Erica Vetsch's Blog, page 170

My Husband's Advice After Fifteen Years of Marriage

Yesterday my husband David and I celebrated our fifteenth wedding anniversary. We had the opportunity to do something a little out of the norm for our family. For part of the day, we were models at the Charles A. Lindbergh Historic Site. The site manager asked our family if we'd like to be in some promotional photos, and we agreed.

It was fun to spend the day with the kids and watch them shine. They did such an amazing job, and in between photo shoots, they explored the site (which they've been to countless times), chased dragonflies, caught caterpillars, and enjoyed the summer weather.




In the evening, my husband and I went out to eat at one of our favorite restaurants and then we came home and sat by the fire. It felt good to spend that one-on-one time together, without the distractions of children and household chores. One of our marriage super-powers (if there is such a thing) is communication. We met when we were sixteen and were friends for over a year before we started dating. He's still my best friend and will be for as long as we walk this earth together. I think that's the reason for our communication skills. We've always been good friends, even through the hardest times in our relationship.


As I look back on fifteen years of marriage, I wonder what I would have told myself as a new bride, if I had the chance. Have you ever been asked to give the bride and groom advice? I'm sure I received plenty at the time...but do I remember it? And, even if I did, I've learned that some lessons can't be taught, they need to be experienced.


During supper, I asked my husband what advice he would give to his twenty-one-year-old self at our wedding. He said: "You know, I think we both do marriage really well." I agreed. Even though we have our struggles, and there are areas we're still working on, overall, we do well together. So I asked him what have we done well that he would advise another young couple to do. And that's when he made me smile.


He said: "I think what we've always done well is hold each other accountable. When one of us is off in our emotions, thoughts, behavior, attitude, we confront the other one and we have enough love and respect for each other to evaluate the issue and make the necessary changes." He's right. This has always been a strength for us. Has it always been easy? No. Have we always made the change right away? No. But I think we've both learned how and when to confront an issue. And we've both learned how to take that issue to God and work it out. Sometimes the change has been immediate...and sometimes it's taken years. We're both still in the midst of some of those works-in-progress now, but we're changing and growing, and showing the other person that we value our marriage enough to work on the issue.


Then he said: "The other thing I think we do well is champion each other's hearts." Dave has always held my heart in his hands, and he's honored me by going to battle for my heart countless times. Sometimes he's had to battle outside forces, people and things that have threatened to crush my spirit--and sometimes he's had to battle my own inner struggles. He's done so with words of wisdom, courage, honesty, and patience. I've had to do the same for him. This one is a little more elusive, because the heart isn't something tangible. It involves the thoughts, emotions, feelings, and memories, and can be a hard battle to fight. But Dave and I both understand the importance of protecting each other's hearts, and being the champion for our spouse.


The last thing he said we've done well (and I said he's done better at this than me), is sacrifice for each other's dreams. Dave is my number one fan. Always. He loves my drive and determination (he tells me that all the time), and he recognizes that the dreams in my heart were placed there by God. He has done everything in his power to help me achieve those dreams, and it has made all the difference in our lives and marriage. I can't imagine pursuing something like my writing dream without his full support--and he can't imagine owning his own business if I wasn't committed to his dreams.


Marriage is hard. But it's also the most amazing journey I've ever been on. I thank God that He brought David into my life when I was sixteen, and that I had enough wisdom and discernment at that age to know he was the man I wanted to spend my life with.

I'd love to know: What advice would you give a newly married couple? What advice did you receive? If you're married, what have you learned? If you're not, what have you learned from watching others?

Gabrielle Meyer
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One Line Workshops

Erica here:

I recently taught a workshop at the WordSowers Christian Writer's Conference in Omaha, Nebraska. While I was there, I got to attend workshops taught by Mary Connealy and Cheryl St. John. (I know, right???)

I was reminded again of all the wisdom and craft and ability my writing buddies possess, and I wondered how could I distill that knowledge into bite-sized pieces so I could remember them and draw upon them when I needed to?

So, I asked. I asked writer friends to give me one of their favorite pieces of writing advice in one (or two) lines. And they graciously responded! (Writers are generous people!)



These are strictly in the order in which they came in as a response to my call, no rhyme or reason or order. Read through them several times, and each time you will glean something new!



Teach me, Lord, to write what You will bless. Davilynn Spencer.

