Erica Vetsch's Blog, page 139
December 25, 2017
Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas from all of usat Coffee Cups& Camisoles!
December 20, 2017
Remembering Monday's Devo: Jesus & Aleppo
Anne here. This week's post on Monday reminds us that sometimes the Christmas holiday brings out the stark lacking we have in our ordinary lives when held to the light of the Kingdom of Christ coming to this earth. Sometimes we just need a little help to invite Him into our most unexpected places. We all experience loss, sadness, disappointments, and the "blahs". Let's remember this post from last year. I believe God gives us imaginations for His holy and divine touch, the place where faith and mystery give us a scope to trust the outcome, that our smaller stories are placed within His bigger story. Mary couldn't have known that night in the stable, amid the smells and darkness, how her uncertain story would fit into the larger story. If you've been feeling stuck in lack or loss, in pain or suffering, or just need a new way to invite faith--reread last year's imaginings of how Christ might have come...if he were born tonight...into our world...
I imagine if Jesus were born tonight, he might just have been born in a place like Aleppo, Syria. In wretched darkness. In a roached out shell of a house. To a frightened young girl waiting for a savior. Into an impossible situation. Where hope in men and government is lost, and the good news of His new government is announced to a mottle crew of homeless sheep herders outside of the bombed out city. Only the appearance of angels would be enough to rock them out of their usual cycle of hopelessness to hope for a lasting peace agreement.
By Judith Mehr for a boy in Aleppo
Night pilots flying their private jets would be stunned by the bright lights over Aleppo as they navigate the airspace. Fearing the city is ablaze from the fire of bombs, their hearts sink further wishing they might have carried the mission that would bring peace. But before they turn back from the city in defeat, they realize the light is not the blaze of total annihilation, but of a great star's light. Curious, they land in stealth mode in the desert planes and sneak through the streets in the cover of darkness until they reach a bombed out house. Bricks and mortar. Rubble and broken boards litter their way as they hear the cries of a baby within. A herd of lost dogs and cats abandoned by owners who've died or left the city in haste are nestled close to the warmth of the doorway. Inside, a young girl and her husband huddle to wrap a baby to sooth the cries that might announce his presence to the prowling evil lurking in the city. How had this beautiful thing happened here, in this city of hopeless darkness?
One pilot takes his helmet and turns it upside down. He takes a shiny metal from his lapel and places it inside, handing it to the next pilot who retrieves a special coin from his pocket to place it inside. The third pilot slides the ring from his right hand, the one he never flies without, but he places it within as they three kneel there. None speaks, for they share only the common language of giving homage despite such peril all around. The awareness of holiness permeates the dark night air that blows through the tattered curtains of the shot out windows. The infant's mother smiles humbly at each of them as she takes the helmet full of their costly gifts before they leave on their way.
As the airmen escape the darkened hovel of the city, the mother looks at the young man beside her to squeeze his hand. The babe before them sleeps as the sound of jet planes scream overhead. Footsteps and hollering fill the street outside, nearing ever closer when a man finds his way inside their threshold to warn them they must flee to the desert for a time....
~~~
Luke 2:2"And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria."
Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife,[a] who was with child. 6 So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold,[b] an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:
14 “Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”
15 So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. 17 Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. 18 And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.
We read Luke 2 in Sunday School class this morning and all shared our fresh thoughts on the birth of Christ. Then a friend shared how she'd wakened at 6 a.m. relieved that CNN coverage of politics had a reprieve--instead they covered the story of Aleppo. Heartbreaking, she shared. Then she apologized, "sorry to be such a Debby-downer here, but seriously, where are you God?" We were reminded that our greatest enemies here in the western world are complacency and lack of desperation for Jesus to come. We don't know how to pray. We feel hopeless and helpless as shepherds in the fields to make any impact on such governmental political matters and conditions.
But we have been told by this Christ man-child how to pray.
We have been told he has come to bring great tidings of joy and peace toward all men.
We have been told we are the light of the world.
So, take off your helmets. Place your most precious possessions within and offer them to the King.
Ask Him to bring His will on earth as it is in heaven. Bring His will to our complacency.
Bring His will to make us desperate for Him to incarnate here. Now.
In every darkness. In every broken place.
Prepare Him room.
If Jesus came tonight, He might just come to Aleppo.
He might just come into your darkness. Your brokenness.
~~~
Credit to above painting to Judith Mehr, who writes this of the painting: "Well, here is my obsession I have been involved with for the past two months. I painted this new 60" x 48" painting, entitled "Omran, Angels Are Here," because I saw that picture of the little boy in the ambulance seat who had just been pulled out of the rubble of a bombed building in Aleppo, Syria. I really wanted to comfort that boy so I thought of Angels coming to attend to him. Judith Mehr."
-------------Blog post by Anne Love-
Writer of Historical Romance inspired by her family roots.
Nurse Practitioner by day.
Wife, mother, writer by night.
Coffee drinker--any time.
