Erica Vetsch's Blog, page 180

What Era Would You Choose?

I recently finished Julie Klassen's newest novel, The Painter's Daughter, set in England in 1815. When I closed the book I thought to myself the same thing I think every time I read a good book: I would love to live in that time period! I love the formal meals, the dancing, the etiquette, the large homes, the servants -- maybe I should clarify, I would love to be the Lady of the manor in 1815 and not the servant, definitely not the servant.

When I read Laura Frantz' The Colonel's Lady  I wanted to live during the Revolutionary War on the Kentucky frontier. When I read Lynn Austin's Candle in the Darkness , I wanted to go back in time to the Civil War Era on a southern plantation. And when I read my all time favorite series by Maud Hart Lovelace (Betsy Books) I dreamt about living in a Minnesota town during the Turn of the Twentieth Century - if only for a day.

The beauty of a book is that it transports you to a different time and place, without the discomforts of reality.

To be honest, I like the idea of living in those time periods, but if push came to shove, I'd probably stay where I am.  Because who would have chosen to live through the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, while our country was being ravished and lives were being torn apart? And who would want to live during the Turn of the Century when there were no microwaves or dishwashers? Although, I think I could have managed if I had a servant.

Hindsight (and the skills of a talented writer!) can make any era look attractive over time. Who knows, maybe someday people will wish they could have lived during 2016. Maybe.  
 The closest I'll ever come to living during the
Turn of the Twentieth Century. This is a picture
of me reenacting Evangeline Lindbergh in 1917
at the Charles A. Lindbergh Historic Site .If given the chance to go back in time, I would choose to live during the period between 1890-1915. What's not to love about this time? It was a fun and exciting period in America History. Inventions were making life easier for the common man and allowing people the freedom for leisure activities. Clothing was beautiful, automobiles were all the rage, singing and dancing around the piano on a Saturday night was the norm and attending a movie matinee on Sunday afternoon was a weekly occurrence. Not to mention, servants were abundant! Side note: what ever happened to servants???
What about you? Have you ever read a book and wished you could step into that time and place? If you could choose one era to visit for a day, which would it be and why? Gabrielle Meyer
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Field Trip!

Erica Here: This past week, my kids and I had a field trip. This was the first in a long time, though it used to be our common practice. Now that the kids are grown up and we're no longer homeschooling, it's hard to get a time when everyone is off work.
But things all came together for last Friday. The kids and I had a great day.
The first stop was in Cannon Falls, MN, to a yarn shop. My daughter is an avid crocheter and knitter, and I'm so glad we stopped. I found some cool yarn for a baby blanket, and she found lots of yarn for lots of stuff!

Then, because we could, we stopped for an early lunch in Apple Valley at Chick Fil A.

Then we trekked west to Shakopee to shop at Eagle Creek Quilt Shop, which is charmingly housed in the antique Shakopee train depot. What a wonderful shop, with cheerful, helpful, knowledgeable folks.


Since I had Heather with me, and I wanted to make a quilt for her, it was so fun to have her pick out the fabrics and pattern. She decided on "Viewpoints" by Laundry Basket Quilts. Isn't it cute? I can't wait to get started...of course, I have to finish quilting my current project first...


After we finished up at the quilt shop, it was off to the Minnesota Historical Society to take in the new Suburbia exhibit (and shop for new history books, but that's a post for another day.) The kids particularly liked the 1960's station wagon. 


We enjoyed the view of St. Paul's Cathedral. Even in the middle of the city, snow and scale bring a hush.

While we tooled around the gift shop...well, Heather tooled, I drooled...over all the amazing BOOKS!...Heather found this little gem. I couldn't agree more!

After the history center, we went to Cossetta's, met friends, and dined on wonderful Italian food.

