Miranda Atchley's Blog, page 25

Lately 2.14.2017

Hello readers and friends. Things have been quiet around here again. The first part of the month, I spent wrapping up All The Future Holds and getting everything ready for its release. And after getting it ready to go I decided to take a little break. My reading has slowed down some too. I just want to relax a little. It is very strange after spending so many hours over these past days and months writing and editing this book. It’s sad for me to release that it’s over, but more than that, I’m excited about this book. I really want people to read it and enjoy it and I’m looking forward to seeing what my readers think of it, as well as hopefully gaining some new readers.
Reading
The other day I finished the Susan B. Anthony biography I had been reading. Now I’m reading Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis. I just love his writing; it’s so comforting to me.
Writing
Not much. Haha! Like I said, when I finish writing a book, I like to take a little vacation to rest up for the next one. But I have been writing a little bit here and there, mainly working on blog posts.
Other
There’s a small community theatre about an hour from where I live and their production this month has been Sense and Sensibility. I went to their Sunday matinee on February 12 and I really enjoyed it. I don’t go to the theatre that often, but I do like going for Jane Austen productions. I went to see Pride and Prejudice two years ago, but had to leave during intermission because it had begun to snow. L Thankfully, there was no snow this time and I got to stay for the whole thing. And I had a better seat this time, too. They made it humorous while still maintaining the original integrity of the story. I did recognize some of the actors; like the girl that played Lizzy Bennet played Anne Steele, the actress that was Miss Bingley was Elinor Dashwood, the actor that was Mr. Bingley played Willoughby, and the guy that played Mr. Collins was Edward Ferrars. I wasn’t sure about that last one when I was reading the playbill, but he did a pretty good job. Oh, and the girl that played either Kitty or Lydia, I can’t remember which, played Fanny Dashwood. She did a great job, especially during the scene where she finds out that Edward and Lucy are engaged. And she carried a little dachshund that was so cute! He was well behaved and just sat perfectly.
So that’s this writer’s life lately. I hope you’re all having a great week. Until next time….

-Miranda Atchley

Blog Tour: Only The Heart Knows by Lena Goldfinch

Good morning, readers and friends! Today I’m popping in to participate in a blog tour, as well as to tell you all about a sweet giveaway. Lena Goldfinch is releasing a new book in her Brides series, titled Only The Heart Knows. You can read more about it in this post!
What the book is about:
(Too Tall) Mandy MacKenna is secretly the voice behind Ask Mack, an advice column for men, addressing all matters ranching-related. And she’s secretly in love with “Banks,” one of her most devoted correspondents. But whenever she’s around him, she can barely bring herself to make eye contact with the man.

Adam Booker is a banker-turned-rancher who’s struggling to make his way after he inherits his uncle’s place. If not for Ask Mack, he would have surely floundered by now. But the ranch is only one of his problems, because the woman he has a romantic interest in—a natural beauty by the name of Mandy MacKenna, daughter of the region’s wealthiest rancher—seems less than interested in him.

A sweet but convoluted romance of secrets and revelations ensues...
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About The Brides Series:
A former tomboy resolves to be the perfect lady for her new husband. A mute struggles to break through the silence to win her rescuer’s heart. A shy advice columnist develops a secret crush on her most devoted correspondent. The Old West holds challenges galore for these brides…but true love is a worthy reward.
Sweet Deal:
For a limited time, get book 1 in the series for only $.99 in ebook format! Sale ends 2/20.
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About The Author
LENA GOLDFINCH writes sweet historical western romance / inspirational romance and books for teens. She’s always been a sucker for a good old-fashioned romance, whether it’s a novel or short story, young adult or adult, fantasy or realistic, contemporary or historical. Lena has been a finalist in several national writing contests, including the RWA Golden Heart and ACFW Genesis contests. She enjoys life in a quiet, small town with her husband, two kids, and two very spoiled Black Labs.AmazonFacebookGoodreadsPinterestTwitterWebsite
GIVEAWAY
Indulge your love of books with a $25 gift card to Amazon.com OR Barnes & Noble (winner’s choice!) and all four ebooks in The Brides Series. (If you already have the series, you can surprise a friend by gifting the ebooks to them!) To enter for a chance to win, just fill out the Rafflecopter form below.


a Rafflecopter giveaway Sounds like a pretty great giveaway, doesn’t it? Good luck to all those entering, and congrats to Lena on her newest book!
-Miranda Atchley

