Keli Gwyn's Blog, page 18

Recommended Read: A Bride Sews with Love in Needles, California

Amazon shipped A Bride Sews with Love in Needles, California this past week.

This sweet story by Erica Vetsch is the latest in Barbour’s Destination Romances line, a line Erica helped launch with A Bride’s Portrait of Dodge City, Kansas. I enjoyed Erica’s first Bride book and was eager for her second.

About the Book

When her brother is injured fighting in France, Meghan enlists her fellow Harvey Girl waitresses to sew a Red Cross signature quilt to raise money for wounded doughboys. Local horse breeder Caleb McBride longs to join the battle, but the army won’t take him. Because he has kept his shameful infirmity a secret, the townsfolk have labeled him a coward and war profiteer. When Meghan uncovers his malady, her poor opinion of Caleb unravels. Can this beautiful seamstress find a way to mend his heart?

 ☙ ☙ ☙

My Thoughts

In a word, A Bride Sews with Love in Needles, California is wonderful! Erica Vetsch has created compelling characters I cared for from the start. I enjoyed every minute spent with impassioned but impulsive Meghan and brave but burdened Caleb. This well-written story is rich in historical detail and will engage the emotions at every turn. Erica did a great job capturing the hostile environment of Needles, California. Learning more about the life of a Harvey girl was fun. I highly recommend Erica’s latest release.

 ☙ ☙ ☙

Question for You

Needles, California is in the desert. Have you ever lived in or visited the desert? If so, what did you like most and least about it?

 ☙ ☙ ☙

Win Both of Erica’s Bride Books!

I have three copies of A Bride’s Portrait.

I also have three copies of A Bride Sews with Love.

I’m giving both books to each of three winners.

To enter the drawing, leave a comment by Sunday, November 4, answering the question above. Be sure to leave your email address when prompted so I can contact you if you win.

I’ll post the three winners’ name here and in a comment.

No purchase necessary.

Offer void where prohibited.

Odds of winning vary due to number of entrants.

Prizes will be mailed to U.S. or Canadian addresses only.

 

 

 

 

 

When Romance Strikes a Chord by Joanne Bischof

Married to her first sweetheart, Joanne Bischof lives in the mountains of Southern California where she keeps busy making messes with their home-schooled children. When she’s not weaving Appalachian romance, she’s blogging about faith, writing, and the adventures of country living that bring her stories to life.
.
Joanne and I met online and had fun learning that we share several connections, as you’ll see in her post. Take it away, Joanne. . .

I’m so delighted for the opportunity to be a guest on Keli’s blog today! She is such a lovely lady and a sweet encourager in the writing world. I find it so fun that we share several things in common. We both live in California, both write historical romance and we both have music in our stories.

I play the mandolin and loved using that instrument through the hero of my upcoming novel, Be Still My Soul. My husband is also a musician. He’s a drummer and wait for it…a cellist. Yep, odd combo, I know! There’s something about watching him play that stirs my heart. It transcends conversation. It fills the gaps in moments when our words just aren’t enough. There is something so expressive—and romantic about music. I think that’s why Keli and I both used this beautiful language in our novels.

I smile when I remember the duet scene towards the end of Keli’s book, A Bride Opens Shop in El Dorado, California. It was between her hero, Miles and the spunky heroine, Elenora. I can still remember the sensation of being in the concert hall. Hear the mismatched tuning of the stringed instruments, the hushed murmurs of the crowd as the performance drew near. Feel the leather of the violin case between my hands and understand the nervous anticipation between a couple who wanted to show their love, but didn’t know how.

It was one of my favorite moments. The tension, the intrigue, the yearning—all those came through in that piece of music. It’s the binding that can pull two characters together. Though they may fight it and though life may throw them challenges, that pull, that bond remains. It’s heart deep.

This is what I love so much about music and seeing it incorporated into fiction. Music is a vehicle for the heart and can showcase how romance blossoms, deepens. It expresses yearning, anger, hope, and desire. It becomes the words, when we ourselves, have none.

Has there been a time when music became the words when you had none? Is there a specific song that brings you back to a certain time and place?

☙☙☙

Joanne’s Debut Novel

Night’s chill tickled her skin. Lonnie pressed her hands together and glanced up. He was even more handsome up close. Having grown up the shy, awkward daughter of Joel Sawyer, she’d hardly spoken to any boy, let alone the one who had mothers whispering warnings in their daughter’s ears and fathers loading shotguns.
.