Then it was off to the Ramsey House After Dark Tour: Crime and Justice. We went with Gabrielle Meyer and her husband, and Michelle Griep and her husband. On the tour, we learned more about the trial and execution of Ann Bilansky, the first white woman executed in the state of Minnesota...and all the doubts that still swirl around her guilt or innocence. (More on this in another blog post, too!)




I loved spending the day with my crazy-wonderful kids. Fun, quilts, history. Check. Check. Check.
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My 2016 #TBR Pile

There are SO MANY good books coming out this year. A ton by authors I love and a lot by authors I've never read! So I've compiled a very eclectic arrangement of books I'd like to read this year and check out. Figured I'd share in case you want to journey along with me! :)


Nothing gets me like a great World War II novel, and while there are several authors in this genre, Sarah is a master!! You will NOT go wrong with any of her books, and this latest/greatest I cannot wait for!

Rachel McMillan is bringing us back to Sherlock Holmes style with vivid female detectives and, from what I hear, some stellar mystery. I'm so excited about this book because I'm an avid Sherlock-style fan! :)

Kara's new book? I have a wonderful admission: I've read it already!!! She's my writing-sister, my cohort and one of my bestest friends ever. But I can't wait to read the final print version. This New Zealand, Lord-of-the-Rings, and comedic-snark trifecta makes me sure that Kara will take the romantic genre by STORM!

Don't get me started on Dani's books. I love them. If you enjoy romantic suspense, Colleen Coble, and good clean fiction, you'll really enjoy Dani's books. And this is a new series with a Ben Affleck-Look-Alike on the cover, which means it's predestined to be stellar.

I have never read Connilyn Cossette. I'm not even sure if this is a debut novel or if she's a veteran. But I'm anxious to try this one. It's set in Biblical times, specifically during the Israelite Exodus. But what I like about it, is the heroine is a fictionalized character, so it isn't a retelling of an actual Biblical character. I like that. 

I just finished Dina's book "Chivalrous" and LOVED IT!! The King Arthuresque setting is great, but she writes a strong feminine heroine who doesn't always need to be rescued. I love that too. YAY for strong-willed females! :) I'm looking forward to this one, as I fell in love with the main heroine in "Chivalrous" and it's time she get her own story.

I'm totally fascinated by this book. In truth, I know little about it, save the cover is amazing. I am a cover junky. For that reason alone, I shall read it. 

I have never read a Julie Cantrell novel (again, is this her first? No clue). But I love the premise. A fortune told in the spine of a feather, a mystery, and, if the back cover copy implies anything it verges on creepy. I need creepy in my life. 

I hear tell this is one of her best. I read Terri years ago, before children, and recall how engaged I was in her suspense/murder mystery. I'm anxious to dive in again and see if it's all I remember it to be.

Colleen is my mentor, so of course, I'm ridunculously biased. But, I mean, just look at this beautiful book. Thomas Nelson is an amazing publisher and I'm so thankful they continue to put out such great romantic suspense novels like Colleen's!

Seriously? If you haven't read Mary Weber you're missing out. This is a speculative other-world genre, and this is book #3 of an amazing crafting of story, characters, and journey. I cannot wait!

The cover. The title. How can you not?? It's creepy, it's suspenseful, and I love that it's an author I've never read. 

So...what's on your TBR pile for 2016? Who/what did I miss? Make sure you leave a comment cause I may need to add it to mine :)

________________________________
Professional coffee drinker, Jaime Jo Wright, resides in the hills of Wisconsin. She loves to write spirited turn-of-the-century romance, stained with suspense. Her day job finds her as a Director of Sales & Development. 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 coffee snob. She is a member of ACFW and has the best writing sisters EVER!

"The Cowgirl's Lasso", The Cowboy Bride's Novella Collection - Barbour Publishing - COMING MARCH 2016

"Gold Haven Heiress", California Gold Rush Romance Collection - Barbour Publishing - COMING AUGUST 2016

Visit Jaime's web site: jaimejowright.com
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Monday's Devo: Glowing Green Hearts & God's Glory...

