Becky Wade's Blog, page 91

July 22, 2022

Misty River Romance Quiz

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Published on July 22, 2022 02:00

July 21, 2022

Journey Through History Event

For those of you who enjoy historical fiction, I’d like to invite you to a Facebook party tonight that should be just your cup of tea.

The Journey Through History event is being hosted by the lovely Kathy Geary Anderson and features the six guest authors pictured below. (Including me!) It’s going be a lot of fun. There will be games, prizes, and great conversation.

Learn about the authors’ favorite historical eras and why they are drawn to those particular time periods. Discover how these authors first got hooked on history and how that has shaped their writing.

You won’t want to miss the book giveaways. Smaller prizes in addition to one grand prize.

Event Link

Click the link above to learn more and to RSVP. The festivities will run tonight from 6:00 – 8:00 pm Central. I hope to see you there!

What are your favorite historical eras to read about?

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Published on July 21, 2022 02:00

July 20, 2022

Scotland Trip Recap: Week 2

Our Airbnb in Grassmarket

Our second week in Scotland was spent mainly in Edinburgh, in an adorable flat in a fabulous central location, right in the heart of Old Town. Of course that meant we had to walk up steep stairs to get to the places we wanted to go! (Between all the uphill walking and the old streets and sidewalks, I was so thankful that I choose to wear my hiking shoes every day! Much more stable for this old lady.)

We let ourselves take it easy that weekend. On Saturday, we searched out book stores! (And yes, bought books.) We also happened to be on the Royal Miles when the Armed Forces Day parade was happening! Sunday, we worshipped at Hillsong Edinburgh, walked New Town and Stockbridge, and toured The Georgian House, which had some of the best docents I’ve encountered anywhere. I always appreciate a historic home where I learn new things! 

[image error]New Town (as in 18th century)Georgian House

Monday was our 35th anniversary—part of the reason for this trip at this time. We began the day with a tour of Edinburgh Castle. We were there to witness the changing of the guards as well as the 21-gun salute when the Queen landed in Scotland. Besides those things, we spent four hours—four hours!—at the castle. There was so much to see! We opted for the audio tour so we read and listened in all the different places. And besides the history of the place, the views of the city were spectacular. 

Edinburgh Castle[image error]Edinburgh Castle21 Gun Salute St. Margaret’s Chapel, built around 1130View from the castleView from the castle

That evening, we had reservations in the Secret Garden room of The Witchery. We had a lovely meal in every way, including dessert on Happy Anniversary plates! But our dinner was early, so we’d decided to add one more thing to our anniversary celebration: A Literary Pub Tour! How fun is that? 

Turns out it was great fun! We went to 3 pubs with our actor guides who told us all about the literary history of Edinburgh in entertaining interactions between the two characters. It was supposed to be about an hour and a half, but it turned into three hours! We walked back to the flat after 10:00 pm that night, getting to view Scotland at the darkest we would see it. (Sunrise averaged 4:30 am, sunset 9:30 pm.) 

The Secret Garden Room at The Witchery Restaurant[image error]Our celebration dessertOur literary pub tour guidesFitting that one of the pubs we went to was The Jolly Judge.Deacon Brodie’s pubWe walked back that night at 10:30 pm. This is the darkest we ever saw Scotland!

Tuesday we took a day tour to St. Andrews and Falkland Palace. It was the only day in two weeks that it rained the entire day! But we just pulled up the hoods on our raincoats and kept going! A cathedral ruins, a castle ruins, St. Andrews university and the darling town that houses them all. Falkland was a beautiful place build for Mary Queen of Scots’ mother. It’s in a wee town that just added to the ambiance! 

The bridge at St. Andrew’s Golf Course where the winners stand.St. Andrew’s Cathedral ruinsSt. Andrew’s Castle ruinsSt. Andrew’s University courtyardSt. Salvator’s Chapel at St. Andrew’s UniversityFalkland Palace[image error]Falkland Palace

Wednesday we were starting to really wind down, wanting to have some rest in our vacation, too. We walked through St. Giles, toured Mary King’s Close—a fabulously done tour of the old close which is now under a government building led by guides in character. Then we toured Gladstone’s Land, which I believe is the old building still standing in Edinburgh. I loved this museum because it was all hands-on! But in between we shopped and relaxed and read. And Thursday was much the same, with a walk through Greyfriars Kirk and graveyard, where J.K. Rowling found many of her characters’ names! 