Find me at: www.anneloveauthor.com
Find me on:FacebookFind me on: PinterestFind me on: Goodreads
Find me on: Twitter
Find me on: Instagram
I imagine if Jesus were born tonight, he might just have been born in a place like Aleppo, Syria. In wretched darkness. In a roached out shell of a house. To a frightened young girl waiting for a savior. Into an impossible situation. Where hope in men and government is lost, and the good news of His new government is announced to a mottle crew of homeless sheep herders outside of the bombed out city. Only the appearance of angels would be enough to rock them out of their usual cycle of hopelessness to hope for a lasting peace agreement.
By Judith Mehr for a boy in AleppoNight pilots flying their private jets would be stunned by the bright lights over Aleppo as they navigate the airspace. Fearing the city is ablaze from the fire of bombs, their hearts sink further wishing they might have carried the mission that would bring peace. But before they turn back from the city in defeat, they realize the light is not the blaze of total annihilation, but of a great star's light. Curious, they land in stealth mode in the desert planes and sneak through the streets in the cover of darkness until they reach a bombed out house. Bricks and mortar. Rubble and broken boards litter their way as they hear the cries of a baby within. A herd of lost dogs and cats abandoned by owners who've died or left the city in haste are nestled close to the warmth of the doorway. Inside, a young girl and her husband huddle to wrap a baby to sooth the cries that might announce his presence to the prowling evil lurking in the city. How had this beautiful thing happened here, in this city of hopeless darkness?
One pilot takes his helmet and turns it upside down. He takes a shiny metal from his lapel and places it inside, handing it to the next pilot who retrieves a special coin from his pocket to place it inside. The third pilot slides the ring from his right hand, the one he never flies without, but he places it within as they three kneel there. None speaks, for they share only the common language of giving homage despite such peril all around. The awareness of holiness permeates the dark night air that blows through the tattered curtains of the shot out windows. The infant's mother smiles humbly at each of them as she takes the helmet full of their costly gifts before they leave on their way.
As the airmen escape the darkened hovel of the city, the mother looks at the young man beside her to squeeze his hand. The babe before them sleeps as the sound of jet planes scream overhead. Footsteps and hollering fill the street outside, nearing ever closer when a man finds his way inside their threshold to warn them they must flee to the desert for a time....
~~~
Luke 2:2"And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria."
Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife,[a] who was with child. 6 So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold,[b] an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:
14 “Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”
15 So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. 17 Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. 18 And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.
We read Luke 2 in Sunday School class this morning and all shared our fresh thoughts on the birth of Christ. Then a friend shared how she'd wakened at 6 a.m. relieved that CNN coverage of politics had a reprieve--instead they covered the story of Aleppo. Heartbreaking, she shared. Then she apologized, "sorry to be such a Debby-downer here, but seriously, where are you God?" We were reminded that our greatest enemies here in the western world are complacency and lack of desperation for Jesus to come. We don't know how to pray. We feel hopeless and helpless as shepherds in the fields to make any impact on such governmental political matters and conditions.
But we have been told by this Christ man-child how to pray.
We have been told he has come to bring great tidings of joy and peace toward all men.
We have been told we are the light of the world.
So, take off your helmets. Place your most precious possessions within and offer them to the King.
Ask Him to bring His will on earth as it is in heaven. Bring His will to our complacency.
Bring His will to make us desperate for Him to incarnate here. Now.
In every darkness. In every broken place.
Prepare Him room.
If Jesus came tonight, He might just come to Aleppo.
He might just come into your darkness. Your brokenness.
~~~
Credit to above painting to Judith Mehr, who writes this of the painting: "Well, here is my obsession I have been involved with for the past two months. I painted this new 60" x 48" painting, entitled "Omran, Angels Are Here," because I saw that picture of the little boy in the ambulance seat who had just been pulled out of the rubble of a bombed building in Aleppo, Syria. I really wanted to comfort that boy so I thought of Angels coming to attend to him. Judith Mehr."
-------------Blog post by Anne Love-
Writer of Historical Romance inspired by her family roots.
Nurse Practitioner by day.
Wife, mother, writer by night.
Coffee drinker--any time.
Find me at: www.anneloveauthor.com
Find me on:FacebookFind me on: PinterestFind me on: Goodreads
Find me on: Twitter
Find me on: Instagram
December 18, 2017
4 Steps to Renew Your Hope at Christmas: Guest Post by Sarah Forgrave
We welcome Sarah Forgrave this week:
4 Steps to Renew Your Hope at Christmas
Have you noticed there’s a lot of pressure to be joyful during the Christmas season?
With phrases like “Joy to the World,” “Merry and Bright,” and “Happy Holidays” being spoken everywhere we turn, it’s no wonder depression can set in.
Sure, it’s easy to be merry and bright when life is good and you’re surrounded by family and love and warmth.
But the reality is, not everyone experiences warm fuzzies this time of year.
Loss can be magnified, a diagnosis can turn your world upside down, and strained relationships can seem even more distant when “peace on earth” is the expectation.
You might wonder, “How can I celebrate Christmas when I’m hurting so deeply?”
Can I let you in on a secret?
Jesus didn’t come for the people with perfect lives and pious facades. He came for the hurting and broken. The left behind and forgotten.