Follow the rules until you know that you're breaking them. Katie Ganshert

When you sit down to write a first draft, banish the Doubt Dragon, muzzle your Internal Editor and enjoy the process of creating a story. Keli Gwyn

Pick apart the books written by the writers you love, who write in the sub-genre you want to sell! – Tina Radcliffe

"Listen to those who know more than you do." Lynette Eason

“Finish the book, then write another one.” Deb Kastner.

It takes years to be a surgeon, a pianist a school teacher, writing is no different. Study, work hard, practice, learn. Mary Connealy

The villain always thinks he's the hero in his own mind. Tara Johnson

In order for your writing to stir up emotion in the reader, it first has to stir up emotion in you. Sarah Forgrave
Put earbuds in at the gym...but covertly spy on the people on the treadmills next to you. Becky Sillick Jones

Finish what you sta__ (Okay, really "Write every day even if you think it's bad. Then next day it's easier to edit bad stuff than start cold.") Marianne Hering

Don't expect "normal" people to understand what you do--they can't; only another author can understand. Dorothy Clark

"Don't compare yourself to others. It will drive you nuts." Lenora Worth :)

You have to learn how YOU write, and the only way to do that is to write, constantly and continually, take whatever criticism comes your way, reject or accept and apply it as best you can, and write some more. Arlene James

(Bonus tip from Arlene:) It's as important to know what you instinctively do well as it is to know what you are missing: You can learn what you are missing; what you instinctively do well determines who you are as a writer. Arlene James

When you don't feel like writing, do it, and the feeling will follow. LeAnn Harris

Stay vulnerable. Bill Giovannetti

Make perseverance your catch word Ann H Gabhart
Don't take yourself too seriously, you haven't perfected anything, so welcome constructive criticism. And drink coffee. Jaime Jo Wright
Imagine, dream, laugh, cry, pray, and use the Oxford comma. Anne Love
The hero/heroine need to have a clear goal for every scene, and the reader needs to know what's at stake if it isn't accomplished.  Gabrielle Meyer


A big thank you to all my writer buddies who passed along their gems of wisdom. You gals (and Bill) rock! :D )
Do you have a one-line piece of advice you'd like to share? I'd love to learn from YOU!

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Ask Me Anything - well, almost anything

It's time for some fun!! I'd love to compile a list of questions that I can answer for you. They can be about writing, book reviews, genres, God, me, etc. Any takers? What's been on your mind lately??

If you leave a question, I'll enter to you to win a copy of my latest novella, "The Cowgirl's Lasso" as part of the "The Cowboy's Bride Collection"!



_______________________________________

Professional coffee drinker and best-selling author, Jaime Jo Wright, resides in the hills of Wisconsin writing spirited and gritty turn-of- the-century romance stained with suspense. Her day job finds her working as a Director of Sales & Associate Relations. She’s wife to a rock climbing, bow-hunting Pre-K teacher, mom to a coffee-drinking little girl and a little boy she fondly refers to as her mischievous “Peter Pan.” Jaime completes her persona by being an admitted social media junkie and a coffee snob. She is a member of ACFW, has seen her work on both the ECPA and Publisher’s Weekly top ten best-sellers list for inspirational fiction, and has the best writing sisters ever!
www.jaimejowright.comwww.facebook.com/jaimejowrighttwitter.com/jaimejowrightpinterest.co... @jaimejowrightGoodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13916081.Jaime_Jo_Wright

The Emptying Nest: Packing Up The Years

My son is a minimalist. The first year he left for the summer to be a camp counselor, he forgot his sleeping bag and slept with his beech towel for covers. When he left for college, he could pack all he needed in his little Honda Civic, while our daughter needed the entire family van. But this time, he's moving out for the last time, and it was just different as he and his fiancé began packing up his room.

It was like seeing his childhood in review. Favorite books: he asked to take Goodnight Moon. Then it was the chest of stuffed animals, the recalling of each of their names, where he'd gotten them, who'd given them, and how he'd slept with them.


Then it was the Harry Potter wand that was found in the closet, and him telling his sister to get hers. And they struck poses and quoted the best lines of movies with a glint of childish glee still fresh in their eyes.

I handed over financial files, car repair receipts, and college loan PIN numbers. I dumped a pile of storage bins, packing tape, collapsed cardboard boxes, Sharpies (because every packing task needs great Sharpies), then left him and his fiancé to the packing of the years.

