Sherry Kyle's Blog, page 5

The Heart Stone Trivia Game

And the winner of Deborah Raney’s book, Home to Chicory Lane is:

Laura Bennett

Congratulations, Laura!

 

And now for today’s post . . .

I thought it would be fun to test your knowledge of The Heart Stone, my contemporary novel. If you haven’t read the book yet, don’t worry! There are only five questions and the answers can be easily found on my website, or on one of the purchasing links. (Or you can guess! Worked for me in high school.)

 

 

To play, go to the link below and answer the questions, then comment below with your e-mail address to let me know you’ve played.

 

On your marks, get set, go!

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/3GDT5DW

There will be a fun prize for the winner!

I will notify the winner next Thursday, September 18th.

One more question for the comment box: What is your favorite genre to read and why? 

Featured Book: Home to Chicory Lane

And the winner of Karen O’Connor’s book, Lord, How Did I Get This Old So Soon? is:

Jackie McNutt

Congratulations, Jackie!

And now, our featured book . . .

From the back cover:

Welcome to Chicory Inn . . . where family is (almost) always welcome!

Now that their five kids are out of the house, Audrey and Grant Whitman have spent most of their retirement funds turning their beloved family home into Chicory Inn, a fifty-five hundred square-foot bed and breakfast near the charming town of Langhorne, Missouri.

With opening weekend upon them, the inn is full of love and best wishes from friends and family. What could go wrong? That is exactly what Audrey wonders—until she sees her newly wed youngest daughter, Landyn, arrive from New York, pulling a trailer behind her, and no husband in tow.

Suddenly, the inn is bigger job than either Grant or Audrey anticipated. What happened in New York that sent Landyn running home? Where is Landyn’s husband, Chase? And can Chicory Inn survive all this excitement?

 

An interview with author Deborah Raney:

 

Hi, Deb. Tell us how you got the idea for Home to Chicory Lane .

I was yakking with my friend Courtney Walsh at a conference. Throughout our evening, I’d told several family stories, and at one point she said, “Deb, you have so many fun family stories, you ought to write a book about a big extended family like yours! Or a series!” That got my wheels turning, and I’ve been excited about Chicory Lane ever since!

 

Brainstorming with writing friends is one of my favorite things to do! What’s your favorite scene in in the book?

I loved writing the scenes set in Bed-Stuy in New York. Ken and I lived in the city as newlyweds, so it brought back a lot of great memories! (We were just as broke and dumb as Chase and Landyn then, too!) The scene where Landyn first goes to see Chase in New York is one of my favorite. Even though she’s still has so much growing up to do, it’s clear she loves her husband and wants so badly to make things work with him.

 

Oh, I loved that scene. Yes, my husband and I were broke as newlyweds too. We have a lot of great “cheap date” memories. I see from your website that you’re having a Facebook author chat party on September 9th. Tell us more about that.

I love the Facebook parties that Litfuse throws! Anyone on Facebook is welcome to join, and you can find out more about participating—and about how to enter to win a great B&B weekend giveaway—here: http://litfusegroup.com/campaigns/home-to-chicory-lane-deborah-raney

 

 

Who wouldn’t want a chance to win a B&B weekend? Sounds heavenly! Are you anything like Audrey Whitman, your main character? If you could cast her in a movie, whom would you choose?

I don’t think I’d have the energy to actually run a B&B, but in many other ways, I’m a lot like Audrey. Certainly in the way she cares so deeply for her grown kids and grandkids. And in the way she adores Grant and cherishes their marriage. Sadly, like Audrey, I’m also a little impatient at times, and a little selfish sometimes. I think Victoria Tennant (without the British accent) would be lovely to play Audrey.

 

Describe Grant Whitman, Audrey’s husband. What actor would you hire to play him?

All my heroes are my hubby! But since Ken is not an actor, I’d definitely choose Ed Harris to stand in for him. Like Ken, Grant is easy-going, conscientious, hard-working, and most of all, he can make me…er, Audrey, laugh like no one else. That’s my favorite quality of Ken’s, too. He just makes me smile all the time.

 

The story is also told in Landyn and Chase’s point of view. Tell us a little about them.

Landyn and Chase are both typical young newlyweds. Good-hearted, and sincere, but a little on the selfish side, not quite understanding that marriage is hard work, and that putting your mate above yourself is one secret to making a relationship a treasure. But they’re getting there, and I hope readers will see themselves not-so-long-ago in Landyn and Chase and realize the hope there is for them.