Funny thing when the highlight of my week was a text from my son about fruit flies.

Fruit fly larva, to be exact.

He busted it hard to find a class for January term of his sophomore year, as all the science classes or education classes he needed were all full, or he hadn't had the prerequisites yet. He had called late November, still on pins and needles, saying he thought he'd have to sit out the term. With encouragement and a meeting with his advisor, he managed to arrange a practicum assisting a microbiology professor to prep her course for next semester.

Basically, he's getting credit for being her lab rat/geek.

Wednesday, I'd texted him to find out how it was going...

Me: how's it going in the lab?
Him: ok.

(Long convo, big surprise).

But Thursday he sends this:

My son: "This is a picture I took through a microscope of a fruit fly larva that I extracted from its protective covering. It also has a bioluminescent gene to make its heart light up green. I just thought I'd share my cool moment of the day."


On the way home from work, it just made my day.That's when I stopped to be reminded of glory moments from the past.Surely you've seen them too.
There was: ~~that time when I was four or five and was surrounded by a swarm of yellow swallowtail butterflies on the beach with grandma.~~that time Dad woke us and carried us outside in the dead of night to see orange Northern Lights dance across the sky.~~the time I got to see Mt. Saint Helen's, Mt. Hood, Mt. Rainer, and Mt Adams on a clear day of a hiking trip in the Cascades. ~~that time I caught a 16 inch Rainbow Trout in high school while fishing with Dad and I filleted it myself.~~that time my family yelled at me for not doing my part of the kitchen table prep, because I was too busy studying the most beautiful, ginormous, red juicy, most amazing, slicing, garden tomato I've ever seen in my life. ~~that time on a two track trail in the cedar swamp of Upper Michigan when Ted and I found a blooming pink Lady Slipper in the middle of the damp green forrest. ~~that time when I was a nursing student in the newborn nursery for the first time and stood in awe studying the eyelashes of an hours-old newborn, and Dr. Stoltzfus walked in and declared: "You do know they're not monkeys..."

God's glory moments. That's what they are.
Sent to delight and reassure us of Who's in charge. 
And Friday morning, at the end of a visit with a patient facing a tough month and a tough diagnosis, I pulled out my phone, pulled up the Glowing-Green-Fruit-Fly-Larva-Heart and reminded us both:...The God who makes genes that make unseen things glow green, has you in His hands...

What glory moments has God sent you?Take time to pause and remind yourself that He delights in sending them.He delights in reassuring you, He has you in His hands...

YAHOO! @JessicaRPatch Releases a #SuspenseNovel

We are so thrilled to host Jessica Patch here on our blog. She is one stellar lady and the read of her novel Fatal Reunion will be a delicious experience. It's so great to have her here today!________________________
Thanks so much, ladies, for having me here. Happy New Year!

What authors do you like to read? Oh my. I have so many. I think I read most everyone in the CBA! And I also read in the General Market. I’ve become a big, big fan of Carrie Stuart Parks (suspense/thriller). She really needs to write faster. :)

What book or books have had a strong influence on you or your writing? If I’m being honest, I’d have to say my first love affair with books was the Sweet Valley High. Well, not my first love affair because I adored Ramona, Little House on the Prairie and such. But I loved the melodrama and romance/triangles in Sweet Valley High and then of course, Nora Roberts. Long before I realized there was a Christian market, I devoured many of her books.

What’s more important: characters or plot? Can’t have one without the other. I think they’re equally important. When I’m writing a contemporary romance, the characters talk to me first—who they are, what they want. In a suspense, the plot typically comes and the characters insert themselves and open up while trying to stay alive.

Is there one subject you would never write about as an author and what would it be? A subject? I never say never. I’ll write about anything God tells me to and I don’t want to limit Him by drawing a line. I typically like to tackle edgier topics. Read my novellas. It can be done tastefully.