[image error]Mary King’s close Painted ceilings uncovered in Gladstone’s Land, likely done in 1600s.Greyfriars

Friday did not start out well. Jeff woke up to a text that the airline had changed our flight out of Edinburgh to a later one but they also rebooked us on a flight out of London which we had no chance of making. After learning there were no seats on any plane, any airline back to the states (anywhere major!) that day, we were scrambling for a hotel room! There was almost nothing still close to the airport. And we wanted to be close since we were booked on an 8:30 am flight! Finally, on Saturday morning, we caught a flight home. But even with that glitch it was a fabulous trip and one that we will relive in memory and pictures for a very long time. And who knows? Maybe we’ll even get back at some point to see the things we didn’t get to see. 

What’s the best trip you’ve taken this summer? 

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Published on July 20, 2022 04:06

July 19, 2022

Jesus & Women — Feasting on the Bible

This summer a group of women in my neighborhood and I are “feasting” on Jesus & Women, a Bible study by Kristi McLelland, seven video lessons that focus on Jesus’s interaction with women in the New Testament as viewed through a middle eastern lens.

After all, the Bible was written by Middle Easterners through a middle eastern lens, and when we view it solely through a western perspective vital details and eternal truths are often overlooked—or missed completely. This is my fifth time to feast on Jesus & Women, and I highly recommend it!

I use the word feast because Kristi often reminds us of what God says in Psalm 81:10b:

“Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it with good things.”

We don’t come to the table of fellowship with the LORD God as orphans. We come as sons and daughters of the Most High, and he feeds us by his hand, just as he fed the Israelites manna in the wilderness.

Watch this quick intro to Jesus & Women . . .

In session six this week, we dove into the account of the woman caught in adultery (John 8). Each time I take in these verses, God shows me something new. Especially in terms of cultural context. Here are some nuggets from my notes:

The account starts with the word “Then,” so this is actually a continuation of a previous account. We must move back to Ch 7 to get the fuller setting for this interaction.The 7-day Festival of Shelters (Sukkot or the Festival of Booths) that takes place in September/October has just ended. And the following day, the 8th day—the day this woman is “caught” in adultery—was a Sabbath. A day of “rest.”But even that word “rest” doesn’t fully capture the meaning behind the Sabbath. Listen to or watch one of Kristi’s PEARLS podcasts where she explains the deeper meaning of Sabbath.Jesus has already created somewhat of a ruckus (as we say here in the South) during the Feast of Tabernacles, so people are watching, listening, trying to figure out who he is, even as the Pharisees are moving closer to wanting to kill him. This woman was part of a planned encounter with the purpose of “trapping” Jesus.The teachers of religious law and Pharisees did not care about upholding the law in this instance; they were out to trap Jesus. This woman was merely a pawn.Point in case . . . It takes two to commit adultery—a man and a woman. And yet, where is the man? When Jesus took on flesh and came into the world, he came into an honor/shame culture and, in that patriarchal world, women needed a generous lifting up of justice and righteousness (the first two lessons in this series which focus on Jesus and his Jewish world as worth the series alone!).In his interaction with this woman, Jesus shifted the wrath of the Pharisees off her and onto himself. Jesus took her wrath, just as he does ours when we surrender to his Lordship.

SO many rich lessons in this feast!

If you’re looking for a fall study for your small group—be it for women or coed—give Jesus & Women a close look. It not only showcases Jesus and his love for women, but it shines a middle eastern light on his powerful teachings which leaves you forever changed.

ORDER JESUS & WOMEN LEADER KIT (book and videos)

What’s a group Bible study you’ve done recently that you would recommend to others? What group study are you doing next?

Me? I can hardly wait for Bible Study Fellowship to start in September. This is my fourteenth year in BSF and I want to do be involved in this annual September-May study until Jesus calls me home!

Check out Bible Study Fellowship’s next study “THE KINGDOM DIVIDED”
and find a local class near you

Blessings on your Tuesday, and if you can only read one book today, make it His!

Tammy

LISTEN TO Kristi’s latest teaching centered in Hebrews 11 that focuses on a woman who, while not named in that chapter on faith, lived a life of faith that still echoes in believers’ hearts today.

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Published on July 19, 2022 06:05

July 18, 2022

Bless the Beasts . . . all of them!

I don’t like snakes. They creep me out. On the other hand, I absolutely hate roaches. They stink, they make NOISE when they gallop across the room, and they carry germs. Once when I was staying in the Amazon rain forest, I had to go to the separate women’s restroom in the middle of the night. I crawled out of my mosquito net and tiptoed over the elevated walkway, then went into a bathroom stall. I sat, and then saw the largest cockroach I had ever seen right above the toilet paper dispenser. The lodge was eco-friendly . . . they didn’t spray for bugs or anything, so everything was “natural.” So, very firmly, I told the roach that I wouldn’t hurt him if he promised not to move. He didn’t.

