Julie Arduini's Blog, page 44

Taming Julia: Character Interview with Jules Montgomery

Welcome to Trumpet
Tuesdays. I understand you’re the heroine in Taming Julia. Can you tell us a little about yourself?

Howdy!
Name’s Jules Montgomery. My proper name is Julia but I don’t ever go by it. I’m
one of those, what do you call it? Oh yes, a mail-order bride, although it took
me a while to figure that one out. Name was Jules Walker until I got hitched.
Don’t have no particular place I can call home afore I moved to Burrton
Springs. Unless you call livin’ along the trail a home.

I can’t imagine
not knowing you were a mail-order bride at first. How did you arrive in Burrton
Springs?

My
brother, Josh, told me I had to get on the stagecoach and a fella would be
waitin’ on me when I arrived. Before I left I signed some paper, somethin’
about proxy.

You were married
by proxy before you even arrived? Wow! What’s it like to be a new bride?

It’s
different than I ever figured it’d be. Kind of nice though. I’m still learnin’
Drew’s ways. Drew, he’s my husband. He’s one fine lookin’ man.

Why did Drew marry
you before you arrived? Can you tell us more about your story?

Why
sure. The author worded it like this:

In
1875, Kansas bachelor Drew Montgomery’s sole desire is to serve God, but his
congregation’s ultimatum that he marry or leave, forces him to advertise for a
wife by proxy.



Jules Walker strides into Drew’s life wearing breeches and toting a gun and
saddle–more cowboy than bride. After years on the trail, she’s not exactly
wife material, but she longs for home and family, and will do anything to
ensure Drew never discovers what she really is.

It sounds like you
weren’t at all like Drew expected. Did that lead to struggles?

You
could say that. I’m guessing I was like a burr under a saddle rubbin’ the horse
raw from time to time. Not that I tried to be that way. Guess it just comes
natural for me to find trouble. I probably was a lot more than Drew ever expected,
but we’re learnin’ how to get along better.

Can you give us a
little excerpt to your story?

Of
course. This is what happened shortly after I met my man.

            “Josh said couples kiss after
they’re hitched. Should we try it? I’ve never done it afore, but I reckon we
could give it a shot.” She puckered her lips and waited.

            Drew took a big step backward.

            Had she used the wrong word? Jules
wrinkled her brow, trying to recollect what her brother had said. Had he called
it a peck? Nah, couldn’t be. That’s what prairie chickens did when they found a
tasty bug.

Chuckle. Sounds
like Taming Julia is an interesting
story. Where can readers find it?

Barnes and Noble

Pelican Book Group

Google Play

Can you tell us a
little bit about the author who created your story?

She
said this is her official bio. Not sure what that is:

Jodie Wolfe creates novels where hope and quirky meet. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), Romance Writers of America (RWA), and COMPEL Training. She’s been a semi-finalist and finalist in various writing contests. A former columnist for Home School Enrichment magazine, her articles can be found online at: Crosswalk, Christian Devotions, and Heirloom Audio. She’s a contributor and co-founder of Stitches Thru Time blog. When not writing she enjoys spending time with her husband in Pennsylvania, reading, walking, and being a Grammie. Learn more at www.jodiewolfe.com.

Wonderful. Where
can she be found online?

I’m
guessing online isn’t like somethin’ you hang your clothes on to dry. Jodie
says you can find her here:

Website:
https://www.jodiewolfe.com

Bookbub:
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jodie-wolfe

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/Jodie-Wolfe-553400191384913

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/JodieAWolfe

Pinterest:
https://www.pinterest.com/JodieAWolfe

Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15220520.Jodie_Wolfe

Amazon
Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Jodie-Wolfe/e/B01EAWOHXO/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

Thank you kindly for visitin’ with me and the gal who wrote my story. We’re much obliged. We hope you’ll pick up a copy of Taming Julia so you can find out more.

Book Review: Ishamael Covenant by Terry Brennan

His marriage in tatters and his career ruined by lies, Diplomatic Security Service agent Brian Mullaney is at the end of his rope. Banished to Israel as punishment by his agency, he’s assigned to guard a US ambassador and an insignificant box. Little does he know that this new job will propel him straight into a crisis of global proportions.