In fact, that’s how He came into this world—in a cave intended for animals. A last resort that was far from comfortable and the opposite of excessive.
From the moment He was born, He sent a message to the world. He wasn’t here for those who wanted someone powerful and extravagant to worship. He was here for those who wanted someone to meet them in their pain.
This Son of God who could have stayed in His heavenly paradise chose to come to earth for you.
What is your hard place right now? What circumstance makes you cringe when you hear the words “jolly,” “merry,” or “joyful”?
Can I suggest these four steps to renew your hope?
1. Be honest with God.
While the world might pressure you to be happy this time of year, don’t put the mask on with God. He already knows what you’re thinking and feeling. He wants you to be real with Him and look to Him for comfort.
2. Find someone else who understands.
With all the merriment around you, it might feel like you’re the only one struggling. I promise you’re not. Reach out to a trusted friend in whom you can confide. Or perhaps look for a support group in your area (grief support, cancer support, etc.). Churches are a great place to start when searching.
3. Soak up God’s Word.
Particularly read the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) for reminders of Jesus’ life on earth. You might even want to track or mark the passages where He experienced a human struggle or met someone hurting and broken.
4. Help someone else.
One of the best ways to move from broken to hopeful is by helping someone else who’s hurting. If you’re facing loneliness and grief, you might serve a Christmas meal at a local homeless shelter. If you’re facing illness, perhaps you could put together a gift basket for someone else in the hospital. (This post has a list of gift ideas.)
Most importantly, remember that you’re not alone this season.
Not only are there other hurting people around you, but there’s a God in heaven who is much closer than you might think.
“For we do not have a High Priest Who is unable to understand and sympathize and have a shared feeling with our weaknesses and infirmities and liability to the assaults of temptation.” (Hebrews 4:15a, AMPC)
This same High Priest planned the Christmas holiday long before you were born. He chose to become fully man in the form of an innocent baby. To arrive not with pomp and circumstance, but with humble beginnings.
To understand and feel yourstruggle.
The secret to renewing your hope isn’t found in forced holiday cheer; it’s found in centering your vision on HIM.
May you sense His presence in the coming days.
Bio:
Sarah Forgrave is an author and wellness coach who loves encouraging others in their health and faith. In addition to her book, Prayers for Hope and Healing (Harvest House, October 2017), her writing credits include contributions to The Gift of Friendship, Guideposts’ A Cup of Christmas Cheer, and the webzine Ungrind. When she’s not writing or teaching, she loves to shop at Trader Joe’s or spend time with her husband and two children in their Midwest home. Visit Sarah at www.sarahforgrave.com, or at the following sites:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorSarahForgravePinterest: www.pinterest.com/SarahForgraveInstagram: www.instagram.com/SarahForgrave_AuthorTwitter: www.twitter.com/SarahForgrave
Prayers for Hope and Healing cover copy:
Amid Pain and Weakness…There is HOPE
Serious or chronic medical issues bring a litany of painful and confusing feelings that only someone else who’s been in a similar situation could possibly understand. Sarah Forgrave has walked the difficult road you find yourself on. And she empathizes with the uncertain future you face.
No matter the road ahead, you don’t have to face it alone. Even in the depths of your worst emotional and physical pain, God is right there beside you, offering His comfort, love, and peace.
As you read these heartfelt prayers and devotions, let this book be your manual to help navigate the difficult set of emotions that come with health issues. Read it front to back or go directly to the devotion addressing how you feel at any given moment…when you need it the most.
Above all, know that you are never, ever alone.
SaveSave
4 Steps to Renew Your Hope at Christmas
Have you noticed there’s a lot of pressure to be joyful during the Christmas season?
With phrases like “Joy to the World,” “Merry and Bright,” and “Happy Holidays” being spoken everywhere we turn, it’s no wonder depression can set in.
Sure, it’s easy to be merry and bright when life is good and you’re surrounded by family and love and warmth.
But the reality is, not everyone experiences warm fuzzies this time of year.
Loss can be magnified, a diagnosis can turn your world upside down, and strained relationships can seem even more distant when “peace on earth” is the expectation.
You might wonder, “How can I celebrate Christmas when I’m hurting so deeply?”
Can I let you in on a secret?
Jesus didn’t come for the people with perfect lives and pious facades. He came for the hurting and broken. The left behind and forgotten.
In fact, that’s how He came into this world—in a cave intended for animals. A last resort that was far from comfortable and the opposite of excessive.
From the moment He was born, He sent a message to the world. He wasn’t here for those who wanted someone powerful and extravagant to worship. He was here for those who wanted someone to meet them in their pain.
This Son of God who could have stayed in His heavenly paradise chose to come to earth for you.
What is your hard place right now? What circumstance makes you cringe when you hear the words “jolly,” “merry,” or “joyful”?
Can I suggest these four steps to renew your hope?
1. Be honest with God.
While the world might pressure you to be happy this time of year, don’t put the mask on with God. He already knows what you’re thinking and feeling. He wants you to be real with Him and look to Him for comfort.
