Suzanne Woods Fisher's Blog, page 32
May 10, 2017
BookSweeps Giveaway {books, gift cards, and a Kindle!}
Today, I have a fun surprise that I’d like to share with you.
I’ve teamed up with over 80 fantastic historical romance authors to give away a huge collection of novels to 2 lucky winners, alongside 10 bookstore gift cards, PLUS a Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet to the Grand Prize winner!
You can win my novel The Newcomer, plus books from authors like Carrie Turansky and Melanie Dickerson.
Enter the giveaway by clicking here: http://bit.ly/amr-may17
May 8, 2017
Author Spotlight with Maggie Brendan
Scroll down for a chance to win a copy of Maggie’s newest book, Trusting Grace. Winner will be announced in the next Author Spotlight feature.
Maggie Brendan’s newest novel in her Virtues and Vices of the Old West series, tells the story of Grace Bidwell. All of her life, Grace Bidwell has longed for a loving husband and children, but now the chances of her dreams coming true are looking slim. Widowed and caring for her elderly father, she struggles to maintain her late husband’s ranch, until she places an ad for a hired hand.
Robert Frasier arrives in town with three pitiful, bedraggled children who have nothing but the tattered clothes on their backs and a load of hurt, pride, and anger. Believing this is divine intervention in her life, Grace welcomes them with open arms. As feelings grow between her and Robert, Grace will have to convince him that she is a woman who can be trusted with his heart.
Readers will be swept away into 1860s Montana’s lush Gallatin Valley, nestled among towering mountains and proud pines, in this emotional conclusion to the Virtues and Vices of the Old West series.
Author Spotlight with Maggie Brendan
Can you tell us about your newest release? Is it part of a series or a stand-alone?
Trusting Grace is the last book in the series, The Virtues and Vices of the Old West, however, it is a stand-alone novel. The story centers around a lonely widow who struggles with running her farm then decides to hire someone to help with mounting chores while caring for an ill father. It just so happens that her hired handyman is down on his luck and homeless. He’s hard working and strong-minded individual but a man of few words. They’ve both been hurt before—and though attracted to each other—they find it hard to overcome their past. Their relationship slowly develops into mutual respect until they both entertain thoughts of marrying again.
Is anything or anyone in this book based on real-life experiences?
This one is not, unlike my other books.
Who was your favorite character in this story, and why?
Grace, the heroine, was definitely my favorite character. She has a warm, thoughtful personality, and her virtues, among others, are her relationship with her father and God. She’s deeply caring of others, but one of her vices is putting her father above herself.
Compared to your other books, was this one easy to complete or challenging? Any idea why?
It wasn’t hard to write but definitely challenging in the fact that we moved from Atlanta after thirty years, along with the fact that my husband has a chronic disease, that became a tiny piece of my story.
What was the hardest scene in this book to write? What made it difficult?
Discovering that Robert, the hero’s children’s were about to be taken away from him. With no children of her own, Grace had come to love Robert’s children as her own, causing her deep sadness that she might never see them again.
What did you (or your editors) edit out of this book?
You know, I’m almost sure no scene was cut but maybe moved to a different spot which worked out perfectly.
What’s the most difficult thing about writing from the point of view of the opposite sex?
Since I had three brothers, I’d like to think I had plenty of experience with the mind of the opposite sex, and added insight from my husband and grown son. I actually find it fairly easy to do, but I do run some of the male POV scenes by my husband to make sure I have written them in the way a man thinks. I do find it enjoyable to write the male POV.
Thank you for spending time on my blog today! Where can readers find you, and where should they buy your book?
website | blog | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | GoodReads | Instagram
My books may be purchased here:
Amazon | CBD | Barnes and Noble
Maggie Brendan is the CBA bestselling author of the Heart of the West series and The Blue Willow Brides series, as well as The Trouble with Patience. Her books have received the Book Buyers Best Award from the Orange County Chapter of Romance Writers of America and the Laurel Wreath Award. A member of the American Fiction Writers Association, Romance Writers of America, Georgia Romance Writers, and Author’s Guild, Maggie lives in Georgia.
May 5, 2017
Friday Photo Caption Contest: Waiting for your Wit
Today begins a new feature…curious pictures gleaned from my research trips that need your special caption touch. Leave a comment with your caption and your name will be tossed in the bonnet for a chance to win a signed copy of a book.
This one is just waiting for your wit!
May 2, 2017
A Dog’s Purpose: A Movie Review
If you’re looking for a great family night movie, look no further. A Dog’s Purpose is funny, cute, and heart-warming. It will have the whole family laughing (and then crying).
A Dog’s Purpose follows the many lives of a dog’s life. Told through the eyes of Bailey, a dog, this story will have you falling in love with man’s best friend all over again.
My kids are the biggest dog lovers you will ever meet. When they first saw the trailer for A Dog’s Purpose, they knew it was on they had to see, so they were ecstatic when the movie show up at our door.
They loved every part of Bailey’s life—I think the end was their favorite (you’re just going to have to watch to see why!) Grab your family and your dogs, and curl up with this great movie this Friday night!
Note: Do make sure you have tissues on hand! I am not a movie cryer and A Dog’s Purpose had be crying with the best of them!
Also, something I didn’t at first realized, but A Dog’s Purpose is based on W. Bruce Cameron’s book of the same title! I’ve only had a chance to start browsing the book, but I can already tell it is going to be just as enjoyable as the movie.
Enjoy this short snippet from the start of the book:
One day it occurred to me that the warm, squeaky, smelly things squirming around next to me were my brothers and sister. I was very disappointed.