 

 

How many hours a week do you write? Do you have a regular routine?

My routine varies depending on what stage of my deadline I’m at. When it gets down to the wire, I clear my calendar and hole up in my office and write 6-8 hours or more a day. When I’m just getting started on a book, I might spend more hours on research and character development than I do on actually getting words on the page. It probably averages out to 3-4 hours of serious writing a day, and an equal number of hours spent on research, promotion (including interviews like this one), and on reading to learn—both books on the craft of writing, and novels that I wish I’d written.

 

What do you like to do for fun?

We still enjoy planting and tending the flowers in our yard, but since moving to the “big” city of Wichita, we’ve also enjoyed the “culture” a larger town has to offer—farmer’s markets, art shows, museums, and coffee shops! Every Friday morning, Ken and I try out a new one. We’ve also discovered the delight of garage sale-ing! Not only has it been a great way to get to know our city, but we’ve found some real treasures during our early Thursday morning jaunts.

 

I enjoy seeing the photos of your Friday morning coffee dates on Facebook. Thank you so much for visiting with us today.

 

Deborah is offering a copy of Home to Chicory Lane to one of you. Please answer this question in the comment box along with your e-mail address so that I can contact you if you’re the winner.

 

DEB’S QUESTION:

If money were no object and you could live anywhere in the world (and travel to visit loved ones as needed) where would you choose to live?

 

About the author:

Deborah Raney’s books have won numerous awards, including the RITA, National Readers Choice Award, HOLT Medallion, and the Carol Award, and have twice been Christy Award finalists. She and her husband, Ken recently traded small-town life in Kansas—the setting of many of Deb’s novels—for life in the (relatively) big city of Wichita.

 

If you’d like to know more about Deborah or her books, go to her website at:  http://deborahraney.com

 

Next up: Allison Flexer, author of Truth, Lies, and the Single Woman, guest posts.

 

Featured Book: Lord, How Did I Get This Old So Soon?

And the winner of Sarah Sundin’s book, In Perfect Time is:

Elizabeth B.

Congratulations, Elizabeth!

 

And now, our featured book . . .

From the back cover:

Need a quick pick-me-up? Communion time with your heavenly Father? Bestselling author and gentle humorist Karen O’Connor offers sincere, real-life prayers to encourage you to open your heart and talk with God.

Arranged by season to reflect the time of year or how you’re feeling, these heartfelt prayers highlight the grace, mercy, and blessings God provides. You’ll be encouraged by these thoughts that reflect where you are, reaffirm your hope during difficult times, and reveal how much Jesus loves you.

 

An interview with my friend and writing mentor, Karen O’Connor:

 

 

Hi, Karen. It’s so nice to have you on my blog today! I really enjoy how you weave stories of hope and humor into your books. Where do you come up with all your stories? Do you journal?

Most of my stories are based on personal experience (mine or someone else’s). I really enjoy using fiction techniques to create something brand new from a real-life event. I journal occasionally, but more often these days I talk with the Lord during my daily walks. I think of this as vocal journaling!

 

Vocal journaling. Love that! Describe your target audience for your book.

My target reader for this particular book is women (men too may be interested) who are middle aged and beyond. Since we are all getting older by the day and we all have experiences that delight us and some that challenge us I hope that all readers will relate to at least some of what I share. I like to engage my readers with touches of humor and inspiration that are appropriate at any age.

 

What is your favorite story/prayer? Care to share?

I don’t have a favorite. I enjoyed writing each one. But two that stand out are “Daffodils” and “Mom’s Apple Slices”—the first one for the lesson these flowers teach me about blooming and being, and the second one for the memory that comes up about my mother and her many gifts of love delivered from her kitchen.

 

How did you come up with the idea for this book?

The late author and teacher Marjorie Holmes inspired me with her nonfiction book, I’ve Got to Talk to Somebody, God when I was a young mother, and later as a budding writer with her book, Writing Articles From the Heart: How to Write and Sell Your Life Experiences. I wanted to write a simple book that encouraged readers in the same manner Marjorie had inspired me.

 

What is one thing you hope your readers discover from reading Lord, How Did I Get This Old So Soon?

That life is a process of ups and downs and arounds! But that through it all, God is our safe harbor and will always be there for us. My favorite bible verse is John 10:10 “My purpose is to give you live in all its fullness.” I believe that the word fullness refers to both the difficult and the delightful, all of which makes for a rich life.

