Sandra Merville Hart's Blog, page 27

2022 Angel Book Awards Results

The Faith and Fellowship Book Festival announced the winners of the 2022 Angel Book Awards on Friday, November 4, 2022.

Nonfiction category

1st place – Springtime for Your Spirit by Michelle Medlock Adams & Andy Clapp

2nd place – So You Have A Disease by Beth Praed

3rd place – Beauty Beyond the Thorn by Darci J. Steiner

Honorable Mention – Dwelling by Donna L. Lane

Children’s 2-8 category

1st place – You’re More Than a Sprout by Jill Roman Lord, Illustrated by Sarah Demonteverde

2nd place – Dream Big, My Precious One by Jill Roman Lord, Illustrated by Brittany E. Lakin

3rd place – How High is Heaven? by Linsey Davis, Illustrated by Lucy Fleming

Honorable Mention – Twas the Night Before Jesus by Donna Wyland, Illustrated by Courtney Smith

Children’s 8-12/Young Adult Category

1st place – Yosemite Trail Discovered, Book 2 of the Whitcomb Discoveries by Marie Sontag

2nd place – Collapse: Collapse Series Book One by Angela D. Shelton

3rd place – I Want a Water Buffalo for Christmas by Judy DuCharme, Illustrated by Julie L. House

Historical Fiction category

1st place – Mercy’s Legacy by Sarah Hanks

2nd place – Crown of Thorns, Book 1: Son of Mary by R.S. Ingermanson

3rd place – For the Love of Emma, Book 1 of Dream Beyond Tomorrow by Starr Ayers

Mystery/Suspence category

1st place – Woman in Shadow by Carrie Stuart Parks

2nd place – Bitter Truth, Book 3 in A Green Dory In Mystery Series, by Janet Sketchley

3rd place – Hunt for a Hometown Killer by Mary Dodge Allen

Contemporary category

1st place – Every Window Filled with Light, Book 1 of A Weldon Novel by Shelia Stovall

2nd place – Mercy’s Song by Sarah Hanks

3rd place – Sweet Rivalry by Terri Gillespie

Honorable Mention – Falling Apart, Falling For You, Book 1 in Next Act Series, by Chris Posti

Congratulations to all our winners!

Thanks to all the authors who submitted to Angel Book Awards.

If you have a book that released or will release in 2022, please read our guidelines and consider submitting it to Angel Book Awards when it opens next year.

Announcing A Not So Convenient Marriage Book Release!

by Sandra Merville Hart

I wanted to share the exciting news that my next series begins releasing today! A Not So Convenient Marriage, Book 1 of my “Second Chances” series, releases today, November 8, 2022!

This series begins a dozen years after the end of the Civil War. The first book is set in 1877 in three Ohio locations: Hamilton, Harrison, and the train town of Bradford Junction.

The second book, A Not So Persistent Suitor, is set in Cincinnati in 1883—84. It was fun to share a few recognizable locations in this novel.

I am writing the third book, A Not So Peaceful Journey, so stay turned for details!

Here’s what reviewers are saying about A Not So Convenient Marriage:

“The depth of emotion is off the charts!”

“It may seem cliche to say that this should be a Hallmark movie, but I do believe that it is worthy of the original Hallmark Hall of Fame presentations!”

“I couldn’t put the book down and read it in one day!”

“This is a story that will tug at your heart. It is well written and easy to read and imagine.”

“This historical work of Christian fiction drew me in and caused me to want this family to come together. With strands of forgiveness, mercy, and generosity, the author weaved together a memorable and moving book.”

“WOW, this book is amazing and has really touched my life!”

“I will be thinking of it for months to come!”

“A Not So Convenient Marriage is such a great novel. I loved the characters and their story. They gripped me and wouldn’t let me go.”

“I loved, loved, loved the book and Rose will be one of my all-time favorite heroines forever!”

“Thank you so very much for writing this book. I can’t put into words how much I adored it!”

Back Cover Blurb:

A spinster teacher…a grieving widower…a marriage of convenience and a second chance with the man she’s always loved…

When Samuel Walker proposes a marriage of convenience to Rose Hatfield so soon after the death of his wife, she knows he doesn’t love her. She’s loved him since their school days. Those long-suppressed feelings spring to life as she marries him. She must sell her childhood home, quit her teaching job, and move to a new city.