But back to my story. Yesterday I was wrestling with my fictional characters when my dog Jazzy wanted to go outside. She’s recovering from a major surgery, so I had to go out with her to make sure she didn’t start running, jumping, or turning cartwheels. After walking her around, I stopped by the chicken coop to check on the girls . . . uh oh. Trouble in chicken city.

I have done my best to make sure my coop and run are predator-proof . . . and to date, I haven’t lost a single bird to predators, and there are plenty of them around–hawks, raccoons, possums, bobcats, coyotes, and owls. To keep the girls safe, I’ve covered the entire coop and run in hardware cloth (metal cloth with tiny holes) and a layer of bird netting. The bird netting is for the snakes, and trust me, it catches them.

Unfortunately, it tends to entangle them, and the more they thrash, the more entangled they get. So yesterday I looked into the chicken run and discovered a five-foot rat snake dangling from the ceiling–he had hung himself in the bird netting, and he was still struggling.

Rat snakes are dangerous only to rats, and I strongly believe they should fulfill their life’s calling, as our jungle setting has plenty of rats to spare. So I decided to save him.

The rat snake from the chicken run.

The LAST thing I wanted to do was handle a snake of any sort, but I couldn’t let the poor thing hang there until he died–he could hang there for days, and the girls might decide to peck at him. Hubby wasn’t home. Dogs couldn’t help. So I went to the workshop and pulled on my gardening gloves, then went inside and brought out a pair of scissors. I went into the run, and the hens all gathered around to watch as I snipped the netting from the snake’s throat and finally cut him down. Had to pull away a few more pieces to be sure he wouldn’t choke, then I let him go. He slithered straight to the back of the run and all the girls followed–I think they were wondering if he would taste like chicken. The coop was so predator proof I had to open the door to let the snake out, but he seemed happy to be free and leave the girls alone.

Actually, I think he was a bit shell-shocked.

Another rat snake in my yard . . . chasing a rat

I’ll admit–I felt pretty pleased that I’d tackled that chore and got ‘er done. 🙂 But later, I remembered a conversation–or maybe it was an email exchange– I’d had with Randy Alcorn. We had been talking about his book HEAVEN, and I said something about not being sure that I’d appreciate having roaches in heaven and on the new earth. I mean, really? And Randy said something to the effect that I’d feel differently in heaven–that all my revulsion and feelings about those creatures would be gone.

I’m hoping he’s right because I’ve never felt good about loving dogs and hating roaches. I mean, God’s creatures are God’s creatures, right? Unfortunately, I fear I’ll have to wait until heaven before I can rush out to save a roach. But I’m working on it.

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Published on July 18, 2022 04:00

July 17, 2022

Inspired by Scripture

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This Sunday feature is brought to you by ClashVerseoftheDay.com. You may sign up to receive a beautiful photo with Scripture in your inbox each morning or view the verse each day online.

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Published on July 17, 2022 02:00

July 15, 2022

An Arranged Marriage Story? Yes, Please!

It’s that time again!! Time for another book release! ENRICHED, the fourth book in my medieval series, Knights of Brethren, hit shelves this past Tuesday, July 12.

If you missed out on the first three books in the series, never fear. You can read them FREE on Kindle Unlimited. If you want to jump into the series with ENRICHED, you can do that too. One early reader said this:

“Enriched is the fourth book in the Knights of Brethren series. I hadn’t read any of the others yet but because of the fantastic storytelling I never felt lost and was able to pick up that the quest to find the chalice has been something ongoing in past books.”

ENRICHED was especially fun to write because it involves the popular trope of an arranged marriage. I absolutely adore writing marriages of conveniences (when a couple decides to get married based on a mutually beneficial reason). Arranged marriages are similar, except in this trope, the couple usually doesn’t have a say in the transaction. Instead, someone else—a parent, guardian, etc.—is making the plans for them, and they’re compelled to go along out of duty or some other reason.

Obviously, in our modern culture, we don’t see arranged marriages too often. But in the past, arranged marriages were much more common and advantageous to both parties and their families. The couple accepted a union that was practical and involved wealth, politics, or land. Love didn’t usually play a part in the equation.