2. Find someone else who understands.
With all the merriment around you, it might feel like you’re the only one struggling. I promise you’re not. Reach out to a trusted friend in whom you can confide. Or perhaps look for a support group in your area (grief support, cancer support, etc.). Churches are a great place to start when searching.
3. Soak up God’s Word.
Particularly read the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) for reminders of Jesus’ life on earth. You might even want to track or mark the passages where He experienced a human struggle or met someone hurting and broken.
4. Help someone else.
One of the best ways to move from broken to hopeful is by helping someone else who’s hurting. If you’re facing loneliness and grief, you might serve a Christmas meal at a local homeless shelter. If you’re facing illness, perhaps you could put together a gift basket for someone else in the hospital. (This post has a list of gift ideas.)
Most importantly, remember that you’re not alone this season.
Not only are there other hurting people around you, but there’s a God in heaven who is much closer than you might think.
“For we do not have a High Priest Who is unable to understand and sympathize and have a shared feeling with our weaknesses and infirmities and liability to the assaults of temptation.” (Hebrews 4:15a, AMPC)
This same High Priest planned the Christmas holiday long before you were born. He chose to become fully man in the form of an innocent baby. To arrive not with pomp and circumstance, but with humble beginnings.
To understand and feel yourstruggle.
The secret to renewing your hope isn’t found in forced holiday cheer; it’s found in centering your vision on HIM.
May you sense His presence in the coming days.
Bio:
Sarah Forgrave is an author and wellness coach who loves encouraging others in their health and faith. In addition to her book, Prayers for Hope and Healing (Harvest House, October 2017), her writing credits include contributions to The Gift of Friendship, Guideposts’ A Cup of Christmas Cheer, and the webzine Ungrind. When she’s not writing or teaching, she loves to shop at Trader Joe’s or spend time with her husband and two children in their Midwest home. Visit Sarah at www.sarahforgrave.com, or at the following sites:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorSarahForgravePinterest: www.pinterest.com/SarahForgraveInstagram: www.instagram.com/SarahForgrave_AuthorTwitter: www.twitter.com/SarahForgrave
Prayers for Hope and Healing cover copy:
Amid Pain and Weakness…There is HOPE
Serious or chronic medical issues bring a litany of painful and confusing feelings that only someone else who’s been in a similar situation could possibly understand. Sarah Forgrave has walked the difficult road you find yourself on. And she empathizes with the uncertain future you face.
No matter the road ahead, you don’t have to face it alone. Even in the depths of your worst emotional and physical pain, God is right there beside you, offering His comfort, love, and peace.
As you read these heartfelt prayers and devotions, let this book be your manual to help navigate the difficult set of emotions that come with health issues. Read it front to back or go directly to the devotion addressing how you feel at any given moment…when you need it the most.
Above all, know that you are never, ever alone.
SaveSave
December 15, 2017
Happy Anniversary
Erica Here:
Tomorrow marks my 28th Wedding Anniversary! WOW! That's so hard to even imagine. Where has the time gone?
We were so young! And so in love!
Here we are, many years later, not quite as young, but more in love than ever. Here's to many more years, Lord willing!
If you're married, which anniversary is 2017 for you?
ERICA VETSCH can’t get enough of history, whether it’s reading, writing, or visiting historical sites. She’s currently writing another historical romance and plotting which history museum to conquer next! You can find her online at www.ericavetsch.com and on her Facebook Page where she spends WAY TOO MUCH TIME! www.facebook.com/EricaVetschAuthor/
Tomorrow marks my 28th Wedding Anniversary! WOW! That's so hard to even imagine. Where has the time gone?
We were so young! And so in love!
Here we are, many years later, not quite as young, but more in love than ever. Here's to many more years, Lord willing!
If you're married, which anniversary is 2017 for you?
ERICA VETSCH can’t get enough of history, whether it’s reading, writing, or visiting historical sites. She’s currently writing another historical romance and plotting which history museum to conquer next! You can find her online at www.ericavetsch.com and on her Facebook Page where she spends WAY TOO MUCH TIME! www.facebook.com/EricaVetschAuthor/
December 13, 2017
The Coffee Shop Writer
Erica Here:
I am a coffee shop writer. I do most all of my writing sitting at a table in a coffee shop, earbuds in, Pandora on, a large tea close at hand.
Often when I tell fellow writers that this is my go-to writing spot, I hear, "I could never do that!"
But it works for me. I need to get out of my house to write, because if I stay home, I don't write. I find reasons not to, and some even involve cooking and cleaning, though watching movies and reading books are a big temptation, too.
Also, if I am going to pay almost three dollars for a large hot tea, I feel as if I should justify the expense by being productive.
And, it gives me just enough interaction with people to suit my introverted little heart. I can people watch and feel as if I have been 'with people' but it doesn't exhaust me like actually being with a lot of people can.
Some folks might find it a distraction, but I love it.
Could you write in a coffee shop?
