Laura Jackson's Blog, page 11

A March Bride: A Review

   This is my favorite the Year of Weddings series. I think it's because I already knew the characters from a previous book. When Susanna agreed to marry Nathaniel, she knew she was giving away a lot. She just didn't know she'd have to give up her American citizenship too in order to be with the man she loves. When she flees back to Georgia weeks before the wedding, can she find a balance between being a princess and being true to herself?I loved the characters, and the wedding was absolutely fantastic! Fans of Rachel Hauck's princess series will adore this book, and fans of Christian fiction in general will love it too.(Although you don't have to read Once Upon a Prince to enjoy this novella, it would help.) I was given a copy of this novella in exchange for my review. My thoughts are my own. '

Princess Ever After: A Review

    I'm conflicted on this book. I love Regina, the tough car-fixing Southern girl. She's strong and confident. And while I liked Tanner, the minister of culture sent to the US to find the heir to the throne, it was hard to gloss over his past. His reasons for what he had done tainted him some for me. However, I loved the flashbacks to Regina's grandmother's journal, and I especially loved the ending where Regina finds what was hidden for all these years. The princess part is fun, and fans of the first book in the series will enjoy this one as well. I was given this book in exchange for my review. My thoughts are my own.   An Interview with Rachel Hauck,  Author of Princess Ever After The best stories show ordinary people doing extraordinary things, and Rachel Hauck has captured that very essence in her new novel, Princess Ever After  (Zondervan/February 4, 2013/ISBN 9780310315506/$14.99). The second book in the Royal Wedding series tells the story of an ordinary girl who finds out she's a princess, a revelation that changes the life she's created for herself.

Like many of us, Hauck is enamored with the idea of royalty, and while she hopes readers are entertained and drawn to the modern fairytale of Princess Ever After, she has a deeper desire for this book and the entire series. "I pray readers find hope and encouragement," she says. "Most of us are not going to discover we are long-lost princes or princesses in this life, but we are most sincerely princes and princesses in His kingdom. Right now! Let's live like it and love as our King loves."

Q: In Princess Ever After, your heroine, Regina, is happy with the life she's created for herself. When God intervenes, she feels unprepared, yet He's provided all she needs. How have you seen God's direction and provisions in your own life?

I'm the anti-Regina. After I graduated from college, I realized I'd never be happy unless I was sold out to the Lord, so I told Him I was 100% available. It's a surrender I've never, ever regretted. I know me. I like too many things in life to feel confident in committing to any one career. I was terrified I'd marry the wrong man. But like Regina, I had parents and mentors who encouraged me in my teen years and helped me choose a good path.

Q: It's not uncommon for our past mistakes to alter our life's course. What would you say to those who feel their past mistakes hinder them from moving on?

Get over it. Can I say that? In love? Seriously, if we don't allow ourselves to be defined by our success --- meaning we give all glory to the Lord --- then we can't allow ourselves to be defined by our failure. Give that to Him, too. If you really believe in God's forgiveness and love, there's no point in stagnating in past mistakes. Believe that God can and will heal your heart and move on.

The trick in letting go of past mistakes is Romans 12:1. "Be transformed by the renewing of your mind." We have to surrender our emotions and thoughts to the Lord. In doing that, we will approve of His will. Good, acceptable and perfect.

Q: Do you think God views us differently or withholds his blessings because of the mistakes we've made?

Truth? No. If that were the case He'd never be able to bless us. We quantify sin. He does not. To Him, a lie or lustful thought is the same as a "bigger sin" like adultery. The consequences vary, but sin is sin. The difference is the condition of our hearts. If we have a "yes" in our heart to Him, repenting of our sin, His grace is sufficient. But if we have a "no" in our heart toward Him and continue in sin without repentance, I think we can move outside His blessing.

In reality, we have no idea of His heart toward the rebellious. Isaiah 55:8 is a familiar verse, ". . . my ways are not your ways, my thoughts are not your thoughts." But go back a verse. God is talking about the rebellious. "You don't know my thoughts toward them," I think God is saying. God is love and mercy. But He's also judgment and wrath. It's a divine paradox. We cannot build a "rule" on how He blesses us.

Q: Your leading man must overcome a fear of failure. Is that a fear you have faced yourself, or have you conquered another fear? How were you able to overcome your fear?

I've dealt a lot with fear and anxiety. After college I was hit with small panic attacks and anxiety. I had to travel for my job, and boarding an airplane, which I did all the time, kept me awake the night before. The idea of being trapped on a plane made me claustrophobic. But I leaned into the Word, into the Lord, and never ever let my fears win. I got on the plane anyway. And I made it. Even enjoyed the 15 hours from LA to Sydney.

I overcame by believing what God said about me instead of my fears. I devoted my heart and mind to the Word and prayer. I did the Romans 12:1-2 thing. I just didn't see where the Lord had called me to walk a life of anxiety and fear. He and I had a lot of conversations about it. I'm here to report prayer and the Word work! You just have to stay in the battle. Recently I've had "joy attacks" where I felt His presence in a tangible, joyful way. I need more of those!

