Robin E. Mason's Blog: Robin's Book Shelf, page 100

BLOGWORDS – Saturday 6 July 2019 – CHAT THURSDAY – MANLY MAN BLITZ AUTHOR MINI-INTERVIEW – WILL TWENTYMAN

BLOGWORDS – Saturday 6 July 2019 – CHAT THURSDAY – MANLY MAN BLITZ AUTHOR MINI-INTERVIEW – WILL TWENTYMAN
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CHAT THURSDAY – MANLY MAN BLITZ AUTHOR MINI-INTERVIEW – WILL TWENTYMAN

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Please join me in giving a feathered welcome to Will Twentyman.

 

FAST FAVES

Cookout—chicken or brats  BRATS

Beer in a bottle or a can BOTTLE – WINE COOLER/CIDER

Dogs or Cats  CATS

Eggs or Pancakes EGGS

Fishing or hunting COUCH POTATO

Vacation: mountains or beach  MOUNTAINS

 

rem:  Hullo, Will, welcome to my little nest. Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?

WILL:  Raised in Rochester Minnesota, went to school in Illinois for math, and now live in Greer, SC. I currently work as a programmer.

rem:  Slowly migrating in a southward pattern I see. Do you have a favorite Bible verse? And why is it a favorite?

WILL: John 8:32: “…Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.” Before I got saved, I majored in math. For me, part of the attraction of the subject is it is 100% factual in nature. A statement is true or false. Period. Internally consistent assumptions are a requirement of math. In my personal life, however, there were a lot of things I believed that were not based on truth, but on what I wanted to be true. These persisted even into becoming saved and getting married, where they lead to problems with seasonal depression. By embracing some unpleasant truths, I was able to actually become much happier. As Christians, we are required to accept some unpleasant truths as part of our day-to-day living that impacts our politics. People are NOT basically good. People are selfish. People will act with ulterior motives. When you accept and embrace these truths, you can begin to predict outcomes of policies and actions in both your personal life and at a nation-wide level.

rem:  Powerful testimony! What is your favourite quotation and why?

WILL: “In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem.” Ronald Reagan, January 20, 1981. Many of our government policies are passed with the best of intentions, yet lead to catastrophe. Cash for clunkers is a good example of this. The idea was to help protect the environment (which may or may not have been needed). What it also did was significantly raise the cost of used cars by shrinking the supply drastically. You used to be able to get a decent used car for under a thousand dollars. Now, you need to spend at least five thousand for a decent used car, simply because the supply was artificially reduced. This hurt poor people disproportionately, but supposedly helped save the environment. Similarly, we’ve had a war on poverty for decades, but it keeps growing while the family unit among the poor has been destroyed. The war on drugs has pushed those who sell/use drugs to be more violent, while discouraging those who want to escape addiction from coming forward. The law of unintended consequences plagues our government programs, often making the consequences outweigh the benefits.

rem:  Reagan was such a true American, and one of the top three best presidents ever! What’s the most random thing in your car or on your desk?

WILL:  Hair bands.

rem:  Yes, I’ve seen the pre-barber pics… LOL What do you munch on while you write?

WILL:  Coffee. I’m not much of a snacker, but there’s always a cup of coffee next to me from morning until I lay down in bed.

 

rem:  I do not understand this concept of not snacking…  LOL What do you think is significant about Christian fiction?  How has being an author impacted your relationship with Christ?

WILL:  I have a love/hate relationship with Christian fiction. Some of the best Christian fiction is not overtly Christian. The Narnia series by C.S. Lewis, A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle (rem: LOVE that book!!!) among others, share powerful Christian truths, but don’t overtly preach the gospel. The result is books that are loved by everyone that teach deep, spiritual truths. On the other hand, some of the most overtly Christian fiction ends up being riddled with theological errors or heresies. “The Shack” recently made waves as wildly popular, yet it had numerous theological problems. Several other books that attempt to explain theology via a fictional narrative have suffered similar problems, but because they’re labeled “Christian fiction”, many Christians will view them as “safe reading” and uncritically read them. I would rather read something that is blatantly fiction and non-theological, than something under Christian fiction, as I don’t want my theology getting polluted by bad ideas in a shiny wrapping.

I would say my fiction writing has not impacted my relationship with Christ at all. I enjoy exploring various ideas, but just as I don’t trust Christian fiction, I don’t trust myself to write it, either. (rem: kudos for the honest self-assessment)  On the other hand, I also write non-fiction from time to time, primarily in blogs. Here is where I look at world views, theology, and politics. Christ is the center of my world view. If my attempt to understand the world, society, etc is contrary to the Bible, then I know I’m off base. Further, because I used to be an atheist, and often write with a non-Christian audience in mind, I’m able to see how the Bible is wholly compatible with science and reason. I can argue against abortion without relying on the Bible. Since the Bible supports a pro-life position, that helps me to see that the Bible is rational, while I also am able to stay on track when not relying on it for my arguments.

rem:  I agree. I think, as Christians, the best fiction has faith woven into it without being touted as Christian Fiction. Non-believers are not likely to pick up a CF novel, but they might read mine, or yours, which are not labeled as such. And if they pick up any small thread of faith or Truth, then I have sown a seed. When reading, what makes or breaks a story for you? Your fiction pet peeve?