I curled up across the upstairs hallway on my daughter's bed while she sorted piles of college boxes and clothes. I listened while she bemoaned the simple ambivalence of growing up--wanting to move onward without sacrificing the best of a grand childhood that now seems so sacred and too quickly coming to a close. She referenced her feelings with the lines from Anne of Green Gables, when Anne is afraid to move onward and mistakenly refuses Gilbert's proposal as she hangs between childhood and the verge of a new horizon.


Just as we sighed over the sweetness of it, my son marched into her room and held out his hand to announce he was returning her diary key that he'd held in safe keeping all these years....


"That key is so old I don't remember..." A delayed response ensued.  "Wait, you read my diary?!"

Giggles erupted.

While her brother has been away, our daughter has been happy to possess the entire bathroom this summer and yelled loudly when he locked the door behind him--"leave it as you found it!!" That old childhood I'll-kill-you-if-you-don't edged her twenty-two year old voice.

Snapping pictures of my daughter's room, I wanted to remember these precious moments.
In marched our son's fiancé to announce to our daughter "he's going to come give you some change in Euros for your Ireland trip and ask for something in return--don't give it to him!!" A little youthful I-can't-believe-he-had-your-diary-key laced her imperative and a new sisterly bond was cemented.

Alas, the boxes were packed. Pizza and ice cream were eaten.
Finally all the lights were out on packing night.

This morning my husband and I surveyed their progress. 
Years of childhood sat in boxes in the corner of his room.
Is that all he packed? My husband asked.

It seemed like more. 
Much much more.

Sisters of Lazarus #Giveaway by, Paula K. Parker

We're excited to have a new-to-us author here at Coffee Cups & Camisoles! So we sat down with Paula K. Parker to learn not just about her book, but her! :)

___________________________________________

What authors do you like to read?

Wow, there are so many. One of my favorites is Jane Austen. I love how her characters have endured through the centuries. I adapted her Pride & Prejudice, Sense & Sensibility and Emma into stage plays that are being performed in the United States and in the United Kingdom.

Other favorite authors include Georgette Heyer, Robert Jordan and Charles Martin. Their mastery of the language along with their ability to weave plots and create believable characters not only hours of relaxation, it also inspires my own writing.

What book or books have had a strong influence on you or your writing?

While the Bible is the source material for my own biblical novels, I fell in love with scripturally-inspired fiction through “The Robe.” Robert Jordan’s “Wheel of Time” series has been my favorite for over twenty-five years. I kept a pencil and paper handy when I was reading his books, to jot down creative descriptions.

What’s more important: characters or plot?

They are equally important. In our sound-bit, 140-character-tweet world, you have to have an intriguing—and believable—plot to catch and keep the reader’s attention. You also need characters who are fully-developed, with human strengths and weaknesses.

Is there one subject you would never write about as an author and what would it be?

As a freelance writer, I have written articles on a wide variety of subjects. Many of those topics have given me nightmares. I can’t think of a subject I would turn down, but obviously I would write it from my perspective and personal values.

How important are names to you in your books and how do you choose them?

Names are very important for main characters; I consider the meaning of the names and even how they sound when selecting them. I find names everywhere, from movie credits to the name tags of clerks in stores. One website I use is
What secret talents do you have? Because here at the CCC blog we have all kinds of them ;)

I love chocolate, own over a dozen chocolate cookbooks and make all types of chocolate desserts and candies. Another secret talent; I have play the harp.


What were you like as a child? Steady-going like our Anne, a tornado like Jaime, and adventurous soul like Erica, or an avid-reader like Gabrielle?

I was steady-going and compliant. I used to think I was shy, because I enjoyed spending time alone, reading and writing. Since then, I have learned that I was an introvert.

Characters often find themselves in situations they aren't sure they can get themselves out of. When was the last time you found yourself in a situation that was hard to get out of and what did you do?

It was only a few weeks after hubby Mike and I moved into our new home. He had left for a business meeting that was an hour away. We had not finished installing the fence for our three dogs and I was taking turns walking them. Our female dog was not happy being left inside while I walked her brother. When she jumped up onto the door; her paw caught the lock on the doorknob and flipped it.
There I was, locked out of the house in a neighborhood where I knew no one and Mike had our only cell phone with him. I walked around the house; all the windows were locked. I was thinking of breaking a window when, I heard some voices from a house a few doors down.
Tying our male dog to the front porch, I walked down the street to our neighbors and said, “Hi! I just moved in. This would happen only in a sit-com, but my dog locked me out of the house. Could I please borrow your phone to call my husband?”