How important are names to you in your books and how do you choose them? Oh! So very important. Typically, they name themselves and then when I look up what the names mean, it has a lot to do with the story or their personality. So I pretty much say, “It’s a team effort. Them, me, & God.”

What secret talents do you have? Because here at the CCC blog we have all kinds of them ;) I have the inane ability to interrupt a conversation with song lyrics that pertain to the conversation. I have several friends that call me “iTunes.” I can also apply a Friends TV quote to any topic as well. I’m kinda proud of it all.

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? As a child (not a teenager) I was bossy but well-mannered. I like to read a LOT and make up stories with my Barbies and babies. I did this pretty much every day. Carried the storyline out like a soap opera. I did like adventure, without getting dirty. I don’t much care to be filty. Sundresses, pig tails, barbies, babies, and books. That was me.

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? I find myself in sticky situations often because I forget to turn on my filter. I typically use humor to slide my way out. But in storms, serious storms, I go to the Rock, baby. My Shelter in the storm. My best friend. The lover of my soul. And I let Jesus defend me or get me through whatever it may be.

What’s your writing goals for 2016? Well, I have another book coming out in June (Protective Duty) and possibly one late in 2016, but more likely January 2017. My 4th Love Inspired Suspense book is due in May, so I ought to write that at some point. :) And I plan to work on an Indie series to release in 2017. I hope, anyway. We’ll see where God takes me. I have a book on submission and a Bible study. So lots going on! Which is a good thing.

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? My heroine (Piper) is a black belt in karate and owns a doja. She’s scrappy, tough, and capable of taking care of herself. She’ll stop at nothing to find out who hurt her grandmother and is trying to kill her. And if that means bypassing a former love who’s a homicide detective (Luke), she will.

An elderly man shuffled across the floor with a pile of chips, and Piper nearly careened into him.

Smoky appeared at the end of a nickel slot machine row, a grin on his face as he looked back at Luke cuffing the big guy. You just wish you were home-free, Willis Fitzgerald.

Piper erupted from the side and tackled Smoky, his head nailing the carpet with a thud. She pressed his cheek into the floor. He deserved the carpet burn.

An older woman squealed and onlookers surrounded her like a SWAT team.

Luke split the crowd and stared down at her, the big guy in front of him with a scowl on his face.

Piper wasn’t sure if Luke was appalled or amazed. Either way. This punk was hers. She craned her neck at Luke. “Don’t worry. I didn’t put him under arrest for ya.”

“Well, it’s the little things that bring me pleasure.”


You can contact me at: jessica@jessicarpatch.com

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____________________________________________
This book is so much fun! Believe me. The spitfire that is Piper and the tension between her and Luke, delicious. Have I said delicious yet? 
You can purchase it on Amazon. Don't waste time. Go. NOW! :)
And enter to win a copy!


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Favorite Books, Favorite Genres, Favorite Authors!!

Wow, the ladies at Coffee Cups & Camisoles are well-read! I've enjoyed getting a sneak peek into their home libraries and reading lives.

I'm a bit different than Erica and Jaime, in so much that I eat, breath, and live in historical romances. Okay, maybe I don't live in historical romances, but man, that was my greatest dream growing up. I wanted so badly to have a time machine and go back to my favorite time periods to smell and taste and see all that was missing in the books I was reading. A close second was to live in a historic home (which I did!) and try to recapture the nostalgia of days gone by...but the reality is an old house is a lot of work! So we moved. :)

Before I began to write full-time, I could count the books I read outside historical romance on my right hand. Two. Sweetwater Gap, by Denise Hunter and The Help, by Kathryn Stockett.


Okay, that's not entirely true. As a child, I devoured The Babysitters Club books, by Ann M. Martin.

Ironically, I was a poor reader in third grade and my teacher told me I needed to find books that would interest me. I remember the very location in my elementary library where I found my first Babysitters Club book and I became a veracious reader.

But, I digress.

