Janet Sketchley's Blog: Tenacity, page 30
March 27, 2020
Some Things Never Change (Guest Post)
Image by Engin_Akyurt from Pixabay Some Things Never Change by Steph Beth Nickel Livestreaming church services. Economic upheaval. Social distancing. Self-isolation. Pandemic.
Its what we talk about. Its what we think about. Its what we pray aboutwhen we can muster the energy to pray.
It seemed like a very good time to focus on some of those things that simply never change. Here are 11 things to consider:
We are called to be outwardly focused.
As Christians, weve known this all along. But...
March 24, 2020
99-cent Ebooks While We’re Self-isolating
I hope youre doing okay in these uncertain days. The most important things we can do are to pray for one another (and for our leaders!) and to care for one another in whatever way we can.
One small thing I can do is to reduce the price of my ebooks people who are spending more time at home need distractions from the never-ending news loops. Books are great for that, and books that remind us of Gods care are extra-valuable now. Many Christian authors I know have been able to reduce their...
March 17, 2020
Review: No Way Up, by Mary Connealy
No Way Up, by Mary Connealy (Bethany House, 2016)
A year under the same roof?
Their fathers near-fatal injury in a rock slide (and the terms of his will, which he insists they obey immediately) require Sadie Boden and her brothers Justin and Cole to live together on the family ranch for the next year. Its inconvenient for Cole, who prefers to run the familys mining interests from town. And it costs Sadie her role of working in the towns orphanage.
The avalanche may have been deliberate...
March 13, 2020
Keeping Track of What We Read
Reads to Remember: A book lovers journal to track your next 100 reads is now available.
Whether its a book a day or a book a year, in print, digital, or audio, this readers journal is the perfect way to track the next 100 books in your life.
Jot your reactions and reflections.Note key details:authorsubjectformatdate finishedratingfavourite linesand moreTrack your reading habits across genre/subject.List those rare, life-impacting reads.Manage your to-read list.Includes...
March 10, 2020
Review: Hems & Homicide, by Elizabeth Penney
Hems & Homicide, by Elizabeth Penney (St. Martin’s, 2020)
Iris Buckley and her recently-widowed grandmother, Anne, are a good team. Add Quincy, a marmalade cat who thinks he’s the real boss, and their Ruffles & Bows shop could be a hit. If the skeleton they find in the cellar of their building doesn’t stop their grand opening plans.
Welcome to Blueberry Cove, Maine: a quiet, tourist town where everyone knows everyone’s business. Or at least they thought they did—someone may be a secret...
March 6, 2020
New Releases in Christian Fiction (March 2020)
More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website.
Contemporary Romance:
Love & Liberty by Elsie Davis — A New Hampshire firefighter and an Audubon Society member go head to head when his work involving controlled forest fires threatens a rumored eagle nest. (Contemporary Romance from Sweet Promise Press)
Formula for a Perfect Life by Christy Hayes — College senior...
March 3, 2020
Review: Left Turn to the Promised Land, by Rachel Starr Thomson
Left Turn to the Promised Land, by Rachel Starr Thomson (Little Dozen Press, 2018)
“One Author’s Journey of Writing, Business, and Walking by Faith.” Rachel Starr Thomson’s openness in sharing the practical and spiritual development of her writing reads like a novel. It’s present-tense first-person, with some lyrical descriptions.
You might want to read this book if:
You’re a Christian writer. Your experiences will be different than the author’s, but there will be overlap. Like the struggle...February 28, 2020
When a Plan Comes Together (Guest Post)
Image by Shannon Matthews from Pixabay When a Plan Comes Together by Steph Beth Nickel Planners. Journals. Notebooks.
Do you love them as much as I do?
Maybe you make a simple To Do List on paper or on your phone.
Maybe you keep it all in your head. (Kudos if you do!)
Still, there’s a challenge no matter what method you use to record your plans, hopes, and dreams … follow-through.
I can make a mean To Do List. I can decorate it with stickers and even use fancy writing if I’m so inclined. But...
February 25, 2020
Review: A Dream of Death, by Connie Berry
A Dream of Death, by Connie Berry (Crooked Lane Books, 2019)
A remote Scottish island. A private hotel steeped in history. And a repeat of a centuries-old murder.
This is the sort of mystery I love best. The setting is so real I can almost step into it, and I liked the protagonist, Kate Hamilton, from page one. Kate deals in antiques, not crimes, but she has a good eye for detail and strong motivation to solve this mystery. The company of an attractive, vacationing English police detective...
February 18, 2020
Review: Lizzy and Jane, by Katherine Reay
Lizzy and Jane, by Katherine Reay (Thomas Nelson, 2014)
A treat for foodies and Jane Austen fans, Lizzy and Jane brings together two sisters who’ve successfully avoided meaningful contact since their mother died years earlier. Now Jane is enduring chemotherapy for breast cancer. Elizabeth, a successful chef, has lost her edge. A flying visit home might be just what she needs.
If that sounds like the book’s a downer, let the artsy cover reassure you. There are tears, but there’s laughter,...