WILL:  Bad spelling and grammar. I primarily read self-published works on Kindle, and they range from well-edited to unedited. I’ve had a few books where I couldn’t get past the first paragraph, due to the volume of grammar/punctuation errors.

rem:  No kidding! I came into this totally clueless—genre, cover design, editor—but I’m OCD with my grammar and other details. What are you reading now?

WILL:  That’s a dangerous question. I read 3-5 books per week. (rem: HOLY OY!)  So, right this moment I’m reading “Reincarnated as a Sword, Vol 2”. There’s a decent chance I’ll finish that today (DATE: 6-30-19) and move on to “Omega Zero”. I’m also following numerous stories on RoyalRoad, which come out chapter by chapter.

 

rem:  Tell us a little about your latest book? What is your current project?

WILL:  My current story is “Bored Immortal”, which is a story about a 20,000+ year old immortal, his 300 year old junior who he’s guiding down the path of immortality, and a 30 year old lich (rem: for the uninformed like moi, a lich is a type of undead creature.) that he just picked up. The two immortals worship beings from the Cthulhu mythos, while most people in this fantasy setting worship Roman gods. For Camp Nano in July, I’m looking at working on a story written from the perspective of a sociopath in a fantasy setting. I’ve tried my hand at writing “villain” stories a few times, and never been very satisfied with the results, as I tend to soft-shoe things, rather than get the dark feel I wanted.

rem:  Ya, “soft-shoe” and villain don’t exactly go hand in hand. Tell us about why you wrote this book. Why should we read it?

WILL:  Bored Immortal started as a simple idea of “What would it be like to be stupidly old and powerful?” I’ve written other stories about immortals, but I wanted a more “fun” version. So I took a character and made him really, really powerful. I’ve got a Japanese friend who describes it as feeling similar to a Light Novel (a Japanese novel style that I read a lot of). There’s humor, slaughter, and a bit of philosophical musing tossed together.

rem:  Interesting combination. I’ve read some stories whose settings and/or characters are Japanese, and am quite fond of the culture and history. Please give us the first page of the book.

WILL:

            Being immortal and overpowered. When you talk to most people about such ideas, they will expound on all the wonderful things they’d do. They’ll tell you about how rich they’ll become, or how they’ll defeat great evils. What they won’t tell you is how bored they’ll be. They won’t mention how they’ll lose their desire to interact with people. They won’t mention how their sense of time will erode until they’ll view a century like a day.

            “Master, we’re nearly there.”

            “Thank you, Genevieve.”

            Genevieve was driving our wagon forward. Most of our trade goods were in a dimensional space she had. It was one of the reasons I kept her around. The fact that she was immortal, was another. She wasn’t like me, though. She could be, and had been, injured. She used magic to preserve her youth and health, unlike me.

            She turned to eye me, her deep, blue eyes meeting my golden ones. Light brown hair framed her quizzical expression. “Do you think they’ll behave better than the last town?”

            I shrugged my shoulders. “We’ll see. I would think most would appreciate a peddler coming to visit, but some people would rather steal than deal fairly with me.”

            Genevieve nodded. After the first two hundred years together, we’d settled into an easy rhythm. She preferred to use her magic for healing or practical purposes. I, on the other hand, was more prone to violence. As we’d grown fond of each other, I’d found that threats to her now made me more angry than anything else.

            I oozed out of the back of our wagon and congealed next to her. My clothing was part of my body, having more to do with fur than anything else. “Claws, Master,” she reminded me.

            I glanced down and saw that I had, indeed, armed myself with claws instead of blunt, useless fingernails. I corrected the problem. “Thank you.”

            She leaned her head against my muscular shoulder as we came in sight of the town.  The barrier shimmered around it, protecting the inhabitants form any wandering monsters that might harm them. It wouldn’t withstand something like a dragon, but it was more than enough to deal with most threats.

            Given what we’d faced on the road, the biggest threat was bandits, not monsters. We came to the edge of the barrier and saw a bored looking guard there. “Purpose in Haversham?”

            “Trading goods,” Genevieve responded with a smile.

            The guard glanced at her, then me. “You’ll want to meet the town elder, then. Elder Lucius is in the central building. You can’t miss it.”

            “Thank you!” Genevieve responded once again, and we made our way forward through the opening in the barrier.

 

rem:  You sure caught my attention. What is one take-away from your book(s) that you hope readers identify with?

WILL:  I would hope they had fun. I write primarily for myself. Half my stories never get outside of online storage and my laptop. I write horror, fantasy, sci-fi, paranormal romance, comedy, romance, fanfiction, smut, and who knows what else. I write to relax and explore ideas, and I would hope that anyone who reads some of my works enjoys them.

rem:  It’s amazing how something that requires so much thought and energy is, in fact, also relaxing! Anything you’d like to add?

WILL:  I think, like most people, I’m multi-faceted. I write and play video games as hobbies. I follow politics. I get into political/philosophical/religious debates to sharpen my wits and help ensure I’m grounded in truth. I try to be a nice guy who’s easy to get along with. And I try to be a good husband and good employee. I don’t always succeed at any/all of the above, but that’s why I need Christ.

rem:  So well said, Will. Thank you so much for chatting with us at my little nest today!