ERICA VETSCH can’t get enough of history, whether it’s reading, writing, or visiting historical sites. She’s currently writing another historical romance and plotting which history museum to conquer next! You can find her online at www.ericavetsch.com and on her Facebook Page where she spends WAY TOO MUCH TIME! www.facebook.com/EricaVetschAuthor/
I am a coffee shop writer. I do most all of my writing sitting at a table in a coffee shop, earbuds in, Pandora on, a large tea close at hand.
Often when I tell fellow writers that this is my go-to writing spot, I hear, "I could never do that!"
But it works for me. I need to get out of my house to write, because if I stay home, I don't write. I find reasons not to, and some even involve cooking and cleaning, though watching movies and reading books are a big temptation, too.
Also, if I am going to pay almost three dollars for a large hot tea, I feel as if I should justify the expense by being productive.
And, it gives me just enough interaction with people to suit my introverted little heart. I can people watch and feel as if I have been 'with people' but it doesn't exhaust me like actually being with a lot of people can.
Some folks might find it a distraction, but I love it.
Could you write in a coffee shop?
ERICA VETSCH can’t get enough of history, whether it’s reading, writing, or visiting historical sites. She’s currently writing another historical romance and plotting which history museum to conquer next! You can find her online at www.ericavetsch.com and on her Facebook Page where she spends WAY TOO MUCH TIME! www.facebook.com/EricaVetschAuthor/
December 11, 2017
Come Join our Facebook Party ~ Christmas Tea With an Author
Erica Here:
For the past several days, there's been an ongoing party over on Facebook, and it's not too late for you to join! A group of Love Inspired Historical Authors is hosting a "Christmas Tea With an Author Party."
This isn't your typical Facebook party, where time is short, posts fly by quickly, and sometimes it can be difficult to catch your breath. Those are fun, but who needs that during the already busy days of this holiday season? So we thought we'd try something a bit different. Each day since December 1st, we've been posting, chatting, and otherwise socializing with our guests. Folks can drop in any time, see what's new, have a little cyber-tea and cookies, and chat with other readers and authors.
There are prizes, recipes, heroes, heroines, and lots of CHRISTMAS!
Oh, and did I mention we're giving way a Kindle Fire and Book Package? So there's that, too!
Hop on over to:
https://www.facebook.com/events/146905602613636/ to get in on the fun and enter to win prizes!
My day to host the party is tomorrow, but don't wait until then. Stop by today, and again tomorrow! :)
ERICA VETSCH can’t get enough of history, whether it’s reading, writing, or visiting historical sites. She’s currently writing another historical romance and plotting which history museum to conquer next! You can find her online at www.ericavetsch.com and on her Facebook Page where she spends WAY TOO MUCH TIME! www.facebook.com/EricaVetschAuthor/
For the past several days, there's been an ongoing party over on Facebook, and it's not too late for you to join! A group of Love Inspired Historical Authors is hosting a "Christmas Tea With an Author Party."
This isn't your typical Facebook party, where time is short, posts fly by quickly, and sometimes it can be difficult to catch your breath. Those are fun, but who needs that during the already busy days of this holiday season? So we thought we'd try something a bit different. Each day since December 1st, we've been posting, chatting, and otherwise socializing with our guests. Folks can drop in any time, see what's new, have a little cyber-tea and cookies, and chat with other readers and authors.
There are prizes, recipes, heroes, heroines, and lots of CHRISTMAS!
Oh, and did I mention we're giving way a Kindle Fire and Book Package? So there's that, too!
Hop on over to:
https://www.facebook.com/events/146905602613636/ to get in on the fun and enter to win prizes!
My day to host the party is tomorrow, but don't wait until then. Stop by today, and again tomorrow! :)
ERICA VETSCH can’t get enough of history, whether it’s reading, writing, or visiting historical sites. She’s currently writing another historical romance and plotting which history museum to conquer next! You can find her online at www.ericavetsch.com and on her Facebook Page where she spends WAY TOO MUCH TIME! www.facebook.com/EricaVetschAuthor/December 8, 2017
The Making of The House On Foster Hill - Part #3 & a #Giveaway
Making the characters for The House on Foster Hill was a lot of fun, a lot of structuring with my writing sister, Halee, and a building of personalities. It is very important to me, as a writer, to write characters who are as distinct from each other as possible.I'd like to introduce you to them today, if you'll humor me.
______________________________
Present Day --
Kaine Prescott
Kaine was probably the easiest character for me to create, mainly because her personality is a lot like mine. She's filled with logic and common sense that wars consistently with irrational emotions and an overwhelming sense to fiercely protect those she loves at the expense of herself.Her background as a social worker has really stolen from her any concept of idealism that people are innately good. But she also hasn't lost hope in humanity. Still, she needs to escape. As a widow, odds have stacked against her lately, and while she believes that something more sinister is at play, others believe her career and husband's death has finally brought Kaine to her knees and taken her sense of reason away.
And maybe they have. Considering she just bought an ancient house, sight unseen, halfway across the country in her great-great grandmother's hometown. Anything to get away, to escape, and to prove to herself that she can, and will survive.
