t certain if I’d be able to breeze through Dreams of Savannah. (Was it possible that *gasp* I was coming to not love reading as much as before?) But then I got sucked in, page by page, until I was walking around with my face in this book and putting up with the sun through the trees whilst riding in the car just to finish one more chapter. You know how it is.

The highlights of DOS are definitely Luther and Salina and the way White wove everything together like a dream. It could have been better, and Delia and Phin could’ve had more personality—or just more. Maybe the book should have been longer to allow their characters more…“fleshiness.” But…(there’s always a but, you know)…it was worth it. I enjoyed it, I really did. And if you were to ask me if I’d read it all over again, I would. Would I recommend it? I would. Would I rate it five stars?

Yeah. I would.

BookWorm

Disclaimer: I received a complementary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All the opinions expressed above are my own.

Obviously.

PS: I think I actually managed to contain the stream of consciousness this time! Hooray!

Vote, Vote, Vote!

Just because November 3rd is over doesn't mean we aren't still voting. Down here in Georgia, we've got a run-off election for our senators, if you haven't heard. Oh, wait. You have? Yeah...it's kind of hectic around here.

Anyway, we've already voted, and now I'm here to encourage all of you to vote, vote, vote! But I'm not talking about national or state elections.

I'm talking about voting for your favorite book cover.

Wait. What?

Yeah, you weren't expecting that, were you?

Well, AllAuthor is hosting a Cover of the Month contest...and guess who's just entered?

Yours truly, with her personal favorite cover:

I know I was super excited when Roseanna White sent me this cover! She captured everything that I wanted perfectly, and just with a few buttons in Photoshop! Do you think this cover is beautiful? If you do, let the world know and vote for the cover of Prisoner at Heart this month! (Btw, I know not all of the covers on here are, uh, suitable for human eyes...which is why we're going to influence good covers! Right? Right. Thank you.)

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Also, are you interested in reading Prisoner at Heart for FREE? Yep, totally free! All you've got to do is post a review on either Amazon, Goodreads, or BookBub! You can download a free copy of my second novel ,here! Don't forget to share on social media if you're not interested! Special thanks to all of you who read and reviewed Held Captive! I really appreciate it!

Welcome to 2021!

A lot of bloggers I follow are sharing their 2020 highs and lows and their 2021 goals. Well, I don't really have those. I hope to share a lot of what's coming in this post, but I won't be doing it like everyone else.

For one, I can't look back on 2020 and see a high here or a low there. I can only see God's amazing provision and His guidance. My family and I have been so blessed this year. No one in my family has had COVID and we've all been otherwise healthy. My dad got laid off back in May, but he got exactly what he wished for: a six-month paid vacation and his dream job just in time for Christmas.

As I look back not just on this past year but also my entire life, I can see the hand of God so prominently. I am beyond blessed. I have the most amazing and supportive family and girl could ever wish for. I come from a good home and a linage I am more than proud of. I've never been seriously sick or hurt. I've never lost any family members or friends close to me. I have had so many awesome opportunities throughout the last few years--from my time dancing to everything that I've gained from writing. I don't have anxiety or depression. I've never been bullied or abused.

I've never known hunger or loneliness, defeat or upheaval. Even though, yeah, 2020 sucked (forgive my language), I have a picture perfect life, on the inside and the outside. I mean no offense to those who don't, but I do encourage you to see the good. Yeah, I had a rough time this last school year that nearly killed my sanity, my dad lost his job (which had fantastic retirement and benefits), and nothing is ever truly perfect...

But I'm alive. And I still have my wonderful family, all eight (not counting me) members of it. In fact, I have only gained from 2020.

And so I hope to gain even more in 2021.

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Speaking of 2021, I want to welcome all of you not only into the new year, but also to my new website! You may have noticed much has changed... For one, it's graceajohnson.com now! Whoop whoop! This site is gonna cost me an arm and a leg, but it'll be worth it.

You'll find I've got all the legal stuff, from a cookies banner to a privacy policy. I've got separate subscription forms--you can sign up to my newsletter, or my blog, or my site in general. I've got separate pages for each of my series, not to mention my Pinterest feed, Spotify playlists, and reviews all there for each book.

And what I'm most excited about?

I'm starting a reviewing service! If you'd like to learn more about what that means, check it out here! Long story short, you can submit your book and I'll review it for you! I've got several different plans for certain types of authors and a terms and conditions pages that made me feel like a lawyer while writing! If you're a writer, go check it out! Good reviews are hard to come by these days, but oh, so worth it!