The Last Days of Editing

As the deadline on another novel approaches, a writer spends their days reading the story that has been spilling from their mind for the past months, years, sometimes decades. Every sentence is read over dozens of times, ensuring that each word and punctuation mark is in its place. Phrases are reworked, removed, relocated, and replaced until every part is where it should be, like a black and white, 50,000 plus word and 200 plus page puzzle. A result of hours spent before a computer screen writing and researching, car rides day dreaming, and nights thinking about the story until the writer falls asleep. The manuscript is polished until it no longer feels like a jumble of odd sayings and random thoughts, but is one cohesive book, ready for readers to lose themselves in.
All The Future Holds has gone through this rigorous processes. I’ve done my best and hope that I have put together the novel that the Lord has wanted me to, as well as one that you all will enjoy. I feel happy with what I have written.
Kindle owners can preorder their copies now by clicking here. If you’re looking to order a paperback, you can do so on February 21st. And don’t forget to add it to your “to-read” shelf on Goodreads.
There are only 10 more days until you can read All The Future Holds. I can’t wait to see what you all think.
-Miranda Atchley

Review: Once: Six Historically Inspired Fairytales

Once: Six Historically Inspired Fairytales
In this collection of stories, six authors have put their own historical spin on classic fairytales. It begins with The Mountain of the Wolf, a western take on Little Red Riding Hood. This is followed by She But Sleepeth, a Sleeping Beauty story that begins as a contemporary, but is morphed into a tale of royalty in the late 1800s. The third story is Rumpled, a Beauty and the Beast inspired story with a steampunk twist. Fourth in line is a Little Match Girl tale set during WWII titled Sweet Remembrance. The fifth story in this collection is Death Be Not Proud, which takes place in New Zealand during the roaring 20s. And the final story is With Blossoms Gold, a 16th Century inspired Rapunzel.
I’m always surprised by fairytale retellings and how imaginative writers can get with these classic stories. In Once, all of the authors took these classic fairytales and put such neat historical twists on them. There’s a diverse range of history covered in this collection and I never would have expected to see these stories told in the ways they were.
The Mountain of the Wolf was maybe just a tad slow for me, but I still found it well written and appreciated the unique twist on Little Red Riding Hood.
She But Sleepethwas a neat story, and the most unique in this collection as it is partially contemporary. It was full of sass and wit, but was also very heartfelt. It has a terribly sad ending, but the story ended in a very realistic way.
I really liked Rumpled; this was the first steampunk story I’ve ever read, and I found that I liked the style. Also, Beauty and the Beast is one of my favorite fairytales, so that made me enjoy it even more.
Sweet Remembrancewas perhaps my favorite in this collection. It is such a sad story, as most accounts of WWII are, but it is so beautifully written. I was rooting for Kasia and Romeck, and although it wasn’t a happy ending in the traditional sense, it had, perhaps, one of the happiest endings of all in that it reminds us of the ultimate hope.
I must admit, as I read Death Be Not Proud, I didn’t understand what fairytale it was modeled after. I still thought it was a good story, particularly given its 1920s setting. I liked the mystery aspect of the story that kept me guessing as I read it.
With Blossoms Goldwas a sweet story with tinges of sadness. I felt sorry for Nella as she struggled with leaving the tower, but was ultimately happy with the ending.
All in all, Oncewas a neat collection of historically inspired fairytales. Anyone that loves historical fiction will enjoy this book, and fans of fairytale retellings will love it, as well.
I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.

January in Review

January on A Real Writer’s Life was pretty quiet for most of the month. I was pretty busy with editing and just didn’t blog as much as I wish I could have. But that’s simply the way things go sometimes. I thank you all for continuing to drop by and comment on the posts that I was able to put up this month. I appreciate it. So now here’s a look at how January went for me.
Books Read in January Dining, Dating, and Desperation by Melody Carlson Home, Hearth, and The Holidays by Melody CarlsonDaddy-Long-Legs by Jean Webster Grave Consequences by Lisa T. Bergren Conductor of Light by Rachel McMillanHeiress by Susan May Warren Once: Six Historically Inspired Fairytales The Many Faces of World War I by Irving Werstein The Watsons by Jane Austen Five Magic Spindles
I read so much more than I expected to this month. I don’t think I’ve ever read ten books in a single month before! Granted, some of these were short books, but some of them were long. I blame it on the long January nights and the fact that at the very beginning of the month I took a little bit of holiday time off before really getting into editing.
I loved Daddy-Long-Legs. It was just such a great book. Books 2 and 3 in the Dear Daphne series were nice, light reads. Conductor of Light was a fun short story (P.S. it’s free, so if you have an e-reader, you have no excuse not to download this book!). I didn’t like Grave Consequences nearly as much as I liked Glamorous Illusions; it was just okay. I didn’t much care for Heiress. Once was a neat collection of fairytales and The Many Faces of World War I was my non-fiction read for the month. I read The Watsons in one day. It wasn’t one of my favorite Austen novels, but I liked it nonetheless. And I read some of the stories in Five Magic Spindles that I didn’t read last year and they were fun for the most part.
For me, this month has primarily consisted of working on my new book. And you all finally got to see the cover and learn the title! I can’t wait for you all to read All The Future Holds. Hopefully soon I can get the pre-order set up, as well as add it to Goodreads so you all can mark as “to read.” As a result, I didn’t blog as much as I would have liked, but I did try to check in from time to time.
Favorite Blog Posts From JanuaryTop Ten Tuesday: Ten 2016 Releases I Want To ReadReview: Daddy-Long-Legs by Jean Webster
Cover Reveal!