As an adult, I couldn't get enough of historical romance. When I was about thirteen, my aunt handed me Love's Long Journey, by Janette Oke.

It was my introduction into Christian historical romance. From there, I read all Janette's books and then moved on to Gilbert Morris and read all the House of Winslow and the Cheney Duvall, M.D. series.



From there, I found Tracie Peterson, Judith Miller, and Lauraine Snelling.



As I matured and the Christian publishing industry expanded, I discovered some of my favorite authors. Lynn Austin (her Refiner's Fire series is among my all-time favorite), Cathy Marie Hake, Siri Mitchell, Deeanne Gist, Mona Hodgson, Kathleen Y'Barbo, and on and on.


About eight years ago, I picked up a book called The Lady of Milkweed Manor, by a debut author named Julie Klassen. I could not put the book down. It was so different from all the others. It was a bit darker and dealt with harder issues. It was my first glimpse into a newer trend in Christian publishing, and I liked it. Julie was the very first author I ever contacted. I loved that she was from my home state of Minnesota. I wrote her an email and she graciously responded, but it would be several years before we met in person and became friends.


Julie is one of my "do-not-miss" authors. I read every book she publishes. Some of my other "do-not-miss" authors are Karen Witemeyer, Jody Hedlund, and Laura Frantz. They are at the top of my list of current favorites, and I don't see them coming off that list any time soon!




A recent discovery is Lori Benton. Oh, my, word! Her book, The Wood's Edge, was my all-time favorite book of 2015. The sequel, A Flight of Arrows, releases in April and I cannot wait! I've already told my family I'm taking a day vacation when that book falls into my hand. Her writing is stunning and I can't get enough.



The classic I return to time and again is Redeeming Love, by Francine Rivers. There is a reason this book continues to be on the bestseller list. It's amazing. It's almost always the first book I hand to people who have not yet read Christian historical romances. I have hooked many a friend and family into the historical romance genre with that story.


The books that shaped my adolescence and confirmed my desire to write about MN history were Little House on the Prairie books, by Laura Ingalls Wilder, and the Betsy-Tacy books by Minnesota author Maud Hart Lovelace. I've read almost all of these books to my own girls and we've visited Laura's home on the banks of Plum Creek in Walnut Grove, MN and Maud's home in Mankato, MN. I love the feel of these books and the devotion Laura and Maud had for their homes. It encouraged me to write about my own hometown and to dig deep into the lives and events that shaped central Minnesota. What I found was a goldmine of ideas!



I have so many other favorites, but these are just a few that have shaped my love for historical romance. Since becoming a writer, and meeting all sorts of other writers, I have broadened my horizon and read within many genres, but historical romance will always have my heart and soul.

What about you? I'd love to know if you've read any of these books. What are your favorite books, genres, and authors?

**Speaking of my favorite books and authors! I have a winner of The Painter's Daughter, by Julie Klassen from my review two weeks ago! The winner is Diane Estrella! Congrats, Diane! I'll be contacting you soon.

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Genres, Authors, and Taste in Books

Erica here: One of our readers asked if we could each talk about our favorite genres, authors, and tastes in books. What a fun idea. If there is anything a writer loves to talk about, it's books!
I have wildly eclectic taste in reading matter, and most of my reading is outside the Inspirational genre. I enjoy mysteries, thrillers, historical romance, children's books, even a dash of horror, and I am a sucker for a Victorian detective novel! 
So here are some of my faves!
Dick Francis mystery/thrillers.


 What do I love about Dick Francis? First, his heroes are always reluctant, but super heroic. And they are wicked smart and capable. Each story is set against a backdrop of British Horse Racing, but the heroes might be photographers, chefs, builders, accountants, or pilots. I learned a lot about careers. My two absolute favorites are Longshot (about an author!) and To The Hilt, about a Scots painter. I have an autographed first British edition of To The Hilt that I treasure.