Apart from that, I've got a lot coming up just this month and a lot that's changing too! My Name of the Week and Ask Ann-Marguerite posts will become once-a-month posts to (1) allow me more time to work on Bound and Determined, (2) keep me from running out of stuff to blog about, and (3) give me the freedom to blog according to the inspiration, not the schedule. My Theories of Man post, which was scheduled for Dec. 28th, 2020, has been pushed down to the end of January. It's looking more like a college thesis every day, and the research that goes into my TOM posts has convinced me to make these quarterly installments. I'll be able to put more time and effort into them, and take suggestions for subjects. (Do you have a question to ask Ann-Marguerite or a theological theory/view you'd like me to uncover? Let me know in the comments below!)

Speaking of Name of the Week...I'm mixing it up this month and introducing Design of the Month! I'll highlight a new design from my Redbubble shop each month (until I decide to go back to names) that you can check out and purchase!

As for what I know will be here, I've got several things planned just for January.

#1 My review of Dreams of Savannah, which will debut on my blog on January 5th!

#2 An author interview with E.B. Roshan, author of Wrong Place, Right Time and Love Costs, on January 7th!

#3 Another sneak peek into Bound and Determined!!! Yippee!

#4 I've also got a cover contest coming up that I'll share more about in the coming days, so keep your eye on my blog!

I hope to have a couple other goodies headed y'all's way, but I make no promises. I have this harebrained idea of trying to finish Bound and Determined by the end of March--which means about 50,000 words in 3 months. Shouldn't be too hard, right? We'll see, and if you want updates on my progress, subscribe to my monthly newsletter!

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Welcome to 2021, guys! I pray your year is filled with provision, blessing, and loads of grace! With love

Ask Ann-Marguerite™: What is Showing and Telling?

The last week has been so busy, I have yet to catch my breath. Noël came and went so quickly, leaving behind messes to clean and things to do and many, many naps to take. My heads still spins when I think about it. More so, my head spins when I think of all I have yet to do!

I have an appointment with Monsieur Calvin, the editor of the local newsprint, tomorrow afternoon, which I have pushed back as far as I could.

I am meeting with a writer friend of mine who is in town for the next several days to discuss my first draft sometime this week.

I have to take M. Watteau to the doctor’s office across town on vendredi.

To add to this, I have a stack of letters for the advice column I intend to answer, and annual luncheons with my new acquaintance, M. Darcy.

Aujourd’hui, however, I hope to get some writing in. I may organize my letters for the coming weeks, but that is low on the list since I have crucial editing to attend to before I meet with mon amie Angélique.

I draw back my chair, sitting before an open window that affords me a view of the snowy street below, down which several couples dash, bobbing in and out of shops and buildings, carrying on with their lives and the busyness the holiday season left behind. It is momentarily distracting, the constant weaving and ducking and twirling, each movement correlating with the steady fall of the snowflakes from the heavy grey clouds.

I am tempted to gaze out the window forever and politely ignore the long list of to-dos I have awaiting me on my refrigerator, and calendar, and desk, and bathroom mirror. However, as I lean onto my elbows, I bump into my selected papers for editing and am reminded of what is foremost.

Across from my few chapters and my red ink pen lies a small stack of letters. There are only huit or neuf, but certainly more than I have received in the past few weeks. I am even more so tempted to open the damp envelopes and not only ensure the ink hasn’t smeared but also read over the questions. This advice column is quickly becoming the highlight of my week, and I look forward to more and more questions every week.

Only one will not hurt, oui?

I gingerly take the top envelope, easing it open with a gentle finger to keep from damaging the contents or the stamp (M. Watteau collects stamps, and he has been after me to save all of mine for him). A small slip of paper tumbled out onto the tabletop, revealing a flourishing script that reads:

Dear Ann-Marguerite,

I have written a few short stories for friends and family, and they all enjoy them greatly. However, I submitted them to an editor and they rejected every one of them. She said I need to work on my “showing” and “telling.” At the time, I was too upset and embarrassed to ask her what she meant. Now I wonder, what exactly is showing and telling?

J'apprécie ton aide,

A Rejected Writer

Juste ciel, rejection! Now that is no subject with which to toy. Despite my longings to reach out to this lost writer, I know their question was concerning something else entirely—betterment rather than pity.

What is showing and telling?

In writing, it means something so much more than it means inpréscolaire. It is, in fact, the definition of one’s writing itself, whether it shows or tells.

I need an example to explain, for mastering the art of balanced depiction is no easy task.

When depicting emotion, it is easy for anyone to quickly write “She is sad.” It is straightforward and immediately alerts the reader as to how the character feels without frills or excessive words. However, most readers desire to visualize the book in their minds; therefore, they need to be shown this emotion.