As I said, it’s super fun to write an arranged marriage trope. Not only do I like all of the complications that come from such a union, but I like the forced proximity trope or the trapped trope that the lead couple faces. It’s always fun to put the two into situations that require them to get to know each other and, in the process, fall in love.

And then of course, with the arranged marriage trope, there’s always the question of will they or won’t they consummate their union. As a writer of sweet romances, I always keep my couples from having sex. However, I love manipulating the tension that comes from the growing attraction. The fact that they’re married gives me a little more leeway in putting them into romantic situations that add to the sizzle.

If you like the arranged marriage trope, then I invite you to give ENRICHED a try! Find out more information about the book HERE: http://jodyhedlund.com/books/enriched/  To read it FREE on Kindle Unlimited) go here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09QKNWQC2/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i2

What about YOU? Have you read any arranged marriage stories lately? What do you like about the arranged marriage trope?

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Published on July 15, 2022 02:00

July 14, 2022

Want to Write? Love to Read? Come to ACFW + Giveaway

This is the middle of an insanely busy couple of weeks in my day job, so this will be a shorter post. Be sure to stick to the end for information on a giveaway I’m coordinating.

I know you’re an avid reader, or you wouldn’t be here.

But are you interested in writing?

I’ll be teaching three workshops at ACFW in September with my writing buddy Pepper Basham. Last week we hopped on a call to brainstorm or avoid writing deadlines…you can pick LOL. We were having so much fun that we both rushed to put on makeup and hopped on Zoom. Here’s a bit of what we’ll be sharing in our workshops. It’s going to be a hoot, y’all!

You can also come and enjoy StoryFest, a unique opportunity for readers to connect with writers. The website contains the list of authors, and it’s a good one. If you use my code (carputman), you’ll get $20 off the cost of registration. I’d love to see you there! Who’s an author you’d love to meet?

Y’all, in this week’s episode of Book Talk, I had so much fun hanging out with my romantic suspense writing friends Mary Alford, Elizabeth Goddard, and Natalie Walters. We chatted about writing, plotting and pantsing, how ideas come to life, and much more. Did you know two of these authors love eating peanut M&Ms while they write? Do you know who’d they like to spend time with? Then come join the conversation here. And be sure to go to the end to enter the giveaway.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Published on July 14, 2022 02:00

July 12, 2022

Book Birthday Giveaway

Hi friends,

Happy Wednesday! Today I’m celebrating the release of my 14th book, The Deadly Shallows! I’m also celebrating 10 years of publishing. My debut novel, Submerged, came out in May of 2012. I’m so grateful and awed by God at all He’s done. We serve a good and gracious God. I still can’t wrap my head

I thought it might be fun to share some behind-the-scenes factoids about a handful of my books leading up to The Deadly Shallows. Since Submerged kicked things off, I’ll start with Cole and Bailey’s story.

I often get asked where I get my ideas and I always answer that they come from all different places. The idea for Submerged came from a movie my hubby and I just happened to watch about cave divers. It got me thinking….who would do something so dangerous, and then it sprung into the question of who would do something so dangerous for a living? And, from that movie and that single question, the McKenna family was born.

If you’re not familiar with the McKenna clan, they’re a family of five siblings who own an adventure outfitting company in Alaska and they each have their specialties ranging from heli-skiing to rock climbing. They believe strongly in helping others—a tradition their parents instilled in them, so they all volunteer with search and rescue.

Growing up, goody-two-shoes, Kirra Jacobs, and troublemaker Reef McKenna were always at odds. Now paired together on Yancey’s search-and-rescue canine unit, they begin to put aside old arguments as they come to see each other in a different light.

Then a call comes in from the Iditarod that will push them to their limits. Kirra’s uncle, a musher in the race, has disappeared. Kirra and Reef quickly track the man, but what they discover is harrowing.

I don’t know why, but I love stories about the good girl and the “bad” boy. The “bad” boy with a heart of gold becomes a man and finds redemption. I love that romantic trope, and it was so much fun writing one.

Speaking of fun…an unknown factoid about Sabotaged is it has every title in the Alaskan Courage series (yes, even Sabotaged) used as a word in the book. Today’s giveaway is open to everyone who comments, but if you share the page numbers the title words are on in Sabotaged (on the honor system that you find them yourself), you get an extra entry. Happy searching!

The first book in my Chesapeake Valor series, Cold Shot, starts out at Gettysburg National Military Park. Living in Maryland, we’re not too far a drive from Gettysburg, and we’ve been numerous times. In preparation for Cold Shot, I hired a Gettysburg historian to give us a personal tour. It was incredible. I highly recommend tours—either group or private—if you really want to get to know the “inside” information.