Marrying Rose is harder than Samuel expected, especially with the shadow of his deceased wife everywhere in his life. And he has two young children to consider. Peter and Emma need a mother’s love, but they also need to hold close the memories of their real mother as they grieve her loss.

Life as Samuel’s wife is nothing like Rose hoped, and even the townspeople, who loved his first wife, make Rose feel like an outsider. The work of the farm draws the two of them closer, giving hope that they might one day become a happy family. Until the dream shatters, and the life Rose craves tumbles down around them. Only God can put these pieces back together, but the outcome may not look anything like she planned.

Available on Amazon, Apple Books , Kobo , Barnes & Noble , and Books 2 Read .

A bit about Sandra

Sandra Merville Hart, award-winning and Amazon bestselling author of inspirational historical romances, loves to discover little-known facts from American history to include in her novels. In fact, many of her stories are inspired by visits to historical sites such as battlefields. Sandra treats all her vacations with her husband as an adventure for she never knows where inspiration for a story willarise. Her desire is to transport her readers back in time. Sandra is also a blogger, speaker, and conference teacher.

Cheese Ball Recipe

by Sandra Merville Hart

I remember when you often were served cheese balls at parties. It happens less often these days and it seems that appetizer foods run in cycles just like clothing fashions.

I was asked to bring an appetizer to an author gathering and went over several possibilities before settling on a cheese ball. This is my sister’s recipe. My family still loves it when we go to her house for a party and see this appetizer on the counter.

Ingredients

2 8-ounce packages of cream cheese (rectangular blocks)

5-6 two-ounce packages of Buddig beef, divided

¼ cup finely chopped onion

2 dashes Worcestershire sauce

1 clove of garlic, minced (optional)

Club crackers (or your favorite crackers)

Take the cream cheese out of the fridge and let it set on the counter 20 to 30 minutes before beginning preparations so that it softens.

Chopped 3 packages of the beef and put it in a medium-sized mixing bowl.

In a separate larger bowl, place the cream cheese. Knead it a few seconds with your hands to soften it.

Add the beef, onion, and garlic (I didn’t add the optional garlic) to the cream cheese and mix together. I find it easier to mix the whole thing with my hands but perhaps that’s because my grandmother mixed everything with hers.

Form it into a ball and set it back in the bowl.

Chop up 2 packages of the remaining beef and place in the bowl previously used. Roll the cheese ball in the meat to cover. I had to use my hands to get the last bit in place.

If it’s not covered enough for your taste, chop up the final package of beef and add it to outside layer of the cheese ball.

Cover with plastic wrap, place in an air-tight container, and chill in the refrigerator for at least two hours or until ready to serve. I was traveling and made it four days in advance.

It lasted over a week and continued to taste delicious. It’s nice and meaty with the beef mixed on the inside as well as coated on the outside, making it a more filling snack.

My friends were excited to eat this appetizer and went back for more, complimenting me on its flavor. Leftovers made a quick and easy side for lunch.

Serve on decorative dish with your favorite crackers. I chose club crackers for my guests because lots of folks tend to like them. Choose your favorite as a variation.

This is always a hit. Thanks B. for sharing your recipe with us!

Pakistan Casserole

by Sandra Merville Hart

Another one of the dishes my husband makes that has become a comfort food to me is Pakistan Casserole. He got the recipe from a co-worker before we were married. It quickly became a go-to recipe for him because it’s easy to prepare.

I use long grain brown rice which takes about 45 minutes to cook. In my opinion, this enhances the flavor of the casserole. If you use minute rice, it will be much quicker. It’s your preference—and, let’s be honest, it probably depends on the amount of time you have to get the meal on the table.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Ingredients

1 lb. pork sausage (ground beef or ground turkey are nice substitutes)

3 cups cooked rice

1 can Cream of Chicken Soup

6 slices American cheese

¼ cup of shredded cheese

Prepare the rice per the package’s instructions.

Brown the sausage in a skillet, crumbling it as it cooks. Drain.

In a separate bowl, combine the cooked rice, sausage, and soup.