A better approach would be “Tears streamed down her red face as silent sobs shake her shoulders.” Here, we not only are told that the girl is sad, we see clearly that she is crying and, per the silence of her sobs, holding this emotion in for some reason. Also, the cause of her sadness must be grief or disappointment, as her reaction seems to be much calmer than if she were angry or in pain.

In the depiction of an action, it is far too simple to type “He ran through the woods.” But there is no connection between the reader, the character, the setting, and the story at all within something so short and undetailed.

Something along the lines of “He dashed through the forest, avoiding the ash trees around him and the arrows flying past him” would not only let us know that he is running through a wooded area, but we also see him ducking and dodging tree branches and panting as he misses arrows that could take his life.

To further balance the above sentence, emotion and thought should be added. Of course, that is an answer for another question, but I shall expound some.

When viewing a motion picture, one not only sees a figure running, one hears the whistle of the wind, the crunch of the leaves, and sees his wild eyes and heaving chest. We are given a glimpse into his labor and his feelings, perhaps even his thoughts if we watch close enough. In a book, we do not have to study him like a psychiatrist to determine his innermost thoughts and emotions. We can plainly read it.

But stating so like “He ran, scared and tired” is so disconnected, non? One sentence cannot be expected to contain so much information. Here, we need several sentences—one for the action, one for external description, one for emotion, and one for thought.

#1 Action: “He dashed through the forest, avoiding the ash trees around him and the arrows flying past him.” Here, we use verbs like “dash,” “avoid,” and “fly,” but keep adverbs and adjectives to a minimum. The reader can see the man running quickly and moving from side to side.

#2 Description: “An eerie whistle weaved through the crisp orange leaves beneath his aching feet and entwined with the chill of autumn.” Here, with a handful of adjectives, we let the reader know that it is autumn and cold. The reader can also gather other details, like that the man is tired and his feet are aching. With these details, the reader can paint a scene of a dark forest during the fall and a man on the run for his life.

#3 Emotion: “The chill wound around his heart, slowly squeezing the life from him as the realization grew stronger and stronger: he was going to die.” We don’t even need to explicitly state that he is afraid. The adverbs and verbs we chose implies that. The chill is winding and squeezing, leaving him with the knowing that his life is coming to an end. Even the reader will be able to feel concern, if not fear, for the character.

#4 Thought: “It can’t end this way...not yet.” Often in the form of italicized first-person, present-tense monologue, the character’s thoughts correspond with the emotion we present and give us some insight into what is going on. Without this showing of what he is thinking, the reader would be unaware of his regrets and even his need to continue to live. Something must be set to rights. Does the reader know what it is? If not, will they find out?

The ellipsis point is also a fantastic tool; it shows pause, hesitation, and many other things we employ verbally but cannot type out in the middle of a sentence with words like “pause.”Use it whenever you feel your character is grasping for words, trailing off in their thoughts, or leaving us on the edge of a cliff.

Showing is depicting action, emotion, objects, and more with an entirely different manner of phrasing. It is something learned slowly and examined carefully; one can rarely ever tell when they are not showing correctly.

However, telling is very much important.

It is all about proper balance, and in some instances the thought and emotion takes precedence over the action or description—especially when writing in first-person. Telling what the character is doing, then shifting into heavy monologue is necessary for creating a close bond with your character, particularly in the most frightening, emotional, romantic, or suspenseful situations.

Telling should be used only in those instance, however, and determining which ones those are is nearly as much work—if not more—as learning how to show.

To achieve proper balance is a lifelong endeavor. The first step is getting to know your character better than you know yourself. Once you know how they react to different situations and emotions, then you can determine when to show and when to tell.

I smile down at the letter I hold. Not only do I have an answer, I have a lot of work to do in my own writing. Just how well do I know my characters? Better yet, how do I get to know them in the first place?

Name of the Week: Jessica

Jessica is the most complicated name I've posted about so far. For one, I simply could not find a picture relating to the definition of her name, so I just settled for this one. It's pretty, at least.

For two, it has a very interesting background that, in some respects, would make it an odd name for my character, Jessica Bennet (née Arlington). Of course, I have a very good reason for my Stuart-era lady to have been named such. Simply put, her mother had an obsession with Shakespeare. Therefore, her children born names according to her fancy. Therefore, Damian's middle name is Caius (and he also happens to share a byname with a famous English stage actor, so...)

Jessica is actually Hebrew.

Betcha you didn't see that coming, did ya?

Before The Merchant of Venice, Jessica was known by the Hebrew (Yiskah), which meant "to behold." Yiskah evolved into Iscah, which morphed into Jescha around Shakespeare's time. For the daughter of Shylock, he selected this Jewish name and tweaked it a bit, coming up with Jessica. As a matter of fact, Shakespeare made up quite a number of our now-beloved names.