Though my vision had resolved itself only to the point where I could distinguish fuzzy forms in the light, I knew that the large and beautiful shape with the long wonderful tongue was my mother. I had figured out that when the chill air struck my skin it meant she had gone somewhere, but when the warmth returned it would be time to feed. Often finding a place to suckle meant pushing aside what I now knew was the snout of a sibling seeking to crowd me our of my share, which was really irritating. I couldn’t see that my brothers and sister had any purpose whatsoever.
A Dog’s Purpose is available now on Digital HD and coming to DVD & Blu-ray Today! (May 2nd).
More about A Dog’s Purpose:
A Dog’s Purpose―the #1 New York Times bestseller―is heading to the big screen! Based on the beloved bestselling novel by W. Bruce Cameron, A Dog’s Purpose, from director Lasse Hallström (The Cider House Rules, Dear John, The 100-Foot Journey), shares the soulful and surprising story of one devoted dog (voiced by Josh Gad) who finds the meaning of his own existence through the lives of the humans he teaches to laugh and love. The family film told from the dog’s perspective also stars Britt Robertson, KJ Apa, John Ortiz, Peggy Lipton, Juliet Rylance, Luke Kirby, Pooch Hall and Dennis Quaid. A Dog’s Purpose is produced by Gavin Polone (Zombieland, TV’s Gilmore Girls). The film from Amblin Entertainment and Walden Media will be distributed by Universal Pictures. Screenplay by W. Bruce Cameron & Cathryn Michon and Audrey Wells and Maya Forbes & Wally Wolodarsky.
Heartwarming, insightful, and often laugh-out-loud funny, A Dog’s Purpose is not only the emotional and hilarious story of a dog’s many lives, but also a dog’s-eye commentary on human relationships and the unbreakable bonds between man and man’s best friend. This moving and beautifully crafted story teaches us that love never dies, that our true friends are always with us, and that every creature on earth is born with a purpose.
Bailey’s story continues in A Dog’s Journey, the charming New York Times and USA Today bestselling direct sequel to A Dog’s Purpose.
Grab a copy of the book here and a copy of the movie here.
I was sent a copy of the book and movie free of charge for review. A positive review was not required, but very heartily given.
May 1, 2017
Amish Wisdom has a new look!
Be sure to stop over at the Amish Wisdom blog today to see the fresh new look and enter to win lots of fun prizes!
April 26, 2017
Filoli House & Garden…and my friend Nyna
Last Saturday, my dear friend Nyna Dolby gave a flower workshop at 1st Presbyterian Church in Livermore. Nyna is the head of flower arranging at Filoli House & Gardens, an historic home in Woodside, California, and on the board of Filoli House & Gardens (which, if you’re interested, is a jamming of the words: Fight, Love, Live = FILOLI).
Nyna gave a wonderful talk about her journey to become so skilled in flower arranging, sprinkled with insights from her spiritual journey. As she talked, she created flower and foliage arrangements for the church to use in Sunday worship. Right before our eyes!
One of my favorite demonstrations is when Nyna pulls out a mixed bouquet from Safeway or Trader Joe’s, takes it apart, and puts it back together again. Same ingredients, totally different look! And something we can all relate to.
Then…Nyna set us loose to make our own flower arrangements! The women bolted to the flower buckets, then stopped, hemming and hawing and thinking and pondering. Fun to see the creativity buzz in the air! So much buzzing, you’d think the room was filled with bees.
Here’s the best part: Nyna went around the room and helped each person “elevate” their arrangement. A nip and tuck here, a rose peeping through here. A-M-A-Z-I-N-G.
By the way, if you live in the San Francisco Bay Area and might be interested in having Nyna give a flower demonstration/workshop for your garden club or church group or corporate event, send me an email. She’s pretty booked up, in high demand (in February, she gave a flower demonstration to the California Women’s Retreat–a group of 500!), and she does a lot of flowers for summer weddings…but I’ll pass along your info to Nyna. She is SO worth it!
April 24, 2017
Enter to win 30 novels + a Kindle Fire
Today, I have a fun surprise that I’d like to share with you.
I’ve teamed up with more than 30 sweet and clean historical romance authors to give away a huge collection of novels to 2 lucky winners, plus a Kindle Fire to the Grand Prize winner!
You can win my novel The Newcomer, plus books from authors like Margaret Brownley and Tamara Leigh.
Enter the giveaway by clicking here: bit.ly/sweet-rom-apr-17
Good luck, and enjoy!
April 21, 2017
“On Humility” by C. S. Lewis
How did he think of things like this?! So brilliant…
April 19, 2017
Mount Hermon Christian Writers’ Conference
If you’re an aspiring writer, plan to go to Mount Hermon Christian Writers’ Conference next year (always, always, always over Palm Sunday).
Can’t you just smell those redwood trees?
Liz Curtis Higgs is on board to be the keynote speaker (get ready to laugh until you cry), and I can almost guarantee you will leave the conference feeling a dose of inspiration to persevere with your craft.
Mark Batterson, pastor of National Community Church in Washington D.C, was the keynote speaker this year.
This year, I mentored a fiction clinic. Loved, loved, loved the experience, from start to finish. It was exciting to be a part of other talented writers’ journey, to encourage them and help them strive toward their potential. And to remind them that God has set them on this arduous journey!
Even though there are all kinds of writers, I find we have a few characteristics in common:
An above average ability to observe.
An active imagination.
It’s a blast to be around like minded thinkers (quirky ones!). And there’s always a bonus gift from Mount Hermon. Each time I’ve driven away, I leave with new friends.
Author Laura Taggart, moi, and my Revell editor.
Author and speaker Kathi Lipp giving a fabulous workshop.
Ho
Hope to see
Hope to see you there next year!