 

 

#Blogwords, Chat Thursday, Manly Man Blitz Author Mini-Interview, Will Twentyman, NaNoWriMo

BLOGWORDS – Thursday 4 July 2019 – CHAT THURSDAY – AUTHOR INTERVIEW – CINDY SPROLES – GIVEAWAY WINNER

BLOGWORDS – Thursday 4 July 2019 – CHAT THURSDAY – AUTHOR INTERVIEW – CINDY SPROLES – GIVEAWAY WINNER
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CHAT THURSDAY – AUTHOR INTERVIEW – CINDY SPROLES – GIVEAWAY WINNER

“Speaking and Writing From the Heart”

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“I love to write devotions, to seek after the deeper side of Christ and to share the lessons He teaches me from life in the hills of East Tennessee. I am a writer. A speaker. A lover of God’s Word and friend to all.”

 

WINNER! WINNER!

 

Congratulations to

VIVIAN FURBAY

Cindy will be in touch with you to send your gift!

Thanks to everyone who entered!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Cindy K. Sproles is an author and a speaker, whose dream is to do nothing more than craft words that speak from the heart. God’s plan seems to be for her to write and teach the craft.  With God’s guidance, Cindy is expanding her horizons. We’ll see how He uses her.

Cindy is a mountain gal. Proud of her heritage, she was born and raised in the Appalachian Mountains where life is simple, words have a deep southern drawl, and colloquialisms like, “well slap my knee and call me corn pone” seem to take precedence over proper speech. Apple Butter, coal mining, the river, pink sunrises and golden sunsets help you settle into a porch swing and relax. Family, the love of God and strong morals are embedded into her life in the mountains. Teaching writers, spinning fiction tales about life in the mountains, history and down home ideas find their way into all she does. “I love to write devotions, to seek after the deeper side of Christ and to share the lessons He teaches me from life in the hills of East Tennessee. I am a writer. A speaker. A lover of God’s Word and friend to all.” This is Cindy Sproles. Welcome home to the mountains.

 

 

https://cindysproles.com/

https://www.amazon.com/Cindy-Sproles/e/B004GL8Y02?

https://christiandevotions.us/

https://www.facebook.com/cindy.sproles

https://twitter.com/cindydevoted

https://www.instagram.com/cindyksproles/

 

 “God first, family second and career third (Thank you Mary Kay Ash for such wisdom.)”

 

 

GIVEAWAY

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Cindy is offering a copy of Liar’s Winter OR Mercy’s Rain., e-book or a paperback copy to a US reader.

“I am an encourager and some tell me…this is to a fault.”

 

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#Blogwords, Chat Thursday, Author Interview, Cindy Sproles, Giveaway Winner, #WINNER

BLOGWORDS – Thursday 4 July 2019 – CHAT THURSDAY – MANLY MAN BLITZ AUTHOR INTERVIEW and GIVEAWAY – TIM RITER

BLOGWORDS – Thursday 4 July 2019 – CHAT THURSDAY – MANLY MAN BLITZ AUTHOR INTERVIEW and GIVEAWAY – TIM RITER
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CHAT THURSDAY – MANLY MAN BLITZ AUTHOR INTERVIEW and GIVEAWAY – TIM RITER

“A bit of an unreconstructed Jesus freak.”

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It’s time to follow Jesus in an unconventional manner. Maybe it’s time to sweat the small stuff. Maybe it’s time to look at fresh ways of following Jesus. Let’s move beyond reading the Bible more and praying more and giving more and serving more as paths to intimacy. Let’s explore new ways to do the old faith.”

Please join me in giving a feathered welcome to Tim Riter.

FAST FAVES

Cookout: I love my baby, baby, baby, baby, baby back ribs!

Beer: a nice craft Pale Ale in a frozen mug

Cats: they can be both affectionate and low maintenance

Eggs: in the form of a sausage, onions, cheese omelet with good, hot salsa

Fishing: a mountain stream with wild trout and no one around

Vacation: Love both the beach and mountains, but my soul grows in high country.

 

rem:  Hullo Tim, and welcome to my little nest. Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?

TIM:  I’m a native SoCal guy, born in Santa Monica, and grew up in Long Beach. Then I gave up the city for two years in Taos NM, lived in a log cabin at an unused guest ranch at 8,500, found a church that loved me back into the ministry, and now live in Temecula since 1988. Well, 6 years in Thousand Oaks for a great job! Love motorcycles, and have put on about 250,000 miles in 46 states. I may bag the last four this summer. My tenth book came out this April, God, a Motorcycle, and the Open Road. With Amazon, it hit # 1 in New Releases on Kindle in Motorcycles.

rem:  I love that, “…loved me back into the ministry…” That’s the way it’s supposed to be done! Tell us three random things about yourself no one knows.

TIM:  Lived for four years in south central Los Angeles while Dad ran a local beer bar, my mom’s ashes are in both our yard and in my favorite camping spot, and for # 3, a man does need to keep at least one secret. 