Grant Jesse
Grant Jesse was super fun to write. He was one of the characters who just didn't have a lot of issues. He's the guy-next-door, the stable one, the one who can assess a situation logically and also maintain and element of sensitivity--without being overly sensitive himself.He's a grief counselor, and probably the very person Kaine would want to avoid, only she doesn't, and since he's innately wired to rescue people and animals, Kaine Prescott sort of brings out the rescuer in Grant. But he also doesn't push his way in, and he certainly doesn't diminish Kaine's independence. Grant compliments her, comes alongside, and every now and then throws in a wicked one-liner to make a point to a stubbornly emotional woman.
Grant doesn't live far from Foster Hill House, and he's a historical-type, so he knows quite a bit of its history. But then, Foster Hill House loses its allure to the locals, but Kaine Prescott has come and now she's reviving Grant's curiosity to uncover the darkness that hovers not far from his own front door.
Ca. 1906
Ivy Thorpe
Ivy was the most difficult character for me to write. She is so not like me, and yet, she is so likable. Ivy feels everything. She was born with an empathetic soul, one that breaks as hard as the person next to her experiencing the tragedy. Long after people have moved on, Ivy is still lingering, dwelling, and analyzing every person who has passed. She's unwilling to let them be forgotten, she's aching for those left behind, and she's a seeker of resolution, of justice, and of assigning a reason to the pain. When Ivy is faced with bidding farewell to an unknown young woman, her heart is shattered. No one should die without a name, without someone to grieve for them, and without a legacy to be remembered.But Ivy soon finds out that sometimes, when you attempt to expose someone's life, you open wide the doors to unimaginable pain, tragedy, and triumph that can leave a living soul reeling from the shock of it all. And, Ivy isn't one to bounce back quickly or easily from grief. She has held hands with grief for years, and she hasn't encountered anyone who can convince her to release the grave and embrace life.
Joel Cunningham
Joel left his closest friend, Ivy Thorpe, years before, but now he has returned to face not only her, but his childhood. He was an intriguing hero to write. A bit of an alpha male, hard core self-confident, and high sense of logic with very little room for theory and feelings.Yet deep inside, Joel has a heightened sense of loyalty and a deep rooted fear that he has lost opportunities that at one time, may have led him on a far different path in life. While his own past's circumstances were far from in his control, and his life's directions were always decided upon by someone else, he's defined himself now. He has found success as a detective, been saved from the streets by a well-meaning police officer, and seeks to bring reason and justice back to the hometown he once lived in as an orphan.
But no one has wounded him as deeply as Ivy Thorpe. Still, he can muster the resolve to deal with those wounds, because a murder has come to the house on Foster Hill. That abandoned old house they used to play in as children. Laughing and dreaming in the shadows. Never once imagining that the terrors inside the house would laugh in the face of the tragedy Joel and Ivy experienced as young people just outside the reach of the old oak trees' branches.
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So, now you've met the main characters of The House on Foster Hill, and still, two more are unaccounted for: The house on Foster Hill, and a young woman, dead at the base of the hill, whose body tells a story and whose name all of them are desperate to uncover.
Check out my House on Foster Hill Pinterest board for more pictures of story inspiration!!
Enter to win The House On Foster Hill prize package!!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
________________________________
Professional coffee drinker & ECPA/Publisher's Weekly best-selling author, Jaime Jo Wright resides in the hills of Wisconsin writing spirited turn-of-the-century romance stained with suspense. Coffee fuels her snarky personality. She lives in Neverland with her Cap’n Hook who stole her heart and will not give it back, their little fairy TinkerBell, and a very mischievous Peter Pan. The foursome embark on scores of adventure that only make her fall more wildly in love with romance and intrigue.Jaime lives in dreamland, exists in reality, and invites you to join her adventures atjaimejowright.com.
Web site: www.jaimejowright.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/jaimejowright
Twitter: www.twitter.com/jaimejowright
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/jaimejowright
Instagram: www.Instagram.com/jaimejowright
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/13916081.Jaime_Jo_Wright
December 6, 2017
The Making of The House On Foster Hill - Part 2 & a #Giveaway
When I sit down to write, the first thing that usually is in my mind is the story. The plot, the mystery, the characters, the murders (mwah hahaha!). Um. Er. And then, I usually pause to consider what central theme is going to be threaded throughout my stories. I really want my novels to be applicable to readers of all beliefs, while, I also can't separate myself from my own core beliefs. So it's tricky sometimes, not to be preachy, but also to lace faith throughout the pages.With The House On Foster Hill the universal need for HOPE was on my mind. There are some hefty topics covered in the pages of the book -- let's face it, there are some hefty topics in life! The need for hope seems more intense now, than ever.
But hope often seems fleeting. Hope needs to be rooted in something/someone stable and frankly put, there's really nothing in this world--this life--that is never-failing.
This became Gabriella's story. To find a never-failing hope. Because sometimes, circumstances don't provide hope or a way of escape, so we must find a way to overcome.
If you've read THOFH, you already know what I mean. If you don't, then I'm anxious for you to journey with Gabriella. That long, treacherous path, to finding . . . hope.