 

 

I love that verse too. For fun, how do you stay active?

My favorite off-time thing to do is walk, hike, and work out at the gym. Physical fitness keeps my body and mind in good working order and minimizes stress.

 

What is your favorite movie or television show?

Oh my, I have so many. Three movies that stand out are: Julie & Julia, Pride and Prejudice, and Open Range. I’m a big fan of historicals and biographies.

 

I’ve seen all three movies! In fact, I own two of those. If you could describe your perfect date with your husband, where would you go?

We’d go to Cambria, a little town in Central Coast California, for a couple of days and nights, walking the beach, visiting the shops, enjoying yummy meals, and relaxing with a good book. That has been our favorite date for more than a decade.

 

Sounds like a great date to me! Thank you, Karen, for stopping by.

Karen is offering a copy of Lord, How Did I Get This Old So Soon? to one of you. Please answer the following question in the comment box along with your e-mail address so I can contact you if you’re the winner. I will draw the winner next Thursday, September 4th. 

Karen’s question:

What do you appreciate most about getting older?

 

 

About the author:

Karen O’Connor is a sought-after speaker, a writing consultant, and the award-winning author of more than 75 books, including Gettin’ Old Ain’t for Wimps (more than 300,000 copies sold). She’s appeared on national media, including The 700 Club and 100 Huntley Street.

To learn more about Karen and her books, go to her website at: www.karenoconnor.com

 

Next up: Deborah Raney and her book Home to Chicory Lane

 

 

Featured Book: In Perfect Time

And the winner of Karen Barnett’s book, Out of the Ruins, is:

Rachael Merritt. 

Congratulations, Rachael!

 

And now, our featured book . . .

From the back cover:

 

Two hearts are about to learn the rhythm of love

Bold, sophisticated, and coy, Army Air Force flight nurse Lt. Kay Jobson collects hearts wherever she flies, leaving men pining in airfields all across Europe. So how can ruggedly handsome C-47 pilot Roger Cooper be all but immune to her considerable charms? In fact, he seems to do everything he can to avoid her.

 

Still, as they cross the skies between Italy and southern France, evacuating the wounded and delivering paratroopers and supplies, every beat of their hearts draws them closer. Can they overcome the fears and misunderstandings of the past in order to take hold of the future?

 

An interview with my friend, author Sarah Sundin:

Finish this sentence. Inspirational fiction is . . .

. . . a window into the full human experience. Unlike in secular fiction when the author can’t mention the name of God unless it’s a cuss word, in inspirational fiction we’re able to explore the spiritual aspects of life as well as having action, romantic, and emotional story arcs. We can show characters grappling with their faith and with sin issues—and show healing, growth, and hope.

 

What is one of your favorite scenes in In Perfect Time?

One of my favorite scenes happens early in the book when Kay goes out dancing and sees Roger Cooper play the drums. She’s acquainted with the pilot and thinks he’s a fuddy-duddy. But when he drums, she sees his energy and vigor—and she’s attracted to him. Roger battles his attraction to her—and rejects her. But in their conversation he sees a hint of vulnerability in her that intrigues him. This sets the rest of the story in motion.

 

Are you anything like Lt. Kay Jobson, your main character? If you could cast her in a movie, whom would you choose?

Kay is probably my polar opposite. She’s bold, no-nonsense, ambitious, and doesn’t really care what others think of her. I would absolutely cast the model they used on the book cover. She looks exactly like the Kay Jobson in my mind—even her expression conveys Kay’s personality precisely.

 

Describe Lt. Roger Cooper. What actor would you hire to play him?

Roger is a down-to-earth man, raised as an Iowa farm boy, biding his time in the war as a C-47 pilot, and determined to become a big band drummer. He’s solidly built, with auburn hair and brown eyes. I can’t think of any actors I’d cast to play him. Most actors don’t have that down-to-earth quality. They’re just too pretty and slick.

 

What do you want your readers to take away from this novel?

Kay believes she doesn’t deserve God’s love or His mercy, and while Roger has accepted those gifts, deep down he doesn’t feel he deserves God’s blessings in his life. Both learn that God gives good things, not because we’re good, but because He’s good. I hope readers will see ways they turn away from God’s good gifts in their lives—and accept them wholeheartedly.

 

Do you have another novel in the works? Tell us about it.