Q: One important theme in Princess Ever After is obedience. Why is obedience important for healing and restoration, and how can you know you're actually doing what God has asked you to do?

Obedience is better than sacrifice. We know Him by reading His Word. When Regina found the fairytale her great grandmother had written to her, Tanner said, "This is your gram speaking to you in this book. Hear what she's saying!" God is speaking to us through His Son, through the Holy Spirit and through His written Word. We have to believe He loves us enough to show us His will.

Obedience is required because our human hearts are too weak to do good on our own. Obedience actually trains us to know Him. In our weakness, we choose to hate people who wrong us. But God says forgive. If we obey, we reap the benefits of His blessing! And I love in John 10:27 where Jesus assures us, "My sheep hear my voice."

Q: In many ways, becoming too comfortable can be one of our greatest difficulties to truly fulfilling our purpose. How did that familiarity come into play in this story, and why was it important for your characters to be pushed out of their comfort zones?

I'm pushed out of my comfort zone with each book! Stories are about imperfect people doing extraordinary things. That's exactly what an author has to do: harness our weakness, overcome and write a good book.

For characters in fiction, there is no story if characters are not challenged and pushed to the limit. I write with the idea that my stories are about people dealing with a wound-lie-fear that must be confronted. In the end, they come to truth. Most of the time people do not willingly confront their wounds and fears. It's my job to set up a situation that drives them to face those fears --- and ultimately find peace and happiness.

Q: Your books usually include some kind of symbolism that relates back to the Gospel message. Will readers find that trademark of your writing in Princess Ever After?

Oh yeah, in a couple of places. First, in the fairytale gifted to the heroine by her great grandmother. It's symbolic of the message God has given us through His written Word. Hebrews 4:12 tells us His Word is living and active. It speaks. Yesterday, today, tomorrow. Also, Regina sees something in the forest. At first she's the only one (I can't say more or I'll ruin the surprise), but this light is symbolic of the light of the Lord. When we follow the light, we gain insight, revelation and understanding. "In Him we live and move and have our being."

Once Regina found the Light, she discovered valuable truths that enabled her to accept her divine destiny.

Q: Princess Ever After is the second book in your Royal Weddings series. What is your favorite part about a romance with a royal twist?

Royalty! I found it fun to create the world of a royal. Have a coronation, a ball, servants and protection officers. Also, to make folks bow and curtsey. Ha! Actually, there were a lot of challenges to creating a believable, modern royal world, but I had a great time giving it a go. With Regina, it was fun to sneak up on a common girl and tell her, "You're a royal princess."

Q: What's the most surprising tidbit you've learned about English royalty through your research?

How much space do we have here? One of the biggest things I learned was the relationship between the European royals. The cousins George V, Wilhelm II and Nicolas II --- all descendants of Queen Victoria --- were in power at the beginning of World War I, after which only the UK's George V remained. The royal houses of Europe fell after the first World War, and it changed the face of Europe.

Q: What do you hope readers take away from Princess Ever After?

As always, I hope readers are entertained and drawn into a modern fairytale. But I also pray they find hope and encouragement. Look, most of us are are not going to discover we are long-lost princes or princesses in this life, but we are most sincerely princes and princesses in His kingdom. Right now! Let's live like it. Love like our King loves.

Q: Both Once Upon a Prince and Princess Ever After take a look at refocusing on God's plans rather than our own. Is that a reoccurring theme in all of your writing or an idea specific to the Royal Wedding series?

Good question. I'm not sure if I'm doing it on purpose, but the very idea that two ordinary American women find themselves becoming royalty lends itself to God redirecting our plans. There's also the underlying theme that when we give our lives to the Lord, we are faced with a royal reality we never knew before. God's plans were unknown to us before we knew Him. Once we are His, we have the choice to follow His will or our own.

For Regina, once she knew her true identity, she couldn't go back to her old life.

Q: What can readers look forward to in the third installment of the Royal Wedding series? How are all of the books tied together?

There will be a third book, How To Catch A Prince. It's Prince Stephen's story, brother of King Nathaniel, and Corina Del Rey, a Georgia-Florida girl.
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Cowgirl Up!