AND DON'T FORGET! Enter to win THOFH Prize Package! If you already entered Monday, several of the options can be repeated for more entries!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
__________________________________________________
Professional coffee drinker & ECPA/Publisher's Weekly best-selling author, Jaime Jo Wright resides in the hills of Wisconsin writing spirited turn-of-the-century romance stained with suspense. Coffee fuels her snarky personality. She lives in Neverland with her Cap’n Hook who stole her heart and will not give it back, their little fairy TinkerBell, and a very mischievous Peter Pan. The foursome embark on scores of adventure that only make her fall more wildly in love with romance and intrigue.Jaime lives in dreamland, exists in reality, and invites you to join her adventures atjaimejowright.com.
Web site: www.jaimejowright.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/jaimejowright
Twitter: www.twitter.com/jaimejowright
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/jaimejowright
Instagram: www.Instagram.com/jaimejowright
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/13916081.Jaime_Jo_Wright
December 5, 2017
The 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway - Day FIVE
Erica here:
Welcome to the Twelve Days of Christmas Giveaway! You've reached stop number five on the journey! (I'll wait while you sing "Five Golden Rings!")
What's the 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway, you ask?
It's just this:
Each day for twelve days, a new stop on the giveaway pops up with a chance to win prizes! There's a new winner every day, and the prizes build, so the winner on day one will win the first prize, the winner on day two wins the prize for that day AND the prize from day one, and so on until day twelve when that winner wins the grand prize! 15 Gifts PLUS a Kindle Fire 8!
Today's prize is a copy of A Child's Christmas Wish, by yours truly, plus the following prizes:
On Love’s Gentle Shore + tote bag by Liz Johnson
The Gift of Twins by Gabrielle Meyer
The Rancher’s Mistletoe Bride by Jill Kemerer
Christmas Captive by Liz Johnson
How can you enter?
a Rafflecopter giveaway
And be sure to stop by each of the remaining days to check out all the prizes!
12/6 Cathy West - www.catherinejwest.com12/7 Susan Tuttle - susanltuttle.com12/8 Jessica Patch - www.jessicarpatch.com12/9 Bethany Turner - http://seebethanywrite.com/12/10 Lindsay Harrel - https://www.lindsayharrel.com/blog/12/11 Karen Barnett - http://KarenBarnettBooks.com 12/12 Liz Johnson - http://www.lizjohnsonbooks.com/blog/
ERICA VETSCH can’t get enough of history, whether it’s reading, writing, or visiting historical sites. She’s currently writing another historical romance and plotting which history museum to conquer next! You can find her online at www.ericavetsch.com and on her Facebook Page where she spends WAY TOO MUCH TIME! www.facebook.com/EricaVetschAuthor/
Welcome to the Twelve Days of Christmas Giveaway! You've reached stop number five on the journey! (I'll wait while you sing "Five Golden Rings!")
What's the 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway, you ask?
It's just this:
Each day for twelve days, a new stop on the giveaway pops up with a chance to win prizes! There's a new winner every day, and the prizes build, so the winner on day one will win the first prize, the winner on day two wins the prize for that day AND the prize from day one, and so on until day twelve when that winner wins the grand prize! 15 Gifts PLUS a Kindle Fire 8!
Today's prize is a copy of A Child's Christmas Wish, by yours truly, plus the following prizes:
On Love’s Gentle Shore + tote bag by Liz Johnson
The Gift of Twins by Gabrielle Meyer
The Rancher’s Mistletoe Bride by Jill Kemerer
Christmas Captive by Liz Johnson
How can you enter?
a Rafflecopter giveaway
And be sure to stop by each of the remaining days to check out all the prizes!
12/6 Cathy West - www.catherinejwest.com12/7 Susan Tuttle - susanltuttle.com12/8 Jessica Patch - www.jessicarpatch.com12/9 Bethany Turner - http://seebethanywrite.com/12/10 Lindsay Harrel - https://www.lindsayharrel.com/blog/12/11 Karen Barnett - http://KarenBarnettBooks.com 12/12 Liz Johnson - http://www.lizjohnsonbooks.com/blog/
ERICA VETSCH can’t get enough of history, whether it’s reading, writing, or visiting historical sites. She’s currently writing another historical romance and plotting which history museum to conquer next! You can find her online at www.ericavetsch.com and on her Facebook Page where she spends WAY TOO MUCH TIME! www.facebook.com/EricaVetschAuthor/
December 4, 2017
A Week-Long "The House on Foster Hill" Giveaway with @JaimeJoWright!
It's CELEBRATION week here at Coffee Cups and Camisoles! The House On Foster Hill has FINALLY released to the world! I've been so excited to celebrate with many of you in the last week and I'd love to keep the celebration going!
Today, Wednesday, and Friday, I'll be posting some behind-the-scenes in the "making of" THOFH AND I'll be running a giveaway all week for an autographed copy of The House On Foster Hill, bookmarks, the missing diary page of Gabriella (read the book to find out more!), and the KEY to Foster Hill House!
Photo credit: Natalie Walters
(typewriter NOT included in giveaway! lol)
See below to enter the giveaway and revisit everyday this week (there's some added fun tomorrow with Erica and her own celebration release!)