What’s your writing goals for 2016?

I am in the final preps for releasing “SISTERS OF LAZARUS; Glory Revealed” [releasing July 12] which is the sequel to “SISTERS OF LAZARUS; Beauty Unveiled.” Later this summer, I will be adapting “Little Women” into a stage play.


Lastly, will you leave us with a snippet from your book that is one of your favorites and gives us a glimpse into its pages?

From “SISTERS OF LAZARUS; Beauty Unveiled”

“We’re not most families.” Mary sniffed, crossing her arms. “We’re wealthy. We can afford nice things. Why shouldn’t I have it?”
“It’s vain!” Martha said, thrusting her hands wide for emphasis. “Vain and prideful! Since you were a child, you’ve been spoiled, allowed to spend too much time and money on your appearance! Look at what you’re wearing,” she pointed to Mary’s clothing. “That yellow linen tunic is fine enough to wear on a feast day! The veil…why are you even wearing a veil? You’re not a woman meeting her betrothed husband.”
“The wind was blowing dust today,” Mary retorted. “I didn’t want to breathe it.”
“I doubt it was beneficial,” Martha lifting the veil and holding it up to the light. “It’s as sheer as a butterfly’s wing. I imagine you wore it to draw attention to your eyes.
“All your life, you’ve thought too much—and spent too much money—on your appearance. I understand Father spoiling you when you were a child—after all, you reminded him of—” she paused, her eyes misting, “of Mother. But you’re older now. Vanity in a child is one thing, but in—”
“It’s not vain to want to look my best!” Mary interrupted. “Besides, as you pointed out, I’m older now—old enough for marriage—and you’ve proven that a large dowry isn’t enough to get a husband!”
Mary’s vision exploded from the force of Martha’s slap. She stumbled backwards, arms waving to regain her balance. She stepped on a cushion, which slipped from under her feet. She twisted, arms out to break her fall, slammed into the side of the table and fell, sprawling across the floor.
Martha gasped, her hands covering her mouth, her eyes wide in shock. “Mary…” she sputtered. “I…I didn’t…mean to…I…I’m…” Turning, she ran from the room.

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About SISTERS OF LAZARUS; Beauty Unveiled (Authentic Media)


Martha and Mary, the two sisters of Lazarus, couldn’t be more different. Martha, the elder, is plain and self-conscious; Mary, the younger, is beautiful. One sees her value only in serving, while the other believes her outward appearance is her only asset. Their worlds are turned upside down when Lazarus offers hospitality to an intriguing new teacher named Jesus.


About Paula K. Parker


Paula K. Parker is a freelance writer living near Nashville, Tennessee, with her husband Mike, who is also a writer. Paula writes books, articles, plays, celebrity profiles, entertainment reviews, curriculum and inspirational devotionals. Her latest biblical novel, “SISTERS OF LAZARUS: Beauty Unveiled,” reached Amazon’s Top Ten Best-seller’s list for biblical fiction. When not writing, she spends her days hanging with her hubby, playing with their three dogs, visiting with their five grown children and four grandbabies, playing the harp, restoring their vintage home and working in their garden.

And best yet? Enter to WIN A COPY of Paula's novel! :)



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Summertime and the Livin is Easy...Or is it?

Yesterday, at approximately noon, summer vacation started for the Meyer family. My oldest finished fifth grade, my second finished third grade, and my twin boys completed Kindergarten.

Yesterday at recess, moments before the
boys finished Kindergarten(Can I add a side note? My twins are my "babies," yet I had no problem sending them off to Kindergarten this year. You would think, given they're my youngest, that I would have been very emotional, but I wasn't. I was ready to send them off. Not only because they needed that change of scenery, but also because I homeschool our older girls. It was a lot easier keeping the girls on track when we weren't interrupted by the boys. But there was something much different about the last day of Kindergarten for me. I was very emotional as I realized they are now DONE with Kindergarten. They will be in first grade next year. That's a whole different ballgame. First grade is for big kids. Little boys who are on their way to being little men...excuse me while I wipe a tear and hug them close again.)