Cover Reveal!

Hello readers and friends!
Today is an exciting day. Today I’m revealing the cover and title for my new book, All The Future Holds!
What the book is about:
In the year 1917, times are changing. In the midst of WWI and the women's suffrage movement, the world seems divided. Abi Hensley finds herself, as well as those around her, affected by these events. As she continues to pursue her dreams of writing, her third novel is published, and is an instant success. Though this does bring with it more pressure, as it seems everyone she knows is curious as to her standing on the social changes taking place within the world. New people enter her life and help her to see things in a different perspective. Abi also meets a sad young woman with a background very similar to her own, who longs for guidance.
Throughout this difficult time in history, Abi and her friends learn to face things together with strength as they look forward to all the future holds.
Isn’t the cover pretty? Thanks to Lacey Atchley for designing another beautiful book cover! I’m so excited for this book and I can’t wait for you all to read it. It’s scheduled to release on February 21, 2017. Paperbacks will be $11.99 and Kindle Editions will be $3.99.
Thank you all so much for dropping by today to find out this exciting news. Come back soon for pre-order info and more! I hope you all have a great week!

-Miranda Atchley

In Which I Explain My Absence

Hey readers and friends. Things have been a little quiet around here lately. I really don’t like that, but it is mainly because I’ve been editing my novel. We’re also working on the cover, and so I’m hoping to reveal it soon, and then you will all know the title, what the cover looks like, and the release date! It’s getting really close to being finished, and I can’t wait for you all to find out more about it. Until then, thank you for bearing with me.

-Miranda Atchley

Review: Conductor of Light by Rachel McMillan

Conductor of Light by Rachel McMillan
In 1912, Jem DeLuca, née Watts, and Merinda Herringford are still working as lady detectives in Toronto. While Jem’s newspaper reporter husband Ray and Merinda’s admirer Detective Constable Jasper Forth go out to the theatre, Jasper having been set up on a date with a nice, church-going girl by his mother, the two lady detectives claim to be going to the picture show. Yet they can’t resist pursuing a case of a missing necklace on their way home, leading them just outside of the Elgin and Winter Garden theatres. Meanwhile, inside various performers go through their acts of singing, ventriloquism, and miming, among other things. As The Great Stephano performs the classic death scene in Romeo and Juliet, one half of the Tansy Twins playing opposite him, the charming actor suddenly and mysteriously dies. Jem, Merinda, Ray, and Jasper, along with a little help from Kat and Mouse, soon pursue the case, finding traces of rat poison in Stephano’s prop gauntlet. The team spends the night interviewing members of the vaudeville group, and soon finds that racism could play a part in the murder of the talented actor.
Another fun adventure in the Herringford and Watts Mysteries. McMillan’s love for theatre shines in this short story. Conductor of Lightis full of charm with lots of quirky characters and a diverse cast. I enjoyed reading about the various acts taking place in the vaudeville set and of course, the humor that I’ve come to expect from this series.  I also love the quote by Arthur Conan Doyle used in the book, of which the title is derived from:“It may be that you are not yourself luminous, but that you are a conductor of light. Some people without possessing genius have a remarkable power of stimulating it.” So beautiful. And the change that we can see working within Merinda; love it!
Sometimes, I get a little nervous about novellas and shorter books, afraid I’ll miss the details that really bring the story to life. But I never feel that way when reading the Herringford and Watts novellas. They’re fast paced, full of witty banter, and plenty of mystique as you try and guess at who has committed the most recent crime Jem and Merinda find themselves solving.
All in all, Conductor of Light is yet again a great balance of humor, heartfelt, and mystery with lots of historical charm. I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.

