Jen Cudmore's Blog, page 27

An Irish Blessing

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Just wanted to share a quick blessing to all my Irish family and friends.

And to all my non-Irish family and friends!

I can’t remember where I got this photo from, but I love it! Hope you all have a blessed Green-Day!

 

Who Were the Vikings, Really?

Much is misunderstood about the Viking people. They are typically viewed as greedy and violent pirates who only lived to pillage, rape and plunder. However, as my friend Heather Day Gilbert (author of a recent Viking novel) keeps saying, they were human just like you and I.

The basics of Viking history:

The Viking age is listed by most scholars as beginning in 793 with the first documented raid on the monastery at Lindisfarne, an island off the coast of northern England.


The end of the Viking era is generally believed to be 1066, when the Duke of Normandy conquered the Scandinavian countries and the Norman rule expanded to include all of Europe.


The Viking settlements originated in Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. Yet their influence reached far beyond Scandinavia, expanding into England, Scotland, and Ireland, as well along the coast of the mainland.

So were the Vikings really what we thought? Yes, they often settled arguments with violence, and they seemed to have no qualms about taking whatever they wanted by force. But not all settlements can be characterized this way. These people were farmers, tradesmen, shepherds, and sailors. The livelihood of family was important, and warriors often took their families with them to new lands, or started families, and settled down. In most cases, they seem to have intended to stay in one place.

There was much more to the Vikings than greed and violence. It’s important to remember that the Vikings didn’t write anything down in books or journals. So the literature we have on them was mostly written by victims of their attacks or second-hand stories from witnesses, both of which are biased.

Vikings did have a system of laws and justice. Honor was of utmost importance. Their shipbuilding techniques and ability to recite laws and poetry proves they were much more than mindless barbarians. They became less violent the more Christianity spread throughout the regions.

If you stick with me in the coming weeks, I’ll tell you much more detail!

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Did you catch Heather and I discussing Vikings with Giovanni Gelati on Blog Talk Radio? Here’s the link, just in case!

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Disclaimer: Please note that I don’t claim to be an expert on Vikings! I’ve done  a lot of research as a backdrop for my upcoming novels, and I simply wish to express my interpretation of the information I’ve learned. My goal is to dispel the myths and create a better understanding of the Viking people. If you feel I’ve misinterpreted any of the facts, please send me an email! 

©Jen Cudmore 2014, All Rights Reserved

Subscribe to my blog or email newsletter on the right side of the page!

2014 Prayers: Honoring My Husband

Theme: Family

“God, thank You so much for this wonderful man You’ve given me for a husband! Help me to love & respect him as You’ve called me to do (Eph 5:33). May my marriage be a legacy of love, & may I be the ‘Help-meet’ you require (Gen 2:18).

“I wish to please You; help me to see my husband as You do. I’m especially grateful for his _______ & _______. Help me focus on his good qualities rather than his mistakes and short-comings. Show me ways I can honor him each day.”

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For more encouraging prayers, click here to see what’s been posted recently.

Athena Creek: Goodreads Giveaway!

Want a chance to win a free book?

I’m giving away 3 (signed) paperback copies of The Lawmen of Clayton County: Athena Creek Volume 1!

All you need to do is go to Goodreads and click the button: “Enter to Win“. On March 30th, they will send me the names of the 3 winners, which they will choose at random. So tell your friends! If they haven’t got the book yet, here’s a chance for a free copy!

Not a member on Goodreads? Just click here to sign up!

“Goodreads is the world’s largest site for readers and book recommendations. Our mission is to help people find and share books they love.”

 

Book summary: Set in the rugged Oregon Territory of the 1850’s, the first in a series of fast-paced historical romances features a new marshal who remains determined to uphold the law—despite a feisty young woman who intrigues him. When Lynette Ellis’ hot temper lands her in jail on her first night in town, she attempts to repair her reputation in town, and with the marshal, Trace Ingram.

The suspense builds as investigation of three mysterious deaths appears to point to Charles McCrae, the businessman who recruited Trace. Charles usually gets whatever he wants, except for beautiful saloon singer Niccola Canalis, who turned down both his marriage proposals. Niccola, desperate to escape her employer’s clutches, needs a man willing to stand up to Charles. As Trace digs deeper for the truth, he begins to realize just how powerful Charles really is. With the help of Niccola and her bodyguard, he believes he can bring Charles to justice, but then Lynette gets caught in the plot. Can Trace stop Charles before anyone else gets hurt?

Why Are Historical Novels So Enticing?

Today on the blog hop we’re discussing our favorite genre. In my case, my favorite is what I write: romantic historical fiction. (This post is adapted from one I wrote last summer during another blog hop.)

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Why are historical novels so enticing?

There’s something intriguing about stories set in history, a spirit of excitement and fascination that captures our soul. Although basic issues of family and survival remain the same in every century, the challenges people faced in the past were quite different from modern times. Men and women were called to be courageous in ways that are no longer necessary, or even possible. They faced with challenges that modern-day life would never present. This element of fantasy draws in the reader and makes them wonder how they would behave under those circumstances.

What specifically draws readers to novels set in other time periods?