Essie Summers made me want to become a writer. Essie Summers was a New Zealand native and minister's wife who wrote more than 50 romances from the 1960's to the early 1990's. I have all her books, and it was Essie's portrayal of romance and what a hero should be and how he should treat a lady that made me want to write romance novels...and to visit New Zealand long before it was Middle Earth.

Longmire mysteries by Craig Johnson! Craig Johnson is a gifted storyteller with a unique perspective. His character Longmire is droll and smart, and capable, and the friendship between Sheriff Longmire and his best friend, Henry Standing Bear is delightful to read.


Amelia Peabody mysteries from Elizabeth Peters If you haven't tried this series, give it a go! Amelia and her husband Radcliffe Emerson are archaeologists/Egyptologists, and their relationship is a HOOT! The books are written in the Victorian style of inviting the reader into the narrative, and I definitely have a crush on the Emerson's son, Ramses.
LOVED The Black Stallion stories! The Black Stallion books! I received my first Black Stallion book when I was in third grade, and I must've read it dozens of times. I own the entire series, and I've read them all many times. I was so thrilled when my son began reading them all on his own, devouring them one after another.
Who didn't love Laura?  When I was in third grade, my teacher read the entire Little House series aloud to us. The next year, I think I checked Farmer Boy out of the school library at least six times. I have lived all of Laura's adventures so many times, and I love every one of her books.


Cherry Ames! For years, reading Cherry Ames books made me want to become a nurse. God had other plans, but thanks to amazon.com/kindle, I am renewing my relationship with Cherry a few books at a time!

A little Horror! I LOVE the Agent Pendergast series from Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. This series falls under the horror/paranormal/cop/thriller/mystery genre...yeah, Barnes & Noble doesn't know where to shelve it either, so it just goes into general fiction. But Pendergast is a truly unique character that will stay with you after the book is done.

Anne Perry's Inspector Monk series. Anne Perry is the QUEEN of Victorian murder mysteries/police procedurals. She has two very long running series set in Victorian times, the Charlotte and Thomas Pitt novels and the Inspector Monk books. I prefer Inspector Monk, but both are very, very good. You will learn so much about Victorian Society, and you'll feel as if you're right in the action.


From the guy who wrote RAMBO!I recently (within the last year?) discovered the De Quincey mysteries by David Morrell. So far there are two novels and one novella in the series, and I can't wait for the next one to come out!

Lee Child is  genius.And finally, Lee Child's Jack Reacher novels. In this day of reluctant heroes, Jack Reacher is an anomaly. Jack is capable, cunning, relentless, smart, ruthless, brilliant, and unencumbered. He travels the country free of personal possessions, itineraries, and relationships, and he NEVER backs down from a fight.

I didn't even touch on my love of Zane Grey, Louis L'Amour, Sarah Graves, Mons Daveson, Carla Kelly, L. M. Montgomery, Glenn Balch, Shannon Garst, and so many more!

These are just a few of the books that I love. I have four hundred books on my kindle, and more than 1000 books on my bookshelves. Space here doesn't allow me to go into my collection of history books from the places I've visited and the places I research for novel settings.

My husband says it's a sickness, this collecting of books, but I prefer to call it a quirk. :D

Have you read any of the authors here? Any you think you'd like to try out?


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Fave Authors, Fave Genres

Ok, so in keeping with the theme of our favorite books, genres, authors, and so forth, I'm tackling a little bit of everything. I'm an extrovert, so I flit among genres like I do a crowd. I'm also the type of extrovert where I, oddly enough, seek a point to a conversation (extroverts are notorious for keeping convos shallow, hence, why I'm an odd extrovert). I'm the same with a book. If it doesn't suck me in, I shelve it. SO I'm hereby known as the "super-finicky-give-me-a-point-extroverted-reader". Kapeesh?

I grew up reading Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden, as well as the first super elementary introduction into mystery, The Boxcar Children. Be not dismayed, they have never been shelved. In fact, when my local library sold all the ancient copies of Nancy Drew at their book sale (the ones I'd stuffed my face in as a child), I bought them. All. Like 50+ copies. For $40.00. I will give my life to save them if my house ever starts on fire.