Review: Daddy-Long-Legs by Jean Webster

Daddy-Long-Legs By Jean Webster
Jerusha Abbot is a seventeen-year-old orphan living in the John Grier Home. As the story begins, she attends a local high school while working at the orphan asylum. Yet seeing as she is preparing to graduate from high school, she will soon be released from the home. In light of these circumstances, an anonymous trustee has elected to donate the money for Jerusha to go to college, as well as a monthly allowance. His only request is that Jerusha write monthly letters to him, addressed to a Mr. Smith, detailing her education. Mr. Smith claims he will not answer these letters in order to remain anonymous. Being a smart young woman with a love for reading and writing, Jerusha is thrilled, planning to become an author after college. At college, she learns more than she ever imagined possible, and makes new friends. Through her letters, she comes to feel affectionate toward Mr. Smith, or rather Daddy-Long-Legs, as she calls him, but wishes she could meet him. At the end of her education, Jerusha finally gets her wish, but is surprised by who she meets.
I love this book. The review could end there, but I won’t let it. I’d read other books by Jean Webster a couple of years ago and downloaded the free copy of Daddy-Long-Legson my Kindle, but hadn’t gotten around to reading it until recently. And I’m kicking myself for waiting so long. It is such a good book! I love everything about the book, but my favorite part is the protagonist. I love how whimsical Jerusha is; she reminds me a lot of Anne Shirley. I love how funny she is, and how she’s energetically curious and interested in learning about the world. She’s definitely a new favorite heroine for me.
I really like that this book is written in letter style; it’s the perfect thing for this book and I couldn’t imagine it being written any other way. Everything moved at a fast pace and I was sad when it was over. There are elements of romance, but it isn’t just a romance; it’s about Jerusha growing up and learning about the world, finding her place.
As I am sure it is plain to see, I was beyond thrilled as I flew through the pages of this masterpiece by Jean Webster. Not only will readers of the classics and historical fiction love this novel, but any one that loves to get lost in a good book will enjoy Daddy-Long-Legs.
I give this book 5 out of 5 stars.

Top Ten Books: Ten 2016 Releases I Want To Read

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and The Bookish .
We all know how it goes; so many books are released every year, and we just want to read them all. But there are only so many hours in the day, and therefore, we can’t get to all the books we’d like in a timely fashion. So some new releases sometimes go unread by us for a time. Today’s Top Ten Tuesday topic deals exactly with this conundrum. We’ve been asked to list ten books released in 2016 that we wanted to read, yet were unable to, but totally plan to in the near future. Here are ten books that came out last year that I wanted to read, but simply couldn’t get to.


10: I’ll Be Yours by Jenny B. JonesJenny was one of my favorite authors when I was a teenager. This book got a lot of great reviews last year, and I don’t doubt that it lives up to the hype. Hopefully I can read it sometime soon.


9: The Red Door Inn by Liz JohnsonI read a sample of this book on my Kindle and I really liked it. I love the Prince Edward Island setting! I’d liked to read the rest of it sometime.


8: Talking As FastAs I Can by Lauren GrahamIf you’ve visited A Real Writer’s Life much in the last couple of months, then you know that I’ve mentioned this book a lot. I haven’t been able to get a copy yet, but I’m hoping to sometime.


7: Stars Above by Marissa MeyerI haven’t actually finished the original four books of The Lunar Chronicles; I still need to read to Winter. But once I do, I definitely want to read this bonus book that came out last year.


6: Five Magic Spindles I read one story in this collection for review before it was released, but I’ve yet to read the other four. I’d really like to read them this year.


5:  Once: Six Historically Inspired Fairytales This collection of fairytale retellings released toward the end of 2016. I haven’t read it yet, but when it was recently on sale I downloaded it and am looking forward to reading these stories.


4: A Will, A Way, and A Wedding  by Melody CarlsonI started reading the Dear Daphne series toward the end of last year. So far I’ve read the first three. This last book in the series was released in 2016 and I’m looking forward to seeing how everything comes together.


3: A Portrait of Emily Price by Katherine ReaySome of Katherine’s books might not have been absolute favorites of mine, but I’ve generally liked them and I’m quite curious about this novel revolving around a painter who marries an Italian and travels to his family’s country.


2: The Lady and The Lionheart by Joanne BischofI’ve heard a lot of good things about this book since it released at the end of last summer. It sounds like a good book, and I read a sample of it and liked it, so I’d like to read the rest of it this year.


1: Can’t Help Falling by Kara IsaacI’m actually surprised by how much I enjoyed Kara’s debut since I don’t read much contemporary romance at all. But I did, and I really want to read her latest, which released toward the end of 2016.
Were there any books you wanted to read last year, but simply couldn’t get to? Tell me about them in the comments.

-Miranda Atchley