BLOGWORDS – Wednesday 3 July 2019 – TUESDAY REVIEWS-DAY-on-WEDNESDAY – BOOK REVIEW – LIVE WITHOUT YOU by SARAH GRACE GRZY

BLOGWORDS – Wednesday 3 July 2019 – TUESDAY REVIEWS-DAY-on-WEDNESDAY – BOOK REVIEW – LIVE WITHOUT YOU by SARAH GRACE GRZY
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TUESDAY REVIEWS-DAY-on-WEDNESDAY – BOOK REVIEW – LIVE WITHOUT YOU by SARAH GRACE GRZY

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THE BLURB

Piper Redding is a loner, but lonely. Everyone she loves has abandoned her and opening her heart to others is just asking for more pain. She can’t help but blame herself for her brother’s tragic death six years ago, and in her guilt, she shuts herself off from the world. No one could love her—not even the God who promised to be there for her but wasn’t.

For paramedic Ezra Bryant, failure is not an option. He’s had enough of it, and only by God’s grace is he able to put it behind him. But when a traumatic event brings Piper’s greatest fear and Ezra’s failures to light, can they use that event to allow God to mend their broken pieces? Can love triumph over fear, and grace over guilt?

 

THE AUTHOR

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Sarah Grace Grzy is a voracious reader, and if it weren’t for this crazy thing called ‘Life,’ she’d be tempted to spend all her days in front of a wood stove, book in one hand, coffee mug in the other.

A lover of learning, she finds enjoyment in many things and has more hobbies than she knows what to do with. Sarah Grace is a freelance web and graphic designer, and when not working, spending time with her ever-growing family, or reading, she can be found painting, playing the piano, or fangirling with her sisters and friends. She inhabits the State of Great Lakes, and wouldn’t want to live anywhere else—unless it meant she could have a baby penguin, in which case, she’d gladly move to the South Pole.

 

 

MY REVIEW

Oh, how the past can taunt. And when riddled with guilt, it cripples.

Piper Redding ran. But the memory of what happened remained on her heals like a rabid dog.

Ezra Bryant ran, too. Who knew they’d end up in the same town.

Human nature can be cruel, and days, weeks, years spent under the weight of self-inflicted guilt robs them both of love and happiness.

Ms. Grzy has taken the elements of grief and guilt, and crafted a heart wrenching story. A path too many people tread, a prison too many people never leave.

I appreciated how Ms. Grzy nudged both Piper and Ezra to breach their protective shell, how they both struggled to allow themselves to be free. To be happy.

Page after page, chapter after chapter, I couldn’t put this book down.

 

ROBIN’S FEATHERS

A[image error]LL | THE | FEATHERS!

 

 

I received a complimentary copy of this book, but was under no obligation to read the book or to post a review. I offer my review of my own free will. The opinions expressed in my review are my honest thoughts and reaction to this book.

 

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#Blogwords, Tuesday Reviews-Day-on-Wednesday, #TRD, Book Review, Live Without You, Sarah Grace Grzy

BLOGWORDS – Tuesday 2 July 2019 – TUESDAY REVIEWS-DAY – BOOK REVIEW – UNTIL THE MOUNTAINS FALL by CONNILYN COSSETTE

BLOGWORDS – Tuesday 2 July 2019 – TUESDAY REVIEWS-DAY – BOOK REVIEW – UNTIL THE MOUNTAINS FALL by CONNILYN COSSETTE
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TUESDAY REVIEWS-DAY – BOOK REVIEW – UNTIL THE MOUNTAINS FALL by CONNILYN COSSETTE

 

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THE BLURB

Recently widowed, Rivkah refuses to submit to the Torah law compelling her to marry her husband’s brother and instead flees Kedesh, hoping to use her talents as a scribe to support herself. Without the protections of her father, Kedesh’s head priest, and the safety of the city of refuge, Rivkah soon discovers that the cost of recklessness is her own freedom.

Malakhi has secretly loved Rivkah for years, but he never imagined his older brother’s death would mean wedding her himself. After her disappearance, he throws himself into the ongoing fight against the Canaanites instead of dwelling on all he has lost. But with impending war looming over Israel, Rivkah’s father comes to Malakhi with an impossible request.

As the enemies that Rivkah and Malakhi face from without and within Israel grow more threatening each day, is it too late for the restoration their wounded souls seek?

 

THE AUTHOR

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Connilyn Cossette is the CBA-Bestselling, Christy Nominated author of the Out from Egypt Series and the Cities of Refuge Series. When she’s not engulfed in the happy chaos of homeschooling two teenagers, devouring books whole, or avoiding housework, she can be found digging into the rich ancient world of the Bible. She delights in discovering new gems of grace that point to Jesus and weaving them into an immersive fiction experience. Although she and her husband have lived all over the country in the last twenty-plus years, they currently call North Carolina home.

 

 

 

 

MY REVIEW

Ms. Cossette writes with such vivid imagery the reader is utterly immersed in the story.

It’s hard to grasp an era when women truly had no rights beyond what their fathers, and later husbands, granted them. Women didn’t live on their own, and they certainly didn’t travel alone. Those who did placed themselves in grave danger.

Beyond the walls of safety of the Hebrew city, Rivkah found herself in the midst of not only danger but the basest of humanity. Her sense of shame and guilt overcame reason, binding her to servitude. No matter she was skilled at what she did, no matter she knew—and could write—multiple languages. Her own shame and regret determined her fate.

Oh, how I appreciated Rivkah’s struggle, even as I urged her to accept the love and forgiveness.  To return to her father, her home. I wept at her sacrifice, cringed when war threatened her and all she cared for. And I scolded when she rebuffed Malakhi’s affection.