Select a large casserole dish (mine is 13×9) and spray it with cooking spray.

Spoon in about 2/3 of the mixture. Cover it with a layer of American cheese. Then put the remaining mixture on top.

Sprinkle about ¼ cup of shredded cheese (more if you prefer) over the top. Bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese melts.  

The flavor of the sausage is toned down a bit by the other ingredients, making this a kid-friendly meal. It’s also filling. The adults in our family also enjoy this dish.

If you make this dish using minute rice, it can be out of the oven in about a half hour.

For variation, try substituting the sausage for ground beef or ground turkey. This will also make the dish less spicy for those who prefer milder flavors.

Sight and Sound Theater, Branson

by Sandra Merville Hart

Recently, my husband and I went with my brother and sister-in-law to see Jesus at the Sight and Sound Theater in Branson, Missouri. What a spectacular show!

I’ve seen other plays like Jonah, Moses, and Samson at this theater and anticipated that Jesus would be just as amazing. It was—in fact, it exceeded my expectations.

The actors lit up the stage. The drama highlighted many of the well-known events in Jesus’ life and shed new insights as the story unfolded.

I was captivated by the photo on the program before I ever walked into the theater. It stirred my emotions as well as my imagination. Nice job!

The special effects are really well-done. It appeared as if Jesus really walked on the water. Peter went under when unbelief caused doubts and Jesus saved him, as the photo portrays so beautifully.

Live animals add a new dimension to the show. Aisles are used as part of the stage.

Actors put their heart and soul into each performance. Families, couples, church groups, and vacation-goers flock to these plays. Every performance I’ve attended has been to a packed house.

Deservedly so.

The production of Jesus has ended for this season. Miracle of Christmas will be live on stage from November 5 – December 31, 2022.

I was thrilled to learn that I Heard the Bells by Sight and Sound Films will be in theaters in December of 2022. I’ve already added this to my holiday plans.

For more information, check out their website.

If your plans take you to the Branson area on vacation, I’d recommend an evening performance at the Sight and Sound Theater.

The Element of Love by Mary Connealy

Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

Book 1 in The Lumber Baron’s Daughters series

Three beautiful sisters are running away from their stepfather’s plans to marry them off to his money-hungry friends whom they are all certain will mistreat them—possibly worse than their stepfather mistreats their mother. Their mother sends them off to find husbands and then return. She remains to face her husband’s wrath, but at least her strong, intelligent, beautiful daughters will be safe.

Laura, the youngest, meets a parson at the train station. Caleb heads a mission team heading to remote area of California. She convinces him to take her and her companions—she hides her relationship to her sisters to maintain secrecy. Then the real adventure begins.

Laura soon decides she must convince Caleb to marry her so that she can claim her third of her inheritance out of the clutches of her violent stepfather. But Caleb has secrets of his own…

This novel leaps from one dangerous adventure to the next so that I could barely put down the book. The characters are realistic and the relationship between the sisters is believable. Their mission—to choose their own husbands, take charge of their inheritance, and rescue their mother—drives the story.

Danger follows all four women, making this a page-turner.

One caution—the ending will leave you wanting to read Book 2!

Recommended!

Christianbook.com

The Story Equation by Susan May Warren

Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

Subtitle: How to Plot & Write a Brilliant Story from One Powerful Equation

This is a wonderful book to help authors plot and write a story that grips the emotions of reads.

The author shares practical tips for authors to use The Story Equation in creating a powerful story.

Tips for creating unforgettable characters that resonate with readers are especially helpful. If readers don’t care about the characters, they quickly lose interest. Warren devotes a whole chapter to building a sympathetic character.

Warren suggests writing the book as a Four-Act Story, which she explains in an understandable manner.

I read this book while still researching my next novel. I found the wisdom and practical tips helpful as my imagination explored the journey my characters were about to take.

Definitely recommend this book to authors!

Amazon

Hamburger Mac Recipe

by Sandra Merville Hart

One of the dishes my husband makes has become a comfort food to me. Maybe it’s because of the macaroni and cheese. Maybe it’s because it’s a filling supper with a side vegetable or salad. Or maybe it’s because my husband takes over the preparation for supper!