Next month Where Treetops Glisten releases—a WWII Christmas collection featuring novellas from Tricia Goyer, Cara Putman, and me. I loved writing my story, I’ll Be Home for Christmas, which features a fighter pilot coming home drained after a combat tour, a lonely little girl, and her widowed mother.

I’m also working on my next series, Waves of Freedom, which follows three American naval officers based in Boston during WWII. The first novel, Through Waters Deep, comes out next summer.

 

For fun, what do you like to snack on while you write?

I have a mild addiction to gumdrops.

   

Favorite movie?

So many. I love the classics from the 1930s-1950s. Anything with Jimmy Stewart or Cary Grant! A newer favorite for me is the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice—I’ve watched it over and over.

 

 

About the author:

Sarah Sundin is the author of With Every Letter, On Distant Shores, and the Wings of Glory series. In 2011, A Memory Between Us was a finalist in the Inspirational Reader’s Choice Awards, and Sarah received the Year Award at the Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference. Sarah lives in California with her husband and three children.

 

You can learn more about Sarah and her books at:

http://www.sarahsundin.com

Thank you, Sarah, for stopping by.

 

Sarah is offering a copy of In Perfect Time to one of you. Please answer this question in the comment box along with your e-mail address so that I can contact you if you’re the winner. I will draw the winner next Thursday, August 28th. 

Sarah’s question: What is your favorite memory from this summer?

 

Next up: Karen O’Connor and her book Lord, How Did I Get This Old So Soon? Prayers and Promises to Brighten Your Day. 

 

 

 

 

Featured Book: Out of the Ruins

From the back cover:

 

“God, save her. I’ll do anything. Just make her better. And You’d better be listening, God, because if You dare take her away . . . I’ll never speak to You again.”

Abby Fischer doesn’t know if God will answer her prayer for her dying sister. She doesn’t know if miracles really happen. And she certainly doesn’t know if the handsome Dr. Robert King, with his risky experimental treatment, is the one to remedy her doubts. When tragedy strikes and the mighty San Francisco earthquake shatters what is left of her heart, Abby wonders if God will hear her as she flees alone through burning streets. What will it take to show her that the One she doesn’t want to love is the One whose love will save her?

 

An interview with author Karen Barnett:

 

Finish this sentence. Inspirational fiction is . . .

sharing the transformational power of God’s love through story-telling.

   

What is one of your favorite scenes in Out of the Ruins?

That’s like being asked to choose your favorite child! Even though the book is filled with emotionally challenging scenes, I am drawn to the light-hearted moments. One of my favorites is when no-nonsense Abby is forced to don one of her sister’s fashionable gowns, complete with ruffles, lace, and an embarrassingly large bow on her rear end.

 

Oh, yes. I loved that scene. Are you anything like Abby Fischer, your main character? 

I based Abby on a much younger version of myself. Just like Abby, I was awkward, clumsy, and painfully shy. I envied my outgoing friends and dreamed of being a cheerleader or the lead in the school play. When I needed extra courage I’d ask, “How would ______ act in this situation?”

 

If you could cast her in a movie, whom would you choose?

It would be difficult to choose an actress. Perhaps Keira Knightley? I recently saw her in Begin Again and she gave a remarkable performance.

 

Describe Dr. Robert King. What actor would you hire to play him?

Robert is a young and ambitious doctor who dreams of curing cancer. He’s fascinated by puzzles, so when he meets shy Abby he’s immediately intrigued. I’m not sure which actor would portray him today, but he was at least partially inspired by Jonathan Crombie who played Gilbert Blythe in Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Avonlea. The fact that the character went to medical school is no coincidence!

 

What do you want your readers to take away from this novel?

I think we’re often tempted to push God away, either because of anger or guilt. I hope readers connect with Abby’s story and come to understand that no matter how alone we may feel, Jesus never leaves our side.

 

Do you have another novel in the works? Tell us about it.

Yes! Out of the Ruins is the first in a three book series called the Golden Gate Chronicles. Book two, Beyond the Ashes, releases in June of 2015. I am absolutely head-over-heels in love with this story. Ruby King Marshall (Robert’s sister) is a young widow trying to put her life back together. Where better to do that than a city in the midst of rebuilding? She travels to San Francisco to help earthquake victims, and instead finds romance with cancer researcher, Gerald Larkspur. When Gerald develops symptoms of the disease he’s striving to cure, will Ruby risk love—knowing time might be short?