Gripping, page turning, love and mystery and suspense—this book will not let you go.

 

 

ROBIN’S FEATHERS

[image error]ALL | THE | FEATHERS!

 

 

I received a complimentary copy of this book, but was under no obligation to read the book or to post a review. I offer my review of my own free will. The opinions expressed in my review are my honest thoughts and reaction to this book.

 

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#Blogwords, Tuesday Reviews-Day, #TRD, Book Review, Until the Mountains Fall, Connilyn Cossette

BLOGWORDS – Tuesday 2 July 2019 – TUESDAY REVIEWS-DAY – B...

BLOGWORDS – Tuesday 2 July 2019 – TUESDAY REVIEWS-DAY – BOOK REVIEW – UNTIL THE MOUNTAINS FALL by CONNILYN COSSETTE
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TUESDAY REVIEWS-DAY – BOOK REVIEW – UNTIL THE MOUNTAINS FALL by CONNILYN COSSETTE

 

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THE BLURB

Recently widowed, Rivkah refuses to submit to the Torah law compelling her to marry her husband’s brother and instead flees Kedesh, hoping to use her talents as a scribe to support herself. Without the protections of her father, Kedesh’s head priest, and the safety of the city of refuge, Rivkah soon discovers that the cost of recklessness is her own freedom.

Malakhi has secretly loved Rivkah for years, but he never imagined his older brother’s death would mean wedding her himself. After her disappearance, he throws himself into the ongoing fight against the Canaanites instead of dwelling on all he has lost. But with impending war looming over Israel, Rivkah’s father comes to Malakhi with an impossible request.

As the enemies that Rivkah and Malakhi face from without and within Israel grow more threatening each day, is it too late for the restoration their wounded souls seek?

 

THE AUTHOR

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Connilyn Cossette is the CBA-Bestselling, Christy Nominated author of the Out from Egypt Series and the Cities of Refuge Series. When she’s not engulfed in the happy chaos of homeschooling two teenagers, devouring books whole, or avoiding housework, she can be found digging into the rich ancient world of the Bible. She delights in discovering new gems of grace that point to Jesus and weaving them into an immersive fiction experience. Although she and her husband have lived all over the country in the last twenty-plus years, they currently call North Carolina home.

 

 

 

 

MY REVIEW

Ms. Cossette writes with such vivid imagery the reader is utterly immersed in the story.

It’s hard to grasp an era when women truly had no rights beyond what their fathers, and later husbands, granted them. Women didn’t live on their own, and they certainly didn’t travel alone. Those who did placed themselves in grave danger.

Beyond the walls of safety of the Hebrew city, Rivkah found herself in the midst of not only danger but the basest of humanity. Her sense of shame and guilt overcame reason, binding her to servitude. No matter she was skilled at what she did, no matter she knew—and could write—multiple languages. Her own shame and regret determined her fate.

Oh, how I appreciated Rivkah’s struggle, even as I urged her to accept the love and forgiveness.  To return to her father, her home. I wept at her sacrifice, cringed when war threatened her and all she cared for. And I scolded when she rebuffed Malakhi’s affection.

Gripping, page turning, love and mystery and suspense—this book will not let you go.

 

 

ROBIN’S FEATHERS

[image error]ALL | THE | FEATHERS!

 

 

I received a complimentary copy of this book, but was under no obligation to read the book or to post a review. I offer my review of my own free will. The opinions expressed in my review are my honest thoughts and reaction to this book.

 

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#Blogwords, Tuesday Reviews-Day, #TRD, Book Review, Until the Mountains Fall, Connilyn Cossette

BLOGWORDS – Monday 1 July 2019 – NEW WEEK NEW FACE – GUEST POST – BETTY THOMASON OWENS – GIVEAWAY WINNER

BLOGWORDS – Monday 1 July 2019 – NEW WEEK NEW FACE – GUEST POST – BETTY THOMASON OWENS – GIVEAWAY WINNER
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NEW WEEK NEW FACE – GUEST POST – BETTY THOMASON OWENS – GIVEAWAY WINNER

 

 

WINNER! WINNER!

 

Congratulations to

CONNIE PORTER SAUNDERS

Betty will be in touch with you to send your gift!

Thanks to everyone who entered!

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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Betty Thomason Owens loves being outdoors. Her favorite season is spring, when she can work in the yard or take long walks while thinking through a troublesome scene in one of her stories. She considers herself a word-weaver, writing stories that touch the heart. She leads the Louisville Area ACFW group, serves on the board of the Kentucky Christian Writers Conference, and is a co-founder of the multi-author Inspired Prompt blog. Married forty-four years, she’s a mother of three, and a grandmother of eight. A part-time bookkeeper at her day-job, she writes for Write Integrity Press, and has eight novels in publication. You can learn more about her at BettyThomasonOwens.com.

 

 

 

 

https://www.facebook.com/betty.owens.author/

https://www.amazon.com/Betty-Thomason-Owens/e/B00ITXKNPW?

https://twitter.com/batowens

https://www.pinterest.com/btowens/

https://www.instagram.com/batowens/

https://inspiredprompt.com/

 

GIVEAWAY

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Betty is giving away ebook copies (Kindle version) of Annabelle’s Ruth and Sutter’s Landing.