Summer is my favorite time of year, especially here in Minnesota. We soak up as much of summer as we possibly can. There are days when we might be in three different bodies of water. One lake in the morning for swimming lessons, a dip in the Mississippi River behind our house after lunch, and maybe a boat ride in Grandma's lake after supper. We ride bikes, hike countless trails, play in the park, grill as many meals as we can (even breakfast!), have campfires in our backyard, swing in the hammock, visit the zoo, explore historic sites, and on and on.

My backyardSummertime and the livin is easy...but very, very busy with lots of fun activities.

This summer my girls will attend Bible Camp for the first time! They will also participate in community theater (Cinderella) in June. In July my oldest will go to a week-long, intensive theater camp in a nearby city to perform The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and both girls have been invited to participate in an annual community play fundraiser in August.

There will be golfing at the nearby golf course, watching fireworks at the lake, family reunions, playdates at the beach, and kickball games at the ball fields. My husband and I will celebrate our fifteenth wedding anniversary, and both of our daughters will have birthday parties.

In a couple weeks, I will be welcoming twenty writer friends to my hometown for a much-needed retreat. We will be staying in a historic mansion on the banks of the Mississippi River a few blocks from where I live. I have lots of fun activities planned and I'm looking forward to showing off my little river town.

In August I will attend the ACFW Conference in Nashville, and a few days after I return, on September 1st, I will be hosting a release party for my first novel, A Mother in the Making.

Lots and lots of fun plans. I will constantly remind myself to take life one day at a time, enjoy each moment as I experience it, and not lament at how quickly it passes.

Let's Chat: What are your plans for the summer? What are your favorite summer memories?

Gabrielle Meyer
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Try Everything

Erica here:

A little encouragement for your mid-week. The song is Try Everything, from the movie Zootopia, and is performed by the acapella group Home Free (from Minnesota!)

It doesn't matter how many mistakes you make or how many times you get knocked down, what matters is how many times you get back up and try again!




Don't forget to enter the His Prairie Sweetheart prize giveaway! Time's running out!

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A Holiday After-Party

I love holidays like the next person. It's the opportunity to lay back, stare up at the sky, and imagine. Dream, if you will. This holiday was that way for me more than previous years. My kids are finally of the age where, while there's still a hundred "mommy? mommy? mommy-s?" throughout the day, they can at least play on their own. 
So I chillaxed (a bit) and was able to finish one book and start another. I also fit in an episode of the British television show, Grantchester, and managed to get a light dusting of sunburn.
But now it's the day after. A lot of comments on Facebook this morning are a tad depressing. Like Monday blues times ten. So my goal today, is to make it a holiday AFTER-party. Meaning, why stop the happiness, right??
I took my daughter to Starbucks before work and school. (I'm still on a schedule, so that couldn't be compromised). I refilled my coffee when I came to work but actually took a few minutes out to socialize with coworkers. I planned out my lunch break so I can kick back and read and take a walk instead of my normal work-thru-lunch-break. AND, I decided that tonight we will play a rousing game of Old Maid and eat on the porch.
The concept of holiday, is rest and time with family. But somehow we allow life to creep in like an evil villain and capture every moment. Let's not do that today! I realize life is, well, LIFE! Maybe you're mourning the loss of a family member, or were just diagnosed with a terminal illness. Perhaps your week was like mine where our tractor, lawn mower, toilet, and air conditioner all broke and you're facing some pretty serious and potentially bank-account-fatal financial issues. Life can steal our joy, wrap it up in mud and grime, and stuff it down our throats until we gag. Or we can choose to find even the tiniest of blessings that the Lord sends to us and go, "yes." Yes to the holiday after-party, yes to a smile, and yes to even sixty seconds of much-needed rest.
How will you celebrate your after-party today?


_______________________________________

Professional coffee drinker and best-selling author, Jaime Jo Wright, resides in the hills of Wisconsin writing spirited and gritty turn-of- the-century romance stained with suspense. Her day job finds her working as a Director of Sales & Associate Relations. She’s wife to a rock climbing, bow-hunting Pre-K teacher, mom to a coffee-drinking little girl and a little boy she fondly refers to as her mischievous “Peter Pan.” Jaime completes her persona by being an admitted social media junkie and a coffee snob. She is a member of ACFW, has seen her work on both the ECPA and Publisher’s Weekly top ten best-sellers list for inspirational fiction, and has the best writing sisters ever!
www.jaimejowright.comwww.facebook.com/jaimejowrighttwitter.com/jaimejowrightpinterest.co... @jaimejowrightGoodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13916081.Jaime_Jo_Wright

To wish you all a "Happy Memorial Day" seems somehow irre...