Narrowing down to my favorite genre is akin to telling you which of my two cats is my favorite. So, some of my go-to writers just always catch my eye.

For romantic suspense in a contemporary setting, I scream the name of Colleen Coble from the mountaintops. Not to mention I love her to pieces and she's one of my closest mentors. Second, but closely behind Colleen, is Dani Pettrey. Gawsh, she's good!! Love her too. I also enjoy a solid Love Inspired Suspense, and while they can be hit and miss for me, Sarah Varland is one to look up and read. She knows how to weave a pleasant and suspense-laden (not overly dark) romance. And Carrie Stuart Parks ... maybe not as thick in the romance, but heavenly in the suspense ... oh yeash!! (See, she makes me slur drunkenly).

Not sure where Ronie Kendig fits into all this, so she gets her own paragraph :) . She's definitely got somethin' amazing going on. Her military fiction is to die for (but please don't, it'd make us sad), and there's always a thread of romance. She also came out with a Speculative fiction (otherworld adventures) novel in 2015. I'm still in process of reading it, but it's yummy.

I'm not a huge contemporary romance reader, although I have many author-friends in that genre. The ones I do make time for are Denise Hunter, Victoria Bylin, and an occasional Becky Wade, who is a great writer, I just sorta run out of time for reading and again, contemporary romance isn't my go-to. BUT IN 2016 THIS ALL CHANGES with the debut release of Kara Isaac, whose comedic romance is enough to capture my attention (and priorities). It's the addition of some super heavy snark that makes me go YEAH! You'll love her. Go pre-order. Now.

A good historical romance will always make my list. I find myself getting SUPER picky lately, though. While I love historical romance, as I grow, I need more plot than just romance. HOWEVER, if you can include some humor, snark, wit, or just a plain good underlying amount of tension, you'll have me hooked. I know it seems like I'm schmoozing, but Erica Vetsch was ALWAYS one of my favorite historical romance writers. Then one night at a conference, I accidentally sat next to her and gosh dang it, was she NICE!!! And now we blog together. Huh. Go figure. Aside from Erica, I enjoy Karen Barnett, for her rich layers of story and Kristy Cambron for her creative spin and almost literary style of writing (and she is probably lighter on the romance and heavier on the literary history style -- I don't know how you'd categorize her, to be frank). I enjoy Olivia Newport too. She's just a solid writer of historical romance along with Ann Shorey and Maggie Brendan. Of course, toss in Karen Witemeyer and my TBR pile is growing in height.

Throw in good suspense with historical romance and you just jumped up the list of my TBR's. Shelley Gray is a nice one, I enjoy Laurie Alice Eakes, some Elizabeth Camden (although, I'm on again and off again with hers. Not for poor story, but because there's so much history, sometimes I feel it bogs down the suspense). Frankly, there's not a TON of historical suspense in the Inspirational fiction market. But, again I'm finicky. So even what I listed, to me, is lighter suspense. I could use more murders. (GASP!) I'm in process of branching out to the General market in hopes of finding more there. BUT - I'm really looking forward to the release of Rachel McMillan this year whose spin off of Sherlock Holmes (only highly feminine and stellar strong women) totally has me sold already.

I also enjoy a good Spec Fiction novel. Mary Weber has it in spades. I'm also curious to read Curio,  by Evangeline Denmark.

You all know my personal first love is suspense set in historical times with a romantic thread, but a rather gothic feel. I have a newer author I want to check out this year, who we've featured on CCC blog: Cara Luecht.

Are you completely exhausted by this blog post?? Me too! It took me over an hour to write and I'm still moaning about who I missed that I love that I can't remember. I'll save my most-looked-foward-to novels in 2016 for NEXT week's post. :)

Have you read any of the authors I listed above?