Yiskah is only found once in the Bible, as Abraham's niece in the Old Testament. Jessica was rarely used until the 20th century. And we all know how it rose to popularity then, don't we? Now, many variants of the name are found in languages such as Albanian, Spanish, Danish, Hungarian, Swedish, Hawaiian, and more.

I have absolutely no idea why I chose Jessica for the name of Xavier's mother. Originally, it was his grandmother's name, and Joanna was his mother's (after I changed it from Engal, of course), but now I've swapped them around. Surprisingly, the name has fit so well, and just as it is unconventional for my character's time, Jessica is also an unconventional heroine.

And, yes, that means she will be a heroine. I plan to write stories for both her and her brother Damian in the future, expanding my Seven Seas universe and creating my prequel/companion series for the Daughters of the Seven Seas series, which is titled The Arlington Family. So far, my only installment is The Gift of Her Heart. (Which you can read an excerpt from here!)

I have a tentative blurb for Jessica's novel, if anyone's interested...

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Lady Jessica Arlington is on the run.

Running from her parents’ looming wrath, her fiance’s overbearing hand, and her social ruin, this young lady’s first chance of escape is on board a ship destined for the British colonies of America. Her one and only thought is to find safety for her child.

And being captured by the most notorious pirate captain on the Seven Seas is

not Jessica’s idea of safety.

Captain Collin Bennet has long since turned his back on his family, their pious society, and their God, and turned towards the life of a pirate. But never, in all his six years of pirating, has he had the pleasure of capturing the delightfully irritating Lady Jessica Arlington along with a merchant ship full of goodies.

But neither did he realize that he would be capturing much more than the lady herself.

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To tide us all over until my first Arlington Family novel, Capturing Her Heart, arrives, I have a little treat: a poem I wrote especially for Jessica.

It began with a few lines several months ago, which I knew I would have Collin turn into a poem (yes, he's a poet...he just doesn't know it...yet). However, I entered a poetry contest a while ago, and I expanded those few lines into the below. (Note: I am not a very good poet; you can tell by (1) the quality of this poem and (2) the fact that I did not win said contest. Bear with me.)

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“Veiled in Stone” or “Jessica”

(Previously titled “Helpless”)

What a sorry sight it was

The tears upon her face

Each salty stain a symbol of

Her rapid fall from grace

Her cheeks were red and sullen

Her eyes were green as grass

Sodden with dew and trampled

The teardrops crystal glass

As I watched her trembling there

My heart it did constrict

But there was nothing I could do

Not even a hug would do the trick

Such pain was irreversible

It ne’er would disappear

Not within a day or month

Not even in a year

And so I stared in silence

Oddly unabashed

Quizzing, wond’ring

As many seconds passed

She slowly lifted up her head

To meet my solemn gaze

She sniffled once, twice again

Blinked to clear her haze

Without a thought, it all was gone

Each remnant of her past

Each hurt and each curse

Each and every last

Where had the tear stains gone? I wondered

What had happened to her pain?

Would it be that if I sought

The teardrops would remain?

If I tore the layers back

Would I find them deep inside

In a crevice long untouched

Where haunting demons hide?

Would anything have changed, indeed?

True, this was my thought

That all her smiling and all her trying

Would have been for naught

Announcement!

First things first, this had better be the last time you come here.

Wait. What?

All right, let me back up.

My website (novelist056.wixsite.com/graceajohnson...yeah, that long one) will be closed for maintenance until--hopefully--the first Monday in January. I have a couple posts coming out on the 28th and the 30th of this month, but other than that, everything else (like my Theories of Man post) will be pushed back to sometime in January. Until then, I'll be updated and adding to the site...and...

Getting a custom domain!

What does that mean? Well, it means (1) this site's gonna have to start generating some moola, because I'ma have to start payin' for it, and (2) when you return, you'll be arriving at graceajohnson.com!

Whoop!

So, step back and wait a little while. I'm giving myself an upgraded site as a late Christmas present, and I'll be sharing it with the world as soon as possible! I've also got a TON of other goodies I can't wait to debut, so keep your eye out for my newsletter in your inbox on January 4th! (BTW, if you'd like to receive my newsletter and keep up-to-date on my site, blog posts, and writing/reading, then just enter your email address into the field at the bottom of this page or my homepage, and you'll be subscribed!)

Anyway, thank you to all who joined me for my Christmas giveaway this month! For those who didn't enter or win, don't forget to check out my Short Story Saturday posts! I hope to be debuting more short stories every Christmas, so y'all can just mark your calendars for next year!

Y'all have a Happy New Year! I'll see ya @graceajohnson.com!