To wish you all a "Happy Memorial Day" seems somehow irreverent for the loss of so much life over the centuries...

I wish you simply to remember. 

Joshua 4 reminds of memorials and why we do them....

4 When all the people had crossed the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, 2 “Now choose twelve men, one from each tribe. 3 Tell them, ‘Take twelve stones from the very place where the priests are standing in the middle of the Jordan. Carry them out and pile them up at the place where you will camp tonight.’”

4 So Joshua called together the twelve men he had chosen—one from each of the tribes of Israel. 5 He told them, “Go into the middle of the Jordan, in front of the Ark of the Lord your God. Each of you must pick up one stone and carry it out on your shoulder—twelve stones in all, one for each of the twelve tribes of Israel. 6 We will use these stones to build a memorial.

21 Then Joshua said to the Israelites, “In the future your children will ask, ‘What do these stones mean?’ 22 Then you can tell them, ‘This is where the Israelites crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’ 23 For the Lord your God dried up the river right before your eyes, and he kept it dry until you were all across, just as he did at the Red Sea[c] when he dried it up until we had all crossed over. 24 He did this so all the nations of the earth might know that the Lord’s hand is powerful, and so you might fear the Lord your God forever.”


We have stones too...


Researching our family history, I've been able to find three ancestors who fought in the Revolutionary War. Above, my husband stands beside his 5x's Great Grandfather's memorial, John O'Gullion, who fought at the Battle of Long Island and was wounded in New Jersey, yet lived to be near 100. Yet sadly, none of our family knew his memorial had been in the county they lived in for the next 5 generations, because no one passed the story on to the next generation.

Above, this week I've just located a third patriot: Jacob Hite, my husband's 5x's great grandfather who fought at the Siege at Yorktown and was present when Cornwallis surrendered to the American Continental Army. This battle in 1781, under the command of Gen. George Washington, was the last land battle and brought about the negotiation of the end of the Revolutionary War.
This spring I found another patriot, Col. Henry Haller, my husband's 6x's great grandfather who fought along side Gen. George Washington. I would like to find his stone one day, but it's on his private family farm in Pennsylvania. At Find-A-Grave.com, it reports family tradition states that he crossed the Delaware with Washington. I was so happy to learn his family told of his story!
Whether stones of our forefathers, or memorials to God, tell your stories of God's faithfulness to your children. Perhaps then there could be less war and a greater humbleness for life and the sacrifices made on our behalf.

Today, tell your children what these stones mean.-------------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.


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His Prairie Sweetheart Giveaway!!!!

Erica Here:

May has been a wonderful month, celebrating the release of my first Love Inspired Historical, His Prairie Sweetheart. To say thank you to all of you who have celebrated with me, I'm having a giveaway!

THREE giveaways, in fact. Next Friday, I'll choose three winners. US Residents only, please. Enter, follow, sign up, put your name in the hat, and otherwise, enjoy!





Grand Prize Package:Tote Bag from Thirty-OneSnowflake Memory Keepsake BoxCookie cutters to make your own version ofKransekake, just like SavannahBay Rum SoapSnowflake-shaped bath bombsSnowflake cookie cutterAutographed copy of His Prairie Sweetheart
Prize Package #2Snowflake Memory Keepsake BoxKransekake cookie cuttersSandalwood soapSnowflake cookie cutterAutographed copy of His Prairie Sweetheart

Prize Package #3Autographed copy of His Prairie SweetheartSnowflake Cookie Cutter
Here's a bit about the book, and you can get a copy HERE. 



A Home for Her Heart   After being jilted at the altar, Southern belle Savannah Cox seeks a fresh start out West and accepts a teaching position in Minnesota. But between her students' lack of English, the rough surroundings and sheriff Elias Parker's doubts and distrust, Savannah's unprepared for both the job and the climate. However, she's determined to prove she can handle anything her new town throws her way. Elias gives it a week—or less—before the pretty schoolteacher packs her dainty dresses and hightails it back home. But no matter how many mishaps he has to rescue her from, Savannah doesn't give up. Yet the real test is to come—a brutal blizzard that could finally drive her away, taking his heart with her…
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