 

 

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#Blogwords, New Week New Face, Guest Post, Betty Thomason Owens, Giveaway Winner, #WINNER

BLOGWORDS – Monday 1 July 2019 – NEW WEEK NEW FACE – GUEST POST – KRISTENA MEARS

BLOGWORDS – Monday 1 July 2019 – NEW WEEK NEW FACE – GUEST POST – KRISTENA MEARS
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NEW WEEK NEW FACE – GUEST POST – KRISTENA MEARS
 
 
After The End

You’re finally finished.

Those months, or years, of toiling over that manuscript has finally come to an end.

You’ve put those two final words at the bottom of the last page and suddenly, every tired bone in your body becomes infused with excitement.

Just moments before you were so tired you couldn’t keep your eyes open, and now you want to run to your Facebook and Twitter page or call every friend in your phone contact list, to announce at the top of your lungs… “I finished my book!”

 

All the hard work is over… or is it?

Those of us that have reached this point know that, in reality, it’s just begun. Now we need to get it published.

So… will it be traditional or self-publishing for you? How do you decide?

 

Both self-publishing and traditional routes have their disadvantages and advantages. They both give the author the ability to work within the publishing industry. Both give the authors a path to share their writing with the world while building their careers. But which road to publishing should you pursue?

 

This is an important decision. It shouldn’t be decided on a whim. Knowing the opportunities and obstacles of each publishing routes is vital to making the best choice for you and your writing career.

Here are just a couple of points to consider.

 

Reputation

 

Let’s start out with the elephant in the room. Face it, there are many people, both writers, and readers, that will only consider Traditional Publication as being legit. There is some genuine justification for this. After all, this is the norm and we all want to be in the “in group.” This line of thought is perpetuated among many writers and writing groups. Often I have entered writing contest that only allow contestants who have never “published with a traditional publisher.” Stating that a self-published book “doesn’t count”

 

Is there justification for this line of thought? I believe there is. I’m not saying that traditional publishing is better, but in this day and age when self-publishing is so inexpensive and easily available, it can often be the lazy way out and books that are self-published may not be up to par with one published through a publishing house. Anyone who has the money can lay down the dough and call themselves an author.

 

I’ve read numerous books that were self-published and loved many of them. But there have also been several that were just mediocre. Some of these have had excellent plots and storylines but the writing itself hasn’t been polished. One series, in particular, I recall having such intrigue, that it kept me picking it up, even after I set it down over and over due to bad grammar and bland descriptions. I had to find out what the heroin did next and how she got out of each trap laid out for her.

To this day I want to message the author and urge her to polish her work.  This could have been avoided if this book was traditionally published. Then again, it could be a reason it was turned down if the author had pursued the traditional avenue.

 

Here I go ruffling feathers. Let me tell you what I have seen and experienced.

 

Personally, pursuing a path of traditional publishing has improved my own writing skills. Having a story rejected and going back to rewrite the entire novel for the tenth time has only improved my book and ability to conjure images and scenes that provide a tantalizing trip for the mind.

Often, we are too quick to accept our own work as being anything but amazing, when we would never approve of a similar work from someone else. This is to be expected. Our book is our own sweat and blood… It’s our baby.

 

Although this is a major drawback, it certainly doesn’t have to be the case. There are many tools that a writer can use to prevent this. Get involved in a proofreading group. Go to writer’s conferences and participate in one on ones and editor critiques. Be willing to let others tell us what is wrong and how to fix it. This can hurt our pride and sting our ego, but it will produce excellence if we allow others to tell us where the problems are.

Remember this doesn’t apply to our Mom and our best friends. They will love everything we write and often, they won’t be willing to give that “knock-out punch” we need.

 

Money

 

The big difference here is that with Self-publishing you will be shelling out money up front, and with Traditional Publishing, you will be paid up front. Advances for debut authors tend to fall between $2,000 and $15,000 USD. This can be a huge determining factor for many of us. Let’s face it. Money doesn’t grow on trees, as the saying goes. In the Traditional Publishing route, the publisher pays for everything. There will be an editor that will weed out all the small blunders in the text. There will be artists to create the cover and any other illustrations needed. A typesetter will see that the book is laid out correctly. And then create a marketing plan developed specifically around the author and the book. Everything will be done without any worry on the author’s end.

 

Self-publishing, on the other hand, can be expensive. Depending on what service is used, the cost can be close to $10,000 just to publish, and the cost can continue if you want to buy books for yourself to use as gifts and book shows. This doesn’t include the cost of marketing that would be covered in Traditional Publishing or the time it takes to research the market and put that plan together. We all know time is money, and much time will be spent on marketing. There are less expensive options such as Amazon and other “free” software, but even this option cost $100 to $300 just to publish. That’s after the cost of editing, cover design, and typesetting. And unless you are proficient in all of these areas, it’s best to pay the price and have them done, then put out under par work. Then, of course, there’s the marketing. You’re all on your own for this.

I’m not here today to cover what self-publishers are the best, but, be warned, not all of them have your best interest in mind. Read the fine print and reviews.

 

Payouts and royalties are also different. Self-published writers normally have higher royalties and are paid out once a month, but many never recover the cost they’ve put in.

