Heather Manning's Blog, page 16

Bible Verse Wednesday: Riches of His Glory

And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.Philippians 4:19

Broadway Tuesday: Unworthy of Your Love

Hey everyone!
I really love this song...I've been enjoying it the last few days! This a really cool musical that I want to see live someday.
Here is "Unworthy of Your Love" from Sondheim's musical "Assassins."


Recognize them? That's Ruthie Henshall, from the 10th Anniversary Concert of Les Mis.....

And John Barrowman from Miss Saigon!
Pretty cool, huh?

Swept to Sea News

Hey everyone!

I have some fun news for you today!

First of all, you can purchase Swept to Sea for 50% off THIS WEEK ONLY on Smashwords using the code: REW50
Please spread the word to your friends and family!

Second, I wanted to tell you that Swept to Sea is on the Amazon Bestseller list again!

Today it is spending its 50th day on that list!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you so much to everyone who has helped me get there. I appreciate all of you!

Writing Friday: Top Ten Most Influential Books

Happy Friday!
Yesterday I saw the Kansas City Ballet's performance of Dracula, and boy, was it good. I absolutely love seeing theatre, whether I see ballets, musicals, or plays. :)
Today, I have rehearsals and then I get to have a break on the weekend. I love rehearsals, but I also would like more time to write.

Anyway, on to today's post. My awesome friend Bethany tagged me in her blog post to create a post about my ten most influential books.


1. Swept to Sea by Heather Manning.
This was obvious. It definitely influenced me, because it was the start of my career.
2. Felicity American Girl Series
I loved all American Girl books, but these series were the first I loved, and Felicity was one of my favorites. It helped get me hooked on historical fiction.
3. Samantha American Girl Series
This is the same with the Felicity series. I loved these books and they really made me enjoy the Victorian era.
4. Okay...this counts three books but they're all in the same series. Little Town on the Prairie, The First Four Years, and These Happy Golden Years.
I was really obsessed with this series for quite a while, but the last three were my absolute favorite. I really loved reading about Laura and Almanzo.

5. The Falcon and the Sparrow by MaryLu Tyndall
This was the very first inspy historical romance I read. It made me fall in love with the genre.
6. Dracula by Bram Stoker
Before I read this, I had not enjoyed many classic novels. This quickly became my classic and is still one of my very favorites.
7. The Phantom of the Opera
Another very good classic novel. I read this book after seeing the musical and watching the musical movie. I really enjoyed it.
8. The Restitution by MaryLu Tyndall
This was the second novel I read by this talented author. It was the first book centered around pirates that I read and it really stuck with me.
9. The Measure of a Lady by Deeanne Gist
This was the first Deeanne Gist novel I read, and I absolutely loved it. I read every book written by her after that.
10. Out of Control by Mary Connealy
I think this was the first Mary Connealy book I read. It was amazing. I fell in love with the characters and the setting and it was perfect.

Now, I don't have time to tag any bloggers, so if you have a blog, please feel free to participate. Now, in the comments, tell me five of the most influential books you have read! Go! :)

Music Thursday: Meadowlark

Hello, everyone! I am glad to be able to post here again...here is a pretty song. Enjoy "Meadowlark" performed by the talented Patti Lupone. 

Bible Verse Wednesday: Just Believe

I have my computer back finally!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yay! So hopefully posts around here will be a little more regular. Now, on to today's post.



Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”Mark 5:36

Unfortunate Hiatus

Hi everyone! Unfortunately, I have some bad news. My computer died, and I have little access to other computers. So, I will probably not have many posts for you this week.
I am very sorry. Please wish me luck on getting my computer fixed.

Cover Reveal: Never Let Go

Hey, everyone! As you may have noticed, this week is a little bit switched up.
That's because, today I am taking part in a cover reveal for Never Let Go by Angie Brasheer!

So, I have a guest post from Angie and at the very end I will show you the cover. Here's Angie:

Christian Fantasy: A Life-Saving Genre
Definitions of literary genres can be…well, complex. Even tricky. Attempts to define Christian

fantasy vary, though I’ve spent little time fretting over an official definition. I mean, Christian

fiction typically illustrates a Christian world view within its plot, characters, or both. And the

fantasy genre commonly uses myths and legends as a primary plot element, theme, or setting. So,

in my opinion, Christian fantasy embodies fantastical elements in an internally consistent setting

all the while reflecting aspects of the Christian world view.

But the debate (at least for some) surrounds who writes Christian fantasy. Writers who are

Christians, writers who claim to be Christians, or writers who believe Christianity is a fantasy to

begin with? It’s not a debate I choose to enter, for the truth lies outside the discussion: the genre

influences nonbelievers. My path to salvation began with a classic fantasy, told to me in the

When I was in the fifth grade, my teacher read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S.

Lewis aloud to my class. In doing so, she opened my eyes to adventure and possibilities, all the

while helping me escape a world of darkness for a short time. At its conclusion, I wondered,

Is God real? He couldn’t be, right? For if He existed, innocent young girls wouldn’t suffer the

wrath of drunken addicts, or the torment of abandonment.