It could become a comfort meal for your family too so I’m sharing my husband’s recipe that he created long before we met as a quick and easy meal.

Ingredients

1 lb. Ground beef

1 box of macaroni and cheese

1 cup of shredded cheese, divided

Prepare the macaroni and cheese per the box’s instructions.

Brown the ground beef in a skillet. Turn off the heat. Drain it and then return the cooked ground beef to the skillet.

Sprinkle about ¼ cup of shredded cheese over the cooked meat and stir.

Add about 1/3 of the prepared macaroni and cheese and combine. Then add the rest in increments, stirring to combine the mixture.

Sprinkle ½ cup of shredded cheese over the top. Turn the burner on low, cover, and heat the mixture until the cheese melts—about 3 to 5 minutes.

Pour the mixture into a bowl. My husband adds more shredded cheese at this point to the top, up to ¼ cup.

This is a kid-friendly meal. Little ones who like macaroni and cheese but shy away from eating a hamburger often enjoy this meal. It’s more filling that macaroni and cheese alone and they get some protein.

Most of the adults in our family also enjoy this dish.

It’s easy to prepare—and can be ready in under 30 minutes on those nights when the children have dance or soccer practice or swim lessons.

Coming Soon! A Second Chances Novel Release!

by Sandra Merville Hart

I wanted to share some exciting news with you—my next series will soon begin releasing! A Not So Convenient Marriage, Book 1 of my new “Second Chances” series, will release November 8, 2022!

This series begins a dozen years after the end of the Civil War. The first book is set in 1877 in three Ohio locations: Hamilton, Harrison, and the train town of Bradford Junction.

The second book is set in Cincinnati in 1883—84. (It was fun to share a few recognizable locations in this novel.)

I will soon begin writing the third book, so stay turned for details!

Here’s a bit about A Not So Convenient Marriage:

A spinster teacher…a grieving widower…a marriage of convenience and a second chance with the man she’s always loved…

When Samuel Walker proposes a marriage of convenience to Rose Hatfield so soon after the death of his wife, she knows he doesn’t love her. She’s loved him since their school days. Those long-suppressed feelings spring to life as she marries him. She must sell her childhood home, quit her teaching job, and move to a new city.

Marrying Rose is harder than Samuel expected, especially with the shadow of his deceased wife everywhere in his life. And he has two young children to consider. Peter and Emma need a mother’s love, but they also need to hold close the memories of their real mother as they grieve her loss.

Life as Samuel’s wife is nothing like Rose hoped, and even the townspeople, who loved his first wife, make Rose feel like an outsider. The work of the farm draws the two of them closer, giving hope that they might one day become a happy family. Until the dream shatters, and the life Rose craves tumbles down around them. Only God can put these pieces back together, but the outcome may not look anything like she planned.

Available on Amazon, Apple Books , Kobo , Barnes & Noble , and Books 2 Read .

A bit about Sandra

Sandra Merville Hart, award-winning and Amazon bestselling author of inspirational historical romances, loves to discover little-known facts from American history to include in her novels. In fact, many of her stories are inspired by visits to historical sites such as battlefields. Sandra treats all her vacations with her husband as an adventure for she never knows where inspiration for a story willarise. Her desire is to transport her readers back in time. Sandra is also a blogger, speaker, and conference teacher.

Buried Cold Case Secrets by Sami A. Abrams

Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

Melanie Hutton accepts a job as a forensic anthropologist back in her home town. Her parents have moved away—not that they supported her when she needed them most anyway. No, it’s the kidnapping she endured with her best friend that she can’t recover from, especially since Melanie escaped and Allie’s remains were never found.

Detective Jason Cooper isn’t happy to see Melanie return. She had escaped and left her best friend—his sister—at the mercy of that monster. The fact she can’t recall what happened makes matters worse. He had once imagined dating Melanie, marrying her. No longer. He couldn’t trust her. Too bad they have to work together.

But someone is trying to kill Melanie. Does it have anything to do with the kidnapping? They both must work together to discover the truth before someone else dies.

This story gripped my interest from the beginning. The characters face real danger throughout and the action builds as the story escalates.

A multi-layered story that was a page turner for me!

Recommended for readers of contemporary suspense.

Amazon