    I love the Houston Rodeo. I'm pretty much a suburb girl. I like living outside the city but close enough to enjoy its benefits.I've never roped a calf, and I've only been on a horse once in my life.But I LOVE country music. I love the appeal of country life--honest, hardworking people.       So, I try to go to the rodeo a couple times each year. If you're ever in Houston for the rodeo, don't miss it. It's huge, it's fun, and it's for 3 weeks, which means surely there's a night you can go.   Saturday, I went with my friend Jamie and a bunch of her friends. We all went to HBU at the same time, but somehow, I only knew Jamie.  We saw Chris Young. I wish I liked more of his songs because his voice is fantastic--classic country. The concert was great, but his songs just aren't my favorite. Weird.   My other favorite thing about the rodeo is the food. I ate Mexican food and ended with a cupcake with ice cream in the middle. It was heavenly. There's a line of food vendors--from fried oreos to wine tastings, from burritos to sausage on a stick, from BBQ to frozen hot chocolate. Go hungry and leave stuffed. Last, there's a carnival where you can take a spin on rides and win prizes like this:  Where is she going to put that in her house?  Fantastic fun--can't wait to go back this week!  '  

Confessional Friday

Connecting with Leslie over at http://www.blondeambitionblog.com/.
(Tulips at my school. The whole set is in bloom now, but there was an early bird.)   1. I confess that I'm really ready for spring break. Eight hours. 2. I confess I left a pile of clothes on a rack at Old Navy and walked out after seeing the check-out line, which was at least 30 people long.3. I also confess that I might have also convinced a few other people in line to do the same after commenting that you got a discount online and free shipping.4. I confess that I read the last page of a book I'm reading just to see how it ended. Now, I can slow down and enjoy the story instead of rushing through to get to the end.5. I confess I'm wondering what ever happened to Paris Hilton. '

Want to Win?

  Here's a third way to win Worth the Wait this week: http://www.pattishene.com/teensoftodayandtomorrow/142/1 Check out the blog post below this one for two other ways to win!'

Two New Chances to Win!

  
Worth the Wait has been out a month! Thanks to everyone who has helped spread the word!


Visit Sara Ella's website to enter to win a signed copy of Worth the Wait: http://saraella.com/2014/03/author-laura-jackson.html#comment-1170

Stop by K. Dawn Byrd's blog for another chance to win:
http://kdawnbyrd.blogspot.com/2014/03/register-to-win-laura-jacksons-worth.html
  '

Confessional Friday

Connecting with Leslie on A Blonde Ambition again.
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1. I confess I ate two boxes of this deliciousness today.2. And yesterday.3. I confess I check the reviews for Worth the Wait every day.4. More than once.5. I confess that I'm stuck in the middle of a scene--not sure what to write next and feeling overwhelmed.6. I confess that I've listened to the song "O the Blood" by Kari Jobe five times in a row and it's still on repeat.
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Ellie Sweet Series: A Review

   I read these back-to-back, so I'm going to review them together. Ellie Sweet is a high school junior who feels like an outcast even with her friends. Instead of trying to fit in, she uses her feelings to fuel her writing. When she begins pitching her book, reality takes over. As others begin to hear about her work, will her secrets, including her crush on Palmer and her true feelings about her "friends," come out? I enjoyed this book. Ellie is a good character--a little too good, which makes it fun to watch her fall for the bad boy Chase. What I liked best was the "lesson" on the writing world. As Ellie chases her dream, the author includes behind the scenes peeks to how books go from a writer's mind to the readers' hands. This part of the book ties into the author's website, goteenwriters.blogspot.com. I recommend this to fans of Christian YA, especially those who love writing.    
Okay, I loved Chase from the first book. Palmer, the guy Ellie originally liked is nice but a tad boring in book 1. However, not everything works out like it does in a book. (Pun intended)
As Ellie and Chase figure out how to balance their two very different backgrounds and outlooks, Ellie is also dealing with her debut novel releasing and its effect on her relationships.

I loved seeing Ellie grow in this book. My heart hurt for her, but I found the ending satisfying as she's learning to balance fiction and reality.

I think the author did a great job with the relationship between Chase and Ellie--very authentic.




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Christian Schools Wanted!

 

I put this call out on FB, but I forgot to do it here too.As a new author, I'm trying to get Worth the Wait into the hands of teenagers. So, I'm donating copies to Christian schools. If you know of a Christian school that has an upper/high school, please let me know the librarian's name and email (or an English teacher if the school doesn't have a librarian) so that I can contact him/her about donating a copy.You can email me at laurajacksonwrites at gmail dot com. Thanks!'

Confessional Friday

I love to read blogs even (especially) if I don't know the person. People are interesting to me, and I can always write off the time spent (wasted) as research for a future character.So, today, I'm jumping in the link-up from A Blonde Ambition's blog. http://www.blondeambitionblog.com/    1. I confess that I took a personal day at work today and feel like a kid skipping school. Even though my boss knows it's a personal day and I have a great sub, I still feel a little guilty for missing a day--and it's the only day I've taken this school year. 2. I confess I'm a little discouraged with this author marketing thing. I'm NOT a sales woman. My days at Bed, Bath & Beyond proved that. It's hard selling yourself. 3. I confess I'm craving crawfish today...like pregnant lady cravings.  4. I confess that I'm boring....so boring that I have nothing to confess.  I'll try this again next week, and I'll try to be interesting enough before then to have something great to confess!  '