Our guide was wonderful, but I think I terrified him when I asked, “where’s the best place to hide a body?”

He helped me pick a spot on the battle hill that I chose and that’s where the story kicks off.

Deadly Isle is the only standalone story I’ve written. This novella was originally part of The Cost of Betrayal collection with Dee Henderson and Lynette Eason, but you can now purchase it as a single e-book novella. The interesting thing about Deadly Isle is that it’s based on a real island here in Maryland—Smith Island.

Smith Island has the most fascinating history. It was charted by John Smith and settlers arrived in the 17th century from Cornwall, Wales, and Dorset, England. It is inhabited by one of the oldest English-speaking communities. They’ve preserved the speech patterns from their ancestors. Their dialect is like that of Cornwall and Dorset.

Smith Island is also famous for its cake, which has anywhere from 8-15 layers. Yum! I’ve had it before and it’s delicious.

Of course, it seems only right to conclude with my new release, The Deadly Shallows. I often get asked how I go about researching my novels. I do so in a lot of different ways ranging from online to books, to interviewing people in the professions or areas of service I’m writing about. When I turned The Deadly Shallows in my editors remarked how excellent the research was, particularly in the secondary suspense thread (don’t worry, no spoilers). They joked I had an “inside” man. Truth is, I do. My hubby was my source for the secondary thread.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this glimpse at a handful of my stories. Thanks for celebrating the release of The Deadly Shallows with me today and a walk down memory lane.

Reader Question: What is your favorite romance trope (bad boy/good girl, best friend’s little sister, geek, and the popular guy, “second chance” love stories, etc.) or type of romance scenario you love reading about most?

Be sure to comment so you can be entered to win an autographed copy of The Deadly Shallows.

Blessings,

Dani

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Published on July 12, 2022 23:01

Romantic Ruins or Harsh History?

Speaking at JASNA-MN

This past weekend, I spoke to my local chapter of the Jane Austen Society of North America about the inspiration and research for my latest novel, Shadows of Swanford Abbey. Today, I thought I’d share a portion of that information here as well.

Whitby Abbey

In writing a novel set in a former Medieval Abbey, I had to research the history of abbeys in general and along the way learned why there are so many ruined abbeys in England. Ruins like these can seem romantic but their history is less so.

Fountains Abbey

Abbey History (in general)

I am not a historian but here’s a recap of what I learned: After the pope refused to annul Henry the 8th’s marriage so he could marry Anne Boleyn, Henry broke away from the Catholic Church in Rome, and declared himself head of the Church of England. He began taking over and sometimes destroying monasteries both to claim their wealth and to suppress opposition. Between 1536 and 1540, some 800 monasteries, abbeys, nunneries, and friaries were dissolved, or forcibly closed. These had been home to more than 10,000 monks, nuns, friars and canons. Some former monasteries were sold off to landowners or granted as rewards for loyal service to the crown. Others were taken over and became Anglican churches, such as Durham Cathedral. Many were left to ruin. Some monks who resisted were executed, while those who surrendered retired or moved to the continent.

Lacock Abbey today

Lacock Abbey History

The Swanford Abbey in the novel is a fictional place but its history and structure closely parallels that of Lacock Abbey, which was founded by Lady Ela, Countess of Salisbury, and a wealthy heiress in her right. When her husband died when Ela was only 39, she took over his role of Sheriff of Wiltshire. She later founded and built the abbey partly as a tribute to her husband, and partly as a sanctuary. Ela joined Lacock Abbey as a nun in 1238.

Like the others, Lacock Abbey closed in 1539 as part of the Dissolution of the Monasteries. The church portion (nave, quire, altar) was knocked down and the stone was used to extend the building into the grand country house it later became. The house was primarily built over and around the original abbey, so you can still see the ancient cloisters, chaplain’s room, charter house, warming house, etc. that were primarily left intact unlike the church itself.

Cloisters of Lacock Abbey

Even though Lacock Abbey has had a long and sometimes difficult history, it is still a beautiful place. After hundreds of years as a private home, it is now managed by the National Trust and is definitely worth a visit—either via photos like these online, or by visiting in person if you are able. I was able to visit a few times, and experiencing the atmospheric abbey for myself, and later reading more about it, helped to inspire the setting of the novel.

Julie with husband, aunt and uncle in Lacock Abbey.

Even though I write fiction, I sincerely enjoy learning about history and weaving historical detail into my novels. Do you enjoy learning through fiction as well?

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Published on July 12, 2022 02:00