The Making Of The House On Foster Hill
When I was little, my dad took me through his childhood home. It was an abandoned, two-story farmhouse, with gaping windows, lonely staircase, and upper floors too rotted to be trusted. Wallpaper rolled in shriveled, tired sheets, and even the kitchen with its old-fashioned pump handle, looked wearied. Time had born a wicked toll on my dad’s home, but in his memory, moments of life lived with vivid impact.
It is one of the first times I ever recall wondering what it would be like if walls could speak.
There’s something about old, abandoned homes that tickles the intrigue of even the most non-imaginative person. History laces its framework, but more than that, it’s the human story. We all share in that nostalgia, because we all have families, wounds, joys, and sometimes horror. The walls of a home become our silent witness and when those times have passed, the walls of the home still hold true to their silent vigil.
When the idea was present to me to write a split-story (dual time) story, it made sense to center my first one around an old abandoned house. The eerie sensation, the ghostly elements, the stories that have never been told...what would happen if someone today were able to resurrect the tales of yesterday? And what if we, as readers, could travel back to the moment that memory was first collected in the walls of the old house?
The excitement riddled through me, straight down to my fingertips. Foster Hill House was created, and the house became a character in and of itself. Along with its terrible, dark secrets ...
Sign up for my newsletter here and receive the graphic above FREE for your desktop wallpaper!
Enter to win the big giveaway and stop back Wednesday and Friday for more behind-the-scenes AND opportunities to gain entries daily!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
___________________________________________
Professional coffee drinker & ECPA/Publisher's Weekly best-selling author, Jaime Jo Wright resides in the hills of Wisconsin writing spirited turn-of-the-century romance stained with suspense. Coffee fuels her snarky personality. She lives in Neverland with her Cap’n Hook who stole her heart and will not give it back, their little fairy TinkerBell, and a very mischievous Peter Pan. The foursome embark on scores of adventure that only make her fall more wildly in love with romance and intrigue.
Jaime lives in dreamland, exists in reality, and invites you to join her adventures at jaimejowright.com.
Web site: www.jaimejowright.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/jaimejowright
Twitter: www.twitter.com/jaimejowright
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/jaimejowright
Instagram: www.Instagram.com/jaimejowright
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/13916081.Jaime_Jo_Wrigh
Today, Wednesday, and Friday, I'll be posting some behind-the-scenes in the "making of" THOFH AND I'll be running a giveaway all week for an autographed copy of The House On Foster Hill, bookmarks, the missing diary page of Gabriella (read the book to find out more!), and the KEY to Foster Hill House!
Photo credit: Natalie Walters(typewriter NOT included in giveaway! lol)
See below to enter the giveaway and revisit everyday this week (there's some added fun tomorrow with Erica and her own celebration release!)
The Making Of The House On Foster Hill
When I was little, my dad took me through his childhood home. It was an abandoned, two-story farmhouse, with gaping windows, lonely staircase, and upper floors too rotted to be trusted. Wallpaper rolled in shriveled, tired sheets, and even the kitchen with its old-fashioned pump handle, looked wearied. Time had born a wicked toll on my dad’s home, but in his memory, moments of life lived with vivid impact.
It is one of the first times I ever recall wondering what it would be like if walls could speak.
There’s something about old, abandoned homes that tickles the intrigue of even the most non-imaginative person. History laces its framework, but more than that, it’s the human story. We all share in that nostalgia, because we all have families, wounds, joys, and sometimes horror. The walls of a home become our silent witness and when those times have passed, the walls of the home still hold true to their silent vigil.
When the idea was present to me to write a split-story (dual time) story, it made sense to center my first one around an old abandoned house. The eerie sensation, the ghostly elements, the stories that have never been told...what would happen if someone today were able to resurrect the tales of yesterday? And what if we, as readers, could travel back to the moment that memory was first collected in the walls of the old house?
The excitement riddled through me, straight down to my fingertips. Foster Hill House was created, and the house became a character in and of itself. Along with its terrible, dark secrets ...
Sign up for my newsletter here and receive the graphic above FREE for your desktop wallpaper!Enter to win the big giveaway and stop back Wednesday and Friday for more behind-the-scenes AND opportunities to gain entries daily!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
___________________________________________
Professional coffee drinker & ECPA/Publisher's Weekly best-selling author, Jaime Jo Wright resides in the hills of Wisconsin writing spirited turn-of-the-century romance stained with suspense. Coffee fuels her snarky personality. She lives in Neverland with her Cap’n Hook who stole her heart and will not give it back, their little fairy TinkerBell, and a very mischievous Peter Pan. The foursome embark on scores of adventure that only make her fall more wildly in love with romance and intrigue.Jaime lives in dreamland, exists in reality, and invites you to join her adventures at jaimejowright.com.
Web site: www.jaimejowright.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/jaimejowright
Twitter: www.twitter.com/jaimejowright
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/jaimejowright
Instagram: www.Instagram.com/jaimejowright
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/13916081.Jaime_Jo_Wrigh