 

I loved Out of the Ruins and look forward to Beyond the Ashes. It sounds wonderful! For fun, what do you like to snack on while you write?

Coffee and peanut M&Ms. J

 

Any fun hobbies?

I play several instruments—guitar, mandolin, Irish tin whistle, and hammered dulcimer. I also love to decorate elaborate birthday cakes for my kids. I’ve done everything from ballet slippers to a Doctor Who TARDIS with a working light.

 

How awesome. I bet your kids love your cakes!  Thank you, Karen, for stopping by.

 

Thanks, Sherry! I enjoyed chatting with you. J

 

Karen is offering a copy of Out of the Ruins to one of you. Please answer the following question in the comment box along with your e-mail address so that I can contact you if you’re the winner, which I will randomly choose Thursday, August 21st.

Here’s the question. Karen asks:

Sherry asked which actors would portray my main characters. I’m curious—if your life were made into a movie, who would play YOU?

 

About the author:

Karen Barnett is the acclaimed author of Mistaken and has also been published in Guideposts magazine. She lives in Albany, Oregon, with her husband, two children, and a dachshund named Mystery.

You can learn more about Karen and her books at: http://www.karenbarnettbooks.com

 

 

Next week: Sarah Sundin and her book In Perfect Time

 

 

Featured Book: All My Belongings

From the back cover:

 

A new identity can’t protect Becca from a past that refuses to go away.

Where do you turn when changing your name doesn’t give you the anonymity you want? When running hundreds of miles away isn’t far enough? When your search for a place to belong lands you right back where you began?

 

One phone call destroys all the hope Becca Morrow has for a life beyond the shame of her past. Further discredited by the death of her elderly, ailing patient—the mother of the influential businessman, Isaac Hughes—Becca’s new life is shattered and her longing for love slips away. Working to clear her name, Becca must learn to see beauty in the ugliness of dying, to accept the tenderness in forgiveness, and—at last—discoer that where she belongs isn’t as much about her family history as it is about her faith in the One to whom she’ll always belong.

 

An interview with author Cynthia Ruchti:

 

Finish this sentence. Inspirational fiction is . . .

 

…life in story form, with its jolts and joys. All fiction should move us in some way. Inspirational fiction moves us in a positive direction, making us more compassionate, wiser, bolder, hope-filled, joy-hemmed. The best inspirational fiction doesn’t create impossible scenes but the courage of possibilities.

 

What’s your favorite scene in All My Belongings?

 

Such a tough question! I can tell you which ones made me weep, but that would be giving away too much of the story that I long for my readers to discover on the journey. One that I relive in my mind is when Becca first meets Aurelia, the woman for whom she’ll serve as caregiver. Their instant connection despite Aurelia’s dementia and health issues creates such a tender picture of the true meaning of caregiving.

 

Are you anything like Becca Morrow, your main character? If you could cast her in a movie, whom would you choose?

I think Becca’s shining moments show who I would long to be on my best days. I feel the compassion she feels. She is better at living it out. I picture her as an Amy Adams character, or the woman here (wish I could remember her name), more beautiful than she knows, with an inner courage hard-fought from the past from which she emerged. She’s ashamed of her family of origin and is on a life-long quest to find out where she truly belongs.

 

Describe Isaac Hughes. What actor would you hire to play him?

This is the face I see as Isaac. Thirty, more medium brown, sunglinted hair than this shows, and with a more casual, ruffled hair style; dark brown eyes, which this doesn’t show; almost 6 feet tall; he would be more tan at the start of the story. I know. It doesn’t sound like this at all. But I love the expression on his face and the jaw-tracing light beard. Isaac is a successful businessman and leans heavily on his guy friends who meet once a week to hold each other accountable and turn to God’s Word for life advice. He doesn’t know his family of origin and is on a life-long quest to discover where he truly belongs. Ah, there’s the rub!

 

 

What do you want your readers to take away from this novel?

 

There can be such exquisite beauty in end-of-life moments, even when they’re excruciatingly difficult. Unconditional love, forgiveness for the unforgivable, and trust in the sovereignty of God set the stage for that tender dance. I also long for readers to be moved by the difference between taking care of someone and true, pure caregiving. For the readers who are caregivers, for a season or a lifetime, my prayer is that they’ll be blessed that someone told bits of their story.

 

 

 

Do you have another novel in the works? Tell us about it.