Inside the box is a messianic prophecy about the fate of the world. And a dark enemy known as The Turk and the forces of evil at his command are determined to destroy the box, the prophecy, and the Middle East as we know it. When Ambassador Cleveland gets in the way, his life and his daughter’s life are threatened–and Mullaney must act fast.

Now agents of three ancient empires have launched covert operations to secure nuclear weapons, in direct defiance of the startling peace treaty Israel and its Arab neighbors have signed. And a traitor in the US State Department is leaking critical information to a foreign power. It’s up to Mullaney–still struggling with his own broken future–to protect the embassy staff, thwart the clandestine conspiracies, and unmask a traitor–before the desert is turned into a radioactive wasteland.

Fans of Joel C. Rosenberg, Steven James, and Ted Dekker will relish the deadly whirlpool of international intrigue and end-times prophecy in Ishmael Covenant–and will eagerly await the rest of this new trilogy.

The description is true. If you enjoy Joel C. Rosenberg, Steven James, and Ted Dekker, Terry Brennan can carry his own among these names. A great storyteller, Ishmael Covenant is everything you want in an end-times thriller. There’s a mysterious box with a Messianic prophecy that a lot of people want access to. People are dying a cruel death over it. There are law enforcement agents, like Diplomatic Secret Service Agent Brian Mullaney, caught between family, job, and global peace. There are religious figures, villains, and political figures like Ambassador Cleveland and his daughter.

Ishmael Covenant moves fairly quickly given the amount of characters and the plot revolving the box, the politics, and everything going on in between. It’s full of intrigue and adventure, and definitely leaves you wanting more. This is the first book in the series, so know not all ends are tied up in this book. The switch of point-of-view, POV, was a lot, but I knew it was essential to the story.

If you love political stories, end-time thrillers, and action packed fiction, I definitely recommend Ishmael Covenant. There’s even a giveaway. Check out my right sidebar to learn more.

I received Ismael Covenant from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated, and all opinions are my own.

March 3: Regan’s Acts of Kindness

Regan’s parents are friends of ours from our days when we all lived in the same area in Upstate NY. They were so good to our young son and we knew when they married and had children, they would be excellent parents.

And we were right.

Tragically, Regan lost her life January 4, 2017 in her nursery school parking lot, while her father was holding her hand and they were in between two parked cars. She was three years old and left behind her parents, her big brother Gavin,grandparents, and many more family members and friends.

Regan’s birthday is March 3. Regan’s parents have asked that we all perform an act of kindness on March 3, and I’m issuing that challenge to you. It doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated, just kind. If you can, please like the page and post a picture of your act on Regan’s Acts of Kindness Facebook page.

Regan Shetsky

I encourage you to learn more about Regan and her family’s plan to honor and always remember her. They have an online store with “Choose Kindness” shirts, and are raising funds for an interactive story corner in DeWitt, New York called “Regan’s Reading Garden.” This project will encourage literacy and imaginative play, and costs between $200,000-$300,000. Their “kindness rocks” have included all ages, with a global impact.

Julie Arduini, information from regansactsofkindness.com

If you’re not familiar with my books, since 2017 all of my books include a page about Regan. In Restoring Christmas, a news reporter was named after her.

Please spread the word along with your kind deed on March 3!

Rare Disease Day: Show Your Stripes

Each year I try to set apart time to raise awareness for Rare Disease Day. This year it is on February 29, cuz that’s rare, and the National Organization for Rare Disorders, NORD, has asked professionals and families to show their stripes.

From NORD, “The zebra, with its distinctive stripes, is the official symbol of rare diseases in the United States. While each of the more than 7,000 rare diseases is unique, there are many commonalities that unite our community. To raise awareness around rare disease issues, NORD is promoting specific ways that individuals, organizations and groups can show their stripes in support of Rare Disease Day! “

National Organization for Rare Disorders, NORD

Our family has walked the striped journey for a years now. Although our daughter has always had Albrights Hereditary Osteodystrophy, AHO, we weren’t aware until she was around ten years old. We had thyroid and asthma issues on the front burner, so it took awhile before a specialist asked about the size of her hands. The ossifications on her. Her face shape. X-rays showed that she had bone fusion, and that her bones were measuring as someone who was seventeen.

A highlight for our entire family is the Tim Tebow Foundation’s Night to Shine, a prom for teens/adults with special needs/disability.