Pretty Lonnie Sawyer is shy and innocent, used to fading into the background within her family, and among the creeks and hollows of the Appalachian hills. Though her family is poor and her father abusive, she clings to a quiet faith. But when handsome ladies’ man and bluegrass musician Gideon O’Riley steals a kiss, that one action seals her fate.
.

Her father forces her into a hasty marriage with Gideon—a man she barely knows and does not love. Equally frustrated and confused by his new responsibilities, Gideon yearns for a fresh start, forcing Lonnie on an arduous journey away from her home in Rocky Knob.
.
Her distant groom can’t seem to surrender his rage at the injustice of the forced matrimony or give Lonnie any claim in his life.  What will it take for Gideon to give up his past, embrace Lonnie’s God, and discover a hope that can heal their two fractured hearts?
.
Gideon only ever cared about himself. Now that Lonnie is his wife, will he ever be worthy of her heart?

 ☙ ☙ ☙

Win a Copy of Be Still My Soul

To enter the drawing, leave a comment by Sunday, October 28th. Be sure to leave your email address when prompted so I can contact you if you win.

I’ll post the winner’s name here and in a comment.

No purchase necessary.

Offer void where prohibited.

Odds of winning vary due to number of entrants.

Prizes will be mailed to U.S. or Canadian addresses only.

Reading: One Book, Two Books, Three, or More?

I’m a one-book reader. I like to read a story from start to finish.

I’m currently reading Unending Devotion.

Gwynly, on the other hand, usually has at least two books going. Often more.

What Gwynly’s reading. Ja, the Chronicles of Narnia is in German.

☙☙☙

What about you?

Are you a single-focused reader, or do you switch between stories?

Friday Fun: In Which I Dare to Dis Gone with the Wind

Gone with the Wind is a classic, but until this week, I’d never seen it.

I know, I know. How could I consider myself a true romantic and lover of the Victorian era if I’d not immersed myself in Margaret Mitchell’s masterpiece?

Well, I remedied that Wednesday night, watching all three hours and fifty-four minutes in one sitting. And, no, Gwynly, wonderful guy that he is, didn’t join me for my marathon. Since my teacher hubby had school the next day, I excused him.

So, you might be wondering what I thought of the show. Did I fall in love with it as so many have?

Um, how shall I say this without sounding like I have no heart?

Ah, yes. I’ll be tactful and simply say I didn’t care for it.

Now, before your chin hits the floor or you think I’m touched in the head, let me say that I can see why so many are die-hard Gone with the Wind fans. The story is compelling. The acting is great. And the costumes are wonderful.

I have two reasons why the show didn’t work for me: I didn’t like three of the main characters, and I can’t stand the ending.

Scarlett is beautiful–on the outside. Inside she’s selfish. She’ll do or say whatever it takes to get what she wants, and she doesn’t care who she hurts in the process. Stealing her sister’s beau is reprehensible in my book. And that’s just the beginning of her manipulations and machinations. Her obsession with Ashley causes nothing but trouble and threatens his happiness as well as the happiness of his sweeter than sweet wife, Mellie, the one main character I like (although I think she’s pretty clueless or has a serious case of denial.)

Even when Scarlett captures Rhett’s heart and gives him her hand in marriage, her obsession with Ashley prevents her from loving Rhett in return. She doesn’t even care for her own daughter all that much. I do appreciate the fact that she honored her promise to Ashley and took care of Mellie. But overall, I don’t like Scarlett. She’s a spoiled rich girl who reaps what she sows, and I have a hard time feeling sorry for her.

Rhett, while charming, is a scoundrel. He earned his fortune illegally, frequents brothels, and is no gentleman. Sure, he’s a man’s man and a bad boy, but I like a man who has morals. To his credit, I loved that Rhett loves Scarlett so deeply and so passionately, but I think his indulgence keeps her from growing and becoming a better person. I like a hero who brings out the best in a heroine, not one who condones her bad behavior until he’s had enough and walks away.

Ashley needs a backbone. He never stands up to Scarlett or puts Mellie first. Only when his wife is on her deathbed does he say he doesn’t love Scarlett. Until then he’s been emotionally unfaithful to his sweet, devoted wife. And he even indulges in that stolen kiss that fuels Scarlett’s obsession. I realize that if he’d been an honorable gentleman, treated his wife well, and severed his ties to Scarlett, the story would have fallen apart. But that’s what I wanted to see. Not another man who’s fallen under Scarlett’s spell.