Traditionally published books have lower royalties. Most of their sales go to the publisher and agents, but an advance is paid and there are no costs to recover. Everything received is profit.

 

 

So, what’s the best way to go? This is something you must decide for yourself. There’s no one right answer. There’ve been several famous authors that have self-published their works. Among them are names such as: Virginia Wolf, E.E. Cummings, Edgar Allan Poe, Mark Twain, Margaret Atwood. and Steven King.

 

So, self-publishing doesn’t mean second class or obscurity. Both take work. Both take time and neither one is easy. Only you can decide the path that is best for you and your writing career.

The important part is that you follow your passion, listen to your heart and keep your eyes on the reason you’re writing in the first place.

 

Happy writing… and publishing!

 

 

 

Kristena Mears is an award-winning author, freelance writer, blogger, and speaker. Her book Under Penalty of Death is anticipated to debut late this year. She lives in the Cincinnati Ohio area with her husband of 36 years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#Blogwords, New Week New Face, #NWNF, Guest Post, Kristena Mears

BLOGWORDS – 29 June 2019 – NEWSLETTER – a little birdie told me

BLOGWORDS – 29 June 2019 – NEWSLETTER – a little birdie told me

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29 June 2019                                                                                                                                                                              Edition XI

 

 

Roll Call

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HALLLOOO!!! Tell me who you are and where you’re at!

 

The Bird House Book Club

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What I am / have been reading!

The Baggage Handler by David Rawlings

The Governess of Penwythe Hall by Sarah E. Ladd

Match Me if You Can by Krista Phillips

The Memory House by Rachel Hauck

Weddings, Willows, and Revised Expectations by V. Joy Palmer

The Knight in Battered Armor by Brianna Tibbetts

The Girl Who Would Be Queen by Jane Ann McLachlan

Parhelion by Lisa Lickel

Belinda Blake and the Snake in the Grass by Heather Gilbert

Just Look Up by Courtney Walsh

The Heart Changer by Jarm Del Boccio

Uncharted Destiny by Keely Brooke Keith

The Noble Guardian by Michelle Griep

Oath of Honor by Lynette Eason

The King’s Mercy by Lori Benton

The Lost Castle by Kristy Cambron

Risking Love by Toni Shiloh

No Ocean Too Wide by Carrie Turansky

Live Without You by Sarah Grace Grzy

Until the Mountains Fall by Connilyn Cossette

The Crossing at Cypress Creek by Pam Hillman currently reading

What are you reading?

 

Friends of Authors Society

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Who knows the best way to show your love for your favorite authors? (I’m one, right? Your favorite?) Besides the obvious of buying and reading my books, leaving a review on Amazon tickles their calculations and formulas and moves my books up in their ranks, which in turn means more peeps see my books, which means more peeps are likely to buy them.

There are other things you can do, as well. Suggest my books to your library or book club. Tell your friends, buy gift copies to give to your friends. Heck, tell ME how much you love ‘em!

 

Robin’s Readers Flock

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Facebook group just for my reader friends!

I appreciate every one who has read or will read my books, and this group is for you!

“This group, as with my blog and website—and my writing—are all about community and family. It is a place to gather to chat and discuss my books, but also to become better acquainted and to encourage and pray for one another.”

I share snippets and tidbits that I don’t share elsewhere, as well as first previews of cover design. And when I’m stuck, I go to the Flock for help.

If you’re interested, gimme a holla! I’d love to have you as part of my Flock!

 

Robin’s Nest, Stories by Design

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I was working hard to have the blog back to full steam with all my daily features in place. Alas, I haven’t been able to keep up with the blog—and have time (or stamina) for writing. The new series was floundering miserably, and I had to make the sad decision to suspend some blog features indefinitely. I enjoy all my features, and hope to revive the absent ones—What’s Cookin’ in Your Kitchen, Wreading Wednesday, and First Line Friday—when I’m back on my game.

 

FourSquare, the Series

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Finally making some headway! #jumpsupanddownlikeafiveyearold Seriously, I’m ecstatic to be back in story world again. And getting to know this new cast of people.

Silly me, I thought I’d try my hand at a lighter tone, a more fun set of stories. My brain apparently, won’t let me do that. What I had thought to insert as social issues or causes that each of the main characters in some way supported has turned into trauma that they have experienced. For instance, Zach and Alex (The Author and the Gentleman, Book 4) are both teachers and they advocate against bullying, something they deal with in a regular basis. Turns out, one or both of them was bullied as a child, which prompted them to their chosen careers…

 

Book 1, One for the Price of Two, is well underway, nearing the half-way mark and Part II of the book. * see blurb below.

 

FourSquare, the Covers

I have the covers for all four books laid out; it’s how I do this series cover thing. I’ve purchased the images of the models—and a surprise for One for Two—and am working on the background images. And blurbs.

 

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One for the Price of Two – The Blurb

            * subject to change

Twin sisters Elizabeth and Meredith Elliott are so identical their own parents can’t even tell them apart. Two halves of a whole.

 

Elizabeth, the more cautious of the two, reining in her sister’s impetuous side. Meredith, the more daring, urging Elizabeth to step beyond her comfort zone.