____________________________________
Professional coffee drinker, Jaime Jo Wright, resides in the hills of Wisconsin. She loves to write spirited turn-of-the-century romance, stained with suspense. Her day job finds her as a Director of Sales & Development. 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 coffee snob. She is a member of ACFW and has the best writing sisters EVER!

"The Cowgirl's Lasso", The Cowboy Bride's Novella Collection - Barbour Publishing - COMING MARCH 2016

"Gold Haven Heiress", California Gold Rush Romance Collection - Barbour Publishing - COMING AUGUST 2016

Visit Jaime's web site: jaimejowright.com

Email Jaime - jaimejowright at gmail dot com

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A Place on My Bookshelf

What does it take for a book to earn a place on my bookshelf?

Blog readers want to know....What's our favorite here at CCC?
(stay tuned all week as each of us talk about our favorite authors, novels, genres, and our 2016 reading lists)

Anne here. It's no secret that historical romantic fiction is the genre I love.
But which ones? By who? And by what criteria do I choose?

To earn a special place on my bookshelves:

I love a cover that is classy, vintage, and intriguing. Not flashy, sleazy, or too glitzy. I want to take my novels on my errands, I'm not interested in carrying around a corset-buster--or reading one. But, I also love when the story beneath the cover is as well told as the cover is crafted.


I love a full-length novel, where I can really get to know the character's hidden depths. I love a multilayered plot--as long as good characterization isn't left in the dust for the sake of plot intricacies.

I have loved the 19th century the longest, but have begun to grow a wonderful love for colonial times, thanks to Laura Frantz and Lori Benton.

I like a romance that is sweet, realistic, and not too predictable. For me, less is more appreciated--meaning I'm picky about not wanting the romance overdone or too sensual. Let's just say, I prefer clever endearing chemistry over cheap combustion.

I'm intrigued by great historical research resources that transport me back in time. I have books from topics of the Civil War, the American Revolution, pioneer medicine, 19th century Montgomery Wards catalog reprints, colonial midwifery, Custer's last stand, and Mackinaw Island history. Also, filling my research and human interest shelf are books about Laura Ingalls Wilder, the American Yellow Fever plague, a collection of adoptions accounts pre-Roe v. Wade, the history of the logging industry, and Robert Louis Gates, Jr.'s edited account of a rare diary of an escaping African American Slave, Hannah Craft.

I like a story that has a fresh story twist, or involves a seldom discovered niche of history. I've read my share of prairie school teacher romances from Texas. I'm on the look out for something new. I think that's why I branched out to the colonial time period.

I still have a running list of classics I'd like to add to my to-be-read list. I skipped the voracious reader stage as youngster and started my love for reading later in life. I have some catching up to do. I still have Pride & Prejudice, Last of the Mohicans, and Anna Karenina on my shelf to tackle.


I am always looking for a story that pulls me in, evokes an emotion or memory, and connects me to the character, or the author's mind. I'm looking for a well-crafted story that makes me pause to ponder. A story that makes me want to reread a scene because somewhere in my soul, I'd once felt the same thing as the character had, or I'd once cherished the same awareness of truth, or the love of a place or time.

Readers: 
What about you? What's on your 2016 shelf?
What stories do you love? Do you have reading "criteria"?
What novels do you hope we will review at CCC in 2016?
-------------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 on:Facebook Find me on: Pinterest
Find me on: TwitterFind me on: Goodreads  

Happy New Year: 2016!

Winner of last week's give away of Cynthia Ruchti's An Endless Christmas: Shakeia Rieux!
From each of us at CCC, we wish you...

Philippians 3:13-14 NIVBrothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,  I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
We want to thank you all for joining us this past year. We will be taking a break this week to enjoy our families. Join us again next week to kick off 2016. We're jumping into the new year with a fun discussion of our favorite genres, writers, and books.
Happy New Year! From: Anne, Jaime, Erica, & Gabrielle