The Viking Era creates a sense of fear and awe in the reader because the Vikings were so menacing in their efforts to expand.
The Medieval Period, full courageous kings and knights, was a time when chivalry reigned.
The political and religious tension of the Tudor Era creates a fascinating background for intrigue.
The Regency Period is enticing because the rules of society, the formal words and behaviors, fosters a romantic environment where much is forbidden and left unsaid.

But it’s not just the mystery of the time period, it’s also the curiosity of the reader, who desires to know what life was like for the people who lived back then. When historical details are woven through each chapter, the story’s inspiration becomes much more powerful.

For my current series, The Lawmen of Clayton County, I chose the Old West, with its tough pioneers, rugged cowboys, and lawless society. The stories take place in three separate towns in the newly settled Oregon Territory during the 1850′s, just after the Great Migration over the Oregon Trail.

The first story, Athena Creek, released in two volumes, was published last year. It features a marshal named Trace Ingram who seeks to uncover the mystery behind three murders, all of which point to the man who hired him: Charles McCrae.

Excerpt from Athena Creek:

“According to the billet,” Trace said, “Mahaffey is wanted for stealing cattle in

California, not Clayton County or the Oregon Territory. So I let him go.”

“He’s killed several men without reason,” McCrae said. “Everyone knows he’s

done it.”

Trace sharpened his tone. “Everyone but me.”

McCrae took a step closer, his eyes narrowing. “My word is reliable, Ingram. You should have arrested that man.”

“He didn’t break any laws while he was here.” Trace kept his tone even. “No one has proven to me that he’s ever done so. The paper I have doesn’t state any charges of murder. I believe I did the right thing.”

“The right thing? Criminals belong behind bars!” McCrae turned away to regain control of his temper. When he faced Trace, his expression had lost its red tinge. He even managed a smile.

“Well, Ingram, there’s nothing we can do about it now. Let me just make one thing clear.” McCrae’s smile faded. “Next time you better think long and hard before you let a cold-blooded killer go free.”

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What do you think makes historical novels so enticing?

©Jen Cudmore 2014, All Rights Reserved

Subscribe to my blog or email newsletter on the right side of the page!

Guest: Author Joy Ross Davis

My Irish Blessing, by Joy Ross Davis

In 2007, I was blessed with a summer internship as a travel writer and photographer with a travel agency in Ireland. It was a gift from God, a miracle that changed my life. 

As a travel writer and photographer, my job was to travel across five counties of Ireland, find remote, lesser known places that American first-time visitors would enjoy, photograph them in the best light, and then compose an enticing article that would actually make visitors want to see them. My basic assignment was to turn in ten articles and twenty photos each week.

Given the weather in Ireland—usually cool and rainy—I discovered that nothing in my suitcase would work as traveling clothes, as many of the remote destinations required long walks through fields of stinging nettle. Gone were the nice pants and blouses I’d brought, replaced now by heavy sweat pants, long sweaters, and most importantly, a pair of Wellies (boots).

The first two weeks were chaotic as I tried to figure out how to visit the sites, take great photographs of them, and then write interesting articles. Steeped in history and myth, I was more concerned with the legend than the place itself, so I spent hours interviewing people, talking to local about the particular site, and generating ideas. In short, I spent hours wasting my time!

Finally, in desperation, I settled into a routine. When I’d visit a site, I would take along a small notebook that fit inside my camera bag. I’d spend some time reflecting on the beauty of the place, taking many more shots than were required, and in general, coming to know each place. I wrote in hotel lobbies or dining rooms at B and B’s, Internet cafes, libraries, and soon, I established a fixed routine.

And this was my Irish blessing.

Through God’s grace, my entire writing life changed during my stay in Ireland. I learned that I could write anywhere and under any circumstances. I became a better photographer and found that images inspired my best writing.

Photographs continue to inspire me as nothing else does, and at times, I feel an instant spiritual connection. The story comes, then, and no matter where I am, the ideas flow.  My Irish blessing—God’s gift to me—generated a new source of inspiration, one that still guides my writing today. And for this small miracle, I am grateful.

Bio: Joy Ross Davis lives in Bessemer, Alabama. She has a Ph.D in Creative Writing  and for many years, she taught English at a local community college. She retired to become a caregiver for her mother who suffered from dementia. She documented her experiences with her mother in a series of articles for a local newspaper. The articles have also been featured in Muscadine Lines, a Southern literary magazine. For several months in 2007, she lived in Ireland and worked as a travel writer and photographer for Tourism Ireland. Currently, she is working on the sequel to her first published novel, Countenance, is celebrating the release of her second book, and teaching English online for the University of Phoenix. She lives with her son and three rescue dogs.