I continued to speculate. Each time God placed believers in my path—a high school teacher,

a college friend, and a college coach—my fascination with the possibility grew stronger until

the truth stunned me like a slap to the face. God indeed lives in the form of the Father, the Son,

and the Holy Spirit. He rescues. He saves. And He waited for me. Then He embraced me. It all

started with a little seed, planted in the empty heart of the girl I once was. A love for reading

expanded to a love for writing. A desire to know God became a desire to serve Him, to reach

And Never Let Go was born.

In all things, I’m grateful to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for embracing a lost, lonely girl.

That He died for me…there is no greater gift. My prayer is that I’ll never let go of His truth.


Captured by the Rendow Clan, who seek to slaughter those with faith in the Maker, Laila

Pennedy awaits death. Moments before her execution, she is rescued from the gallows by Lars

Landre and his dragon. Marked as The Chosen by his blue eyes, Lars is destined to lead the

Lars guides Laila on a harrowing race across The Woodlands to Tuveil, where the Faithful are

preparing to fight a rebellion. But the secret location of the village is betrayed and the Rendow

Clan’s army will soon be at the gates. Faced with this impeding peril, Laila trains for battle, but

the struggles in her mind and heart may be as overwhelming as the war to come. Will she prove

herself an asset or is she condemned to forever be a burden to those she loves?

Pre-order Never Let Go here.


When Angie Brashear isn’t working or taking care of her family, she writes. Usually at night

after her kids fall asleep. She’s an avid reader and runner, both of which perplex her husband.

Saved in her early twenties, Angie is grateful for the Lord’s presence in all aspects of her life.

She is originally from Rockland, Maine and currently resides in Cameron, Texas with her

husband and three children. Follow her at http://facebook.com/AngieBrashearAuthor, https://

twitter.com/AngieBrashear, and http://angiebrashear.com.


And now....the cover! 

Book Review Monday: Postponed

Did you have a good weekend?

I hope so!

Just to let you know, my weekly book-related post is going to be postponed until tomorrow, when I will have a cover reveal for you.

Writing Friday: Letters to Romeo and Juliet

Hey, everyone!
Happy Valentine's Day! Are you doing anything special today?

So, on Sunday I wrote something I thought was pretty neat, and I thought I would share it with you since I don't always post about my writing. I had just seen the play Romeo and Juliet the day before for the second time performed at a local theatre, and I decided to write something.

Well, I wrote two letters: one from a vial of poison to Romeo, and another from a dagger to Juliet. I thought it would be fun to share today, since Romeo and Juliet are a symbol of a love story, I would share it for Valentine's Day.
Here's what I came up with.

Dear Sir,Do you realize the impact of your actions? Please hesitate before you do anything rash. Yes, I know how much you love her. I know how much you care for her. I realize that you feel you can’t live without her.But have you thought about the bug picture? I mean, yes, you feel awful right now. But you have a family. A mother and a father who love you. And guess what? That pesky man who writes about you and your life on parchment with quills knows something that you don’t. You know what that is? She’s not dead. She’s still alive. Your touching me will absolutely break her heart.How, you ask? How is this dear lady alive when her hart seems to have ceased beating and her skin has gone cold? She befriended a relative of mine. He courses through her veins as I write this, but rest assured, she will wake. And imagine her terror when she does and she finds you lying there, lifeless and cold. I am stronger than my relative. If you touch me, you will never wake.Now, I understand that you can’t control your actions. Mr. William Shakespeare does unfortunately, so I fear you will meet your death at my touch.But please, think before you act rashly. My power is strong, but I cannot stop you from what you are about to do.I apologize for that.Sincerely,A Vial of Poison



And, next up, we have another lovely letter.


Dear Lady,          You are about to awake to something very unfortunate. I almost wish you would never wake up so you don’t have to go through this, but there is nothing I can do about it. You see, you’re about to wake up. I’m certain you will be a little disoriented at first, since you have been sleeping for hours on end. Well, when you do wake up, it will be dark. You will be in the tomb of your ancestors, and you will be afraid. But that’s okay. Just please don’t look to your left.Oh, you decided to look to your left, young lady? Well that’s just great. I know, it’s absolutely tragic that he died. You loved him with every bit of your heart. It is understandable that you would be upset. I’m upset myself. I tried to get a letter to the vial of poison that stole his last breath, but the mail delivery around here is really slow. It’s quite unfortunate, really. But anyway, now you have seen him. Maybe it will comfort you to know that he took his own life. Paris, your intended, whose body is lying over there, did not do it. You see, your young man found you before you woke up.  I’m so sorry. A few minutes could have saved both of your lives. But alas, he feared you dead, and, because he couldn’t live without you, he died himself. Isn’t that a pity?  Such a waste of someone so young. Do you feel awful right now? Yes. So imagine what it would be like for your family to discover you in a similar state. It would be life-shattering. Now, I’m sure you are heartbroken. But please don’t do anything drastic. You aren’t even fourteen years old yet. You have a long life ahead of you. You could accomplish great things. You are smart, kind, and spunky. There is a bright future out there for you. Please, please, please, think before you act out by your grief. Affectionately,
Dagger 


So, what do you think? I thought these were a lot of fun to write.