 

In the spring of 2015, my next novel—As Waters Gone By—releases with Abingdon Fiction. It’s the story of a woman torn up by disappointments, struggling to discover how to hold her marriage together when her husband is incarcerated.

 

For fun, what do you like to snack on while you write?

 

If you’d asked me that a couple of months ago, I would have said, “Potato chips.” But a healthy flow of deadlines and potato chips don’t mix well. So now I’d say, “Green peppers or…I know, hard to believe…water with cucumber slices.”

 

About the author:

Cynthia Ruchti is an acclaimed author and speaker with more than 30 years of broadcast experience. The Professional Relations Liaison for American Christian Fiction Writers, Cynthia has also written articles for numerous magazine and industry publications. Her books have recently been honored with Selah Awards for fiction and nonfiction, AWSA and CAN Golden Scroll Awards for fiction and nonfiction, and Christian Retailings’ BEST Awards for both fiction and nonfiction.

 

You can learn more about Cynthia and her books at: http://www.cynthiaruchti.com/

 

 

Thank you, Cynthia, for stopping by.

 

Cynthia is offering a copy of All My Belongings to one of you. Please answer this question in the comment box along with your e-mail address so that I can contact you if you’re the winner.

Readers, for Becca, seeing the Pacific Ocean for the first time contributed to her sense that she’d finally come home. The waves spoke of an endless future that stretched beyond the wide horizon, compared to the narrow confines from which she’d come. Is there a place, a location, that makes you feel as if you’ve “come home”?

 

 

Cover Reveal! Watercolor Dreams

Drumroll, please!

I’m so excited to reveal the cover for Watercolor Dreams, a historical romance coming from HopeSprings Books on October 7, 2014.

Watercolor Dreams is now available for pre-order on Amazon.

From the back cover:

He strolled into her painting . . . and into her heart.

It’s 1910 and Anna Lewis wants to become a premier watercolor artist of the lush beaches of Carmel, California. When a man strides down the beach and stops to face the ocean, Anna sketches him into her painting. Was it a mistake? Anna thinks so when he approaches and tells her he doesn’t have spare change to purchase her work. Spare change indeed! She’d better keep her day job as nursemaid to two rambunctious boys.

The minute Charles Jordan walks away, he regrets criticizing the woman’s painting but as he told the artist, he’s just been jilted at the altar. His former bride-to-be is in love with his cousin.

Will a secret from his past prevent Charles from ever loving again? And will Anna have the hope she needs when tragedy strikes and she must rely on the one man who crushed her spirit?

 

Featured Book: Empty Nest Strategies to Help Your Kids Take Flight

From the back cover:

‘All of a sudden, the nest is empty. The birds have gone, and what had been a constant blur of activity is now nothing more than a few discarded feathers. Silence mutes all that was colorful and it is time to reestablish our significant place in an ever-changing world.’

My take:

When my friend Marci Seither asked me if I’d like to endorse her book Empty Nest: Strategies to Help Your Kids Take Flight, I jumped at the chance. My oldest daughter, second in line of four, was heading off to college and I couldn’t breathe. How did other parents survive watching their kids take flight and leave the safety of their nest?

There are many practical and insightful chapters in this book, but the one that I turned to first is titled “College Bound.” Marci Seither reminds us that those growing up years, full of obstacles and challenges, help our children grow into strong people with strength needed to survive the big world, like a tree with many rings.

Interviews from parents also give wise input, such as this quote from Michelle Ule, “The transition from childhood into adulthood is a huge leap, and there can be a lot of uncertainty for both parents and children.” So true! If you have multiple children like my husband and I, you know circumstances can change over the years, and what works for one child doesn’t necessarily work for the next— including college. Seither also reminds us to talk about the tough stuff with our college-bound kids, such as finances, becoming independent, and how  to keep the lines of communication open.

Other insightful chapters help us to remember to breathe, hold on to memories, enjoy the ever-changing seasons, and support our children’s dreams. There is so much more to this book, and I encourage you to get a copy for yourself! Marci Seither’s relatable prose will humor you, challenge you, life you up, and calm your anxious heart. This one is a keeper!

About the Author:

With three children moved out and three getting ready to launch, Marci Seither and her husband, John, have had a lot of practical experience in helping their kids take flight. In her spare time, Marci writes feature stories, op/ed pieces, and human-interest articles. She lives in California. Find out more about Marci and her books at www.marciseither.com