Latest release: In Countenance, debut novelist Joy Ross Davis creates a suspenseful yet heartfelt story full of intrigue and unexpected revelations, where magic is made in the kitchen and angels can fall in love. Her memorable characters inhabit a home that is more than it seems, unwittingly preparing for a final showdown where forces battle for the souls of both those who reside there and the dead who cannot move on to the next realm. Thirty-eight-year-old Nealey Monaghan’s life is turned upside-down one night when her sister’s estranged ex-husband kills nearly everyone she loves in one fell swoop. Numb to the world, Nealey is taken in by her charmingly eccentric Aunt Sylvie, cookbook author and proprietress of the Playhouse Inn Bed and Breakfast in the hills of Tennessee. Hoping to help her niece find purpose and meaning in her life again, Sylvie makes Nealey a co-owner and begins teaching her the tricks of the trade…and the secrets of the house. Unbeknownst to either of them, nor to the ghost relatives who have lived there since they were murdered in 1889, there is a common thread running through their veins, and a deep secret that is dying to come out…

2014 Prayers: Good Stewards of Our Bodies

Theme: Living Healthy

“God, I want to be healthy, free from physical impurities the way You intended. May my family and I be wise in our daily habits & be good stewards of our bodies, the temple of your Holy Spirit (1Cor 6:19).

“We want to please You by taking care of ourselves, which includes proper diet, exercise, & hygiene. Let us not live for momentary pleasures or instant gratification, but make choices you would approve of. May we always remember that we represent You. Help us always always put forth our best effort in taking care of ourselves.”

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For more encouraging prayers, click here.

4 Exciting New Series from HHP!

 

Helping Hands Press has several new muliti-author series I want to tell you about! Just like the Wedding Planner series I’m currently part of, they’re all short stories which will be released about 2 weeks apart. Most of them have a couple volumes out already, so be sure to start with the first one in each series! I’ve provided links for all the first volumes.

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Colony Zero:

In 2810, they’re called Zeroes.

Some Zeroes are born, somehow slipping through the genetic screening and purification tests in utero mandated by an overpopulated Earth. Others become Zeroes later, the worst murderers and thieves and abusers, despite the same genetic screening. Whether born or made, they are Earth’s outcasts, the dregs, sent to a perpetually dark rock orbiting a Y-class brown dwarf star by a society without the patience or desire to deal with them.

Click here for more info on Amazon.

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The Outlaw Unchained:

SAMUEL J. WINCHESTER is an escaped convict, wanted by the law for murder, but once he was an officer and a gentleman. Winchester was an 1831 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point NY, and worked for ten years building roads, bridges and fortifications.

Then in 1841 without warning he was placed under arrest and quickly convicted of the murder of a family on the raw frontier of the Republic of Texas. He was sent to a succession of prisons, the last being Castillo de San Marcos at St. Augustine, FL where conditions were brutal and escape was thought to be impossible.

But Sam did manage to escape after ten years of confinement.

Click here for more info on Amazon.

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The Declaration of Independence:

The “Declaration of Independence” series brings to life the crafting and signing of the World famous document as told through the eyes of Thomas Jefferson, Samuel Adams, Benjamin Franklin, John Hancock, and Francis Lewis. “We hold these truths to be sacred and undeniable; that all men are created equal and independent, that from that equal creation they derive rights inherent and inalienable, among which are the preservation of life, and liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

Click here for more into on Amazon.

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Wells Fargo Express:

Remington Holt is a special agent who works for Wells Fargo trying to take down a group of men who plan to overthrow the US government.

See what he and his pal Amos are up to when they visit Texas in volume 3! (I wrote Volume 2 several months ago. They made a nice, new cover for the series!)

Click here for more info on Amazon.

 

Join the RCW March Prayer Challenge!

Real Christian Wives (RCW) offers a  challenge for wives every month to “help us be better wives, honor God, take the focus off what our husbands should and should not be doing, and take responsibility for OUR actions.”

In February, it was about better health.

For March, they want us to PRAY FOR HIM!

To start off the challenge, Lara, the founder, explains why it’s critical to pray for our husbands regularly. She says “As Christian wives, I do not think we realize the power of prayer and the importance of it in marriage. We have a responsibility given by God to be help-meets to our husbands, and part of that means praying for them every day.”

She explains the world’s view of what a husband should be and contrasts it with God’s word. She lists out several scriptures to study over the next four weeks.

Every day the RCW team of wives will post a prayer for husbands. For the first one, click here.

They will also post encouragement a couple times a week, so be sure to stop by often, or sign up for their “Weekly Recharge.”

Won’t you join us?

 

SFWP Volume 2 was just released!

“Heather Donovan has no time for her own romance—she’s busy making wedding dreams come true for other people…”

 

A few weeks ago my publisher asked me to participate in a multi-author series! A new short story should be available every 2-3 weeks! The San Francisco Wedding Planner Volume 1 was released February 12th.

And now, Volume 2 is available! Are Heather and Bryan meant to be together? Find out in the next installment of the series.

Volume 2 summary: When Heather goes out on her first date with orthopedic surgeon Bryan Tate, her hopes of a nice evening are quickly dashed. Raul’s makeover is a little over-the-top, her flashy mother’s jealousy makes Bryan uncomfortable, Mario’s flirtatious interference only adds pressure, and Skye’s family problems require extra help. With Bryan recovering from a broken engagement and Heather’s busy work schedule, she’s certain there just isn’t a chance for romance between them. But life is always changing. Do they have enough in common to at least be friends?

To order on Amazon, click here.

For more information on Volume 1 and the series, click here. If you missed it, you can purchase Volume 1 here!