And the ending? Sheesh. Could it get any more depressing? Rhett and Scarlett’s daughter dies. Mellie and the baby she’s carrying die. Then Rhett walks out on Scarlett, the one woman he professed to love. Of course, considering he threatened divorce a number of times, this doesn’t come as a surprise. But really. After investing nearly four hours, I wanted a happy ending. Perhaps it’s the romance writer in me, but death and divorce are depressing. I ached to see the characters grow and change and become better people than they were at the start. Instead, I felt gypped.

If you’ve read this far and aren’t ready to chuck rotted fruit at me,  I’d love to hear what it is about Gone with the Wind that countless fans find so endearing.

What did I miss? Why is it such a beloved classic?

I invite you to set me straight.

 

Romance & Flowers

Are roses romantic?

Um, yeah! I smiled when Gwynly gave me a bouquet of red ones for our 24th anniversary last year.

But what about all the other flowers out there?

When my father-in-law was courting my mother-in-law, Dad gave Mother a gardenia every Friday when he picked her up for their weekly date. That, to me, makes a gardenia mighty special. The family members wore them at Mother’s memorial service to commemorate the special tradition.

Gwynly and I married on December 19, 1987. Normally I think the Christmas decorations show up way too soon, but that year I couldn’t wait to see them flood the stores.

And what did I want to see most of all?

The red, white, and pink potted poinsettias, because that meant Christmas–and our wedding–were getting very close.

We decorated the church with potted versions of the traditional Christmas flower and used a fabric version my mother-in-love made in the bouquets, boutonnières, and corsages.

Each year, when I see the first displays of poinsettias, such as the one in our local dollar store, I’m transported back in time to one of the happiest days of my life. And that is very romantic indeed.

 ❤ ❤ ❤

What flower(s) say romance for you?

Gardenia image from Wikimedia Commons

Visit with Author Catherine West

It’s my pleasure to host Catherine West, my agency mate and friend. Her latest novel, Hidden in the Heart, was released by Oak Tara Publishing in September. The story deals with adoption and the search for one’s birth parents and has already received a number of glowing reviews.

Cathy is an island girl who hates sand. But she loves living in beautiful Bermuda with her two college-aged kids—when they’re home, her pediatrician husband and rambunctious Border collie. Educated in Bermuda, England and Canada, she holds a BA in English from the University of Toronto.

When she’s not writing or reading, you’ll find her in the garden with her roses or tending her orchids. Catherine volunteers with Bermuda Riding for the Disabled. She loves to shop and takes frequent trips to the US to satisfy the craving and fuel her Starbucks addiction.

Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s learn a little more about Cathy. . .

We’ll start with an easy one:

What’s your beverage of choice at Starbucks?

Haha! Well, since we don’t have Starbucks in Bermuda, I beeline for it as soon as I get off the plane wherever I am! I am partial to Caramel Macchiatos, and I also love Pike’s Peak.

I’ve noticed on Facebook that you travel a good deal. Do you travel light, or are you a pack-everything-you can-possibly-squeeze-in type of person?

Yes, we seem to be traveling a good deal this year! Unfortunately I do not have the ‘pack light’ dna anywhere in my body. I wish I did! I always end up bringing far too much wherever we are going. I try, but I think it’s a lost cause. And then of course if I do any shopping, I have more to pack!!

I see that you’re a dog person. What’s the most amusing thing that beautiful Border collie of yours has done?

Ah…he’s pretty amusing, that’s for sure! Let’s see…when he wants a treat, he’ll just launch himself into doing every trick he knows, one after the other – it’s pretty funny to watch! He is also a little OCD – we have outdoor fans on our patio and he loves to run back and forth after them if they’re on. They don’t even need to be on, we just have to say “Get the fan!” and he goes nuts!

Your story deals with the search for a birth parent and is based on your own experience. When did you embark on your search for your birth mother, and what were the most rewarding aspects of it?

Yes, the book is loosely based on my own experiences. I learned a lot about myself during that time. I discovered I had a lot of unresolved feelings, and emotions I didn’t even know I had, surrounding my being adopted. Finally finding peace in who I am and where I came from was the most rewarding thing, but more importantly, the process made me draw closer to God and I realized that while it is good to know my biological history, who I am in Him is what’s going to matter in eternity.