 

Elizabeth and Meredith walked in each other’s shadow; it’s what they did. Until the unthinkable happened—they both became uncomfortable, unfulfilled being the other’s mirror personality. They both begin to seek a world without the other. Most especially when love shows up for both of them.

But when heartbreak befalls one of them—while the other’s heart and arms are fulfilled—will it drive a wedge between them?

 

All in the Family

Shared this in a couple of groups on Facebook the other day—

I’ve realized a couple of things in recent weeks. First, though I was diagnosed with RA in 2010 (and have had the disease for at least 10 or 12 years) my brain is only just now accepting that I am, in fact, ill. I have tried to maintain some degree of “normal,” but my body just isn’t.

Second, it occurred to me the other day (while watching a friend’s 20 year old daughter vacuum for me… ) that I am grieving the loss of what I can no longer do…

I know, of course, that Father heals, have experienced it more than once. But He also holds us in our weakness, and uses medical science betimes in our sickness. (to wit, I’ve had total knee replacement on both knees.)

Going forward, I need physical help, but also emotional / mental and spiritual comfort to come to terms with my limitations…

 

I still don’t have a car. Being on Disability, it’s not in the budget to make loan payments, so I have a GoFundMe Campaign set up. Please pop over and take a look, and help if you can.

 

https://www.gofundme.com/robin-still-needs-a-car

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A robin with clipped wings is a sad thing indeed.

 

Mancub #1

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Doug started a new job in May of last year, and has gotten not one, but two—count ‘em, TWO—promotions (with raises) in the past couple of months. I am so thrilled for him, and proud beyond words. This mama’s heart, however, is a wee bit torn—he is moving 400 miles away!! It’s going to take some getting used to being so far away. BUT, that gives me an excuse to travel—and visit peeps near where he will be living!!!  #WAYTOGO, Dougie!! #PROUDMAMA

 

Mancub #2

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Russell, will be riding in the Ride for a Cure again this summer. The link for anyone who would care to donate (or share) is:

 

http://act.alz.org/site/TR/ActiveEvents/SC-SouthCarolina?fr_id=11954&pg=entry

 

Girlcub

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Maggie has talked about it for years, has made a couple false starts, but she is once again talking about finding a way to go back to school to pursue her dream of being a nurse.

 

 

Devotional

Given my health issues of late, I am leaning on God to carry me through this haze. For answers and solutions.

Regardless of my physical limitations, my heart and my spirit abide in Him, and He sustains me.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNqo4Un2uZI

 

 

Manifesto and Author Tag

The manifesto short version is,

“Stories for Christians to see or remember the ugly effects of the lies of the enemy, and for unbelievers to see the beauty of the Truth of the Word of God.”

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And my author tag:

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“the battle for identity, one story at a time.”

 

 

Chatcha’ll next time.

Got questions? Email me at robinemason212@gmail.com.

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Here endeth Edition XI of

Thank you for subscribing!

 

 

 

http://robinemason.com

https://robinsnest212.wordpress.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Author.Robin.E.Mason/

http://www.amazon.com/Robin-E.-Mason/e/B00MR5IQ9S

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https://www.linkedin.com/in/robin-e-mason-a323b142/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7808042.Robin_E_Mason

 

 

 

“the battle for identity, one story at a time”

 

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A Little Birdie Told Me, #newsletter, Roll Call, Bird House Book Club, Friends of Authors Society, Robin’s Readers Flock, FourSquare, the Series, One for the Price of Two, All in the Family, Devotional, Manifesto and Author Tag

 

BLOGWORDS – Thursday 27 June 2019 – CHAT THURSDAY – AUTHOR INTERVIEW – MARION UECKERMANN – GIVEAWAY WINNER

BLOGWORDS – Thursday 27 June 2019 – CHAT THURSDAY – AUTHOR INTERVIEW – MARION UECKERMANN – GIVEAWAY WINNER
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CHAT THURSDAY – AUTHOR INTERVIEW – MARION UECKERMANN – GIVEAWAY WINNER

“A novel place to fall in love.”

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WINNER! WINNER!

 

Congratulations to

ROXANNE CRUZ

Marion will be in touch with you to send your gift!

Thanks to everyone who entered!

 

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

USA Today bestselling author, Marion Ueckermann’s passion for writing was sparked when she moved to Ireland with her family. Her love of travel has influenced her contemporary inspirational romances set in novel places. Marion and her husband again live in South Africa, but with two gorgeous grandsons hanging their hats at the house next door, their empty nest’s no longer so empty.

 

https://www.facebook.com/Marion.C.Ueckermann/

http://marionueckermann.net/

https://www.instagram.com/marion.ueckermann/

https://twitter.com/ueckie

https://www.linkedin.com/in/marion-ueckermann-4b52569/

https://www.pinterest.com/ueckie/

https://www.inspyromance.com/

 

 

A Time for Everything

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:

a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give  up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.”  Ecclesiastes Chapter 3

GIVEAWAY

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Marion is giving away an e-copy of Remember Me, book 1 of our new Chapel Cove Romances.

 

 

“Some relationships are like this pot of Gloop—the color fades and they’re just one sticky mess. And some are a sticky mess even when they’re bright and new.”

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#Blogwords, Chat Thursday, Author Interview, Marion Ueckermann, Giveaway Winner, #WINNER