And now to end with a glimpse into your world. If we were to look around your living room, what would we learn about you?

I like color! Deep greens, butter yellows – I love art and pottery and glass, and we have a lot of it all over the house! My living room is actually the one room that’s pretty much always tidy, so that’s great! Look into my study and that’s a different story!!

Cathy’s Question for You

During my search and reunion journey, I was faced with many difficult situations, and sometimes it was all I could do to cry out to God to help me keep going. He came through in a big way for me and provided me with miracles I could not even have imagined. Have you ever had a time where you cried out to Him in desperation? What happened?

Win an Autographed Copy of Hidden in the Heart

To enter the drawing, leave a comment by Sunday, October 21st. Be sure to leave your email address when prompted so I can contact you if you win.

I’ll post the winner’s name here and in a comment on Monday, October 22nd.

No purchase necessary.

Offer void where prohibited.

Odds of winning vary due to number of entrants.

Prizes will be mailed to U.S. or Canadian addresses only.

Learn About Hidden in the Heart

Everything Claire wants seems to be beyond her reach… After losing her mother to cancer and suffering a miscarriage soon after, Claire Ferguson numbs the pain with alcohol and pills, and wonders if her own life is worth living.

Adopted at birth, Claire is convinced she has some unknown genetic flaw that may have been the cause of her miscarriage. She must find a way to deal with the guilt she harbors. But exoneration will come with a price.

With her marriage in trouble and her father refusing to answer any questions about her adoption, Claire begins the search for her birth mother. For the first time in her life, she really wants to know where she came from. But what if the woman who gave her life doesn’t want to be found?

• • •

To learn more about Cathy and her books, visit http://www.catherinejwest.com.

 

Friday Fun: Book Launch Video

This week I received the video documenting the Book Launch Party and Old-fashioned Ice Cream Social I held when my debut novel released in July. My videographer dealt with not one but two computer crashes this summer, but he persevered. It was worth the wait.

I wish you all could have been there. As you’ll see in the video, we had more than enough ice cream for all of you.

……..

 

Finding Time for Romance

Romance.

It’s an important part of a relationship.

But finding time for it can be a challenge.

Many things vie for our attention:

children, jobs, volunteer work, etc.

Jam-packed schedules contribute to:

fatigue, stress, irritability, and more.

All of this can rob us of opportunities for romance.

❤❤❤

What keeps you from having time for your special someone?

How do you squeeze romance into your schedule?

 image from dreamstime

Questions About Book Clubs

Are you a member of a book club?

I’m not, but last month I was invited to visit two groups that were discussing my book. I was excited, because I wanted to find out how book clubs work.

Guilt-free Book Club of Rocklin, California

I had a lot of fun at both meetings, but neither group ended up discussing my story. The members were far more interested in hearing about my writing journey. Since I wanted to be a gracious guest, and since I could talk writing from now until Christmas with no trouble, I was happy to oblige.

Deer Hill Book Club of Shingle Springs, California

Because I didn’t end up witnessing a regular book club meeting, I still have some questions about how a book club works and thought you might have some answers. If so, I’d love to hear them.

How often does your group meet?

How long are your meetings?

Who chooses what book is read?

Do you read certain genres, or is anything fair game?

Who leads the discussion? Do you rotate leaders?

Do you use discussion questions if there are some in the book?

Is serving yummy treats a requirement?

 

 

 

 

Romance: Finding Your Song

Do you and your special someone have a song?

One that sets your heart aflutter every time you hear it?

Gwynly and I do. And it’s not your ordinary song.

It’s a hymn. But not just any hymn.

The one played as the recessional at our wedding.

We didn’t have a song before that. Since Gwynly is from the 60s and I’m from the 70s, we like different kinds of music.

But when we strolled out of the church arm-in-arm on our wedding day with the strains of Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee playing, it become Our Song.

To this day, I mush out whenever I hear it.

When I watch the videotape of our wedding and hear it, I shed tears of joy.

When I heard it played by our daughter’s fifth-grade band years ago, complete with a few squeaks and squawks, I got misty-eyed.

When our hymn leader announces it in church, I lean into Gwynly, he wraps his arm around me, and I get weepy.

I love that Our Song isn’t really ours. It’s the Lord’s. We were joined in His Name, and our first steps as man and wife were taken while this hymn proclaimed our love for our Savior.

☙☙☙

What is your song, and how did it come to be?