At first we were told to monitor her calcium and phosphorus levels. We didn’t know other AHO kids her age were on hormones to combat the bone fusion and help the kids reach normal height. When she went to her well-check months later, the bone fusion was worse and we learned we were beyond the place of anything helping. She reached her final height just as she became a teenager. She’s 4’9″. The good news is we’re not a tall family at all, so around us, it’s not a big deal.

Now she’s in full teen mode and our specialist admits AHO is so rare that there isn’t a lot of research. We don’t know exactly what to expect from puberty. We’ve had to add a medicine because she is delayed in an area that if we don’t treat, there is a cancer risk. Yet I’m never comfortable adding meds to her already full cocktail.

We don’t know too much about her reproductive years. I’ve been asked to put her through extensive cognitive testing, as well as consider surgery for what another specialist said are harmess ossifications on her legs. There’s updates regarding oral health for AHO patients, and I often see calls for research patients through Vanderbilt.

It’s a weird place for us as a rare family because as a dear friend noted, there is nothing at first glance that would ever reveal we have a team of doctors,regular lab work, crazy medical bills, and requests for medical appointments that we have to discern is it really necessary or over concern/attempt for more money/using her as a guinea pig?

It’s a hard place because especially because she’s a teen, there’s insecurity that comes from this age just by being a teen. She’s overcome so much—no longer on an IEP, but on a 504. She’s in a regular classroom setting but often there’s an aide who assists when needed. She’s aware when she has to leave early for an appointment or comes in late because of lab work. None of us want to dwell and label her, yet the reality is as her parent I have to advocate on her behalf. There are things we go through other parents do not. Yet, there are things we don’t have to deal with daily that other rare parents do. That gives me guilt, because I know families with special needs where they have therapies, hospital stays, and so much more than we have.

All of it is draining. As my dear friend said, it seems like she’s too healthy to belong to the special needs community and yet not to be an active part of the healthy community. That’s exactly where we are.

So I identify with the stripes. There are days I feel we’re a family of zebras in a land of lions. But I praise God, I really do, for ALL He has done. Between what AHO states and mistakes made with her thyroid as a baby, we were told to prepare for mental retardation. That’s not the case. No, she’s not driving yet, but I think one day that might change. She is taking a college class at her high school. She has such a support system that extends way beyond home and doctors. Our church family is amazing. Our friends. Her friends.

That’s a glimpse into our rare story. If you’d like to learn more about AHO, you can click HERE and HERE. If you’d like to learn more about Rare Disease Day, click HERE.

The Female Trap

Over the years, I’ve prayed with and encouraged girls of all ages. I’ve taught Sunday School and VBS. I’ve helped in youth group and even facilitated a mentoring ministry for girls. I’ve taken calls when dinner was ready and waved goodbye to my husband, because we knew the calls were important and I wouldn’t be eating for awhile. I’ve answered texts all hours of the day and night. And I’m convinced—-the devil is real AND he hates females.

Captivating remains a favorite book and I believe it is in there Stasi Eldredge breaks down why. Created from man, I often thought God realized Adam was alone and quickly threw something together like I do when I know company is on the way. That we’re an afterthought.

Not true!

We’re the masterpiece. The showstopper. The cream of the crop.

It doesn’t mean that men aren’t important and loved, but it gives reason to the enemy’s hatred of us. We also give life and are beauty to Our Creator. Guess who was known for his beauty when he was in heaven? Yeah. So lucifer is jealous.

And when I take those calls and pray with girls and women, his lies are at work. My biggest takeaway that God’s ever downloaded is that the devil has a name he never wants us to know, let alone refer him to. The defeated one. And as the antithesis of everything Jesus is, the defeated one doesn’t have access to unlimited resources. In fact, he’s on a budget and the resources are dwindling. Desperate, he has to use what works.

Julie Arduini

So, he switches it up. He’ll whisper to our tired, vulnerable, insecure hearts that we are defeated.

And darn it, we believe it.

I’d love to tell you for all the prayers and chat I’ve been a part of through the years that I’ve seen the lie coming my way and used God’s truth like Wonder Woman’s bracelets and cast the deception off. Well, recently I not only fell for it, I opened the door to the lie like it was a lost kitten and brought it in and gave it a lot of attention.

Grrr.

The good news? Once God showed me I was believing a lie, His love and promises helped me find my way back.

My heart is no one go down that path. I wrote about the experience last week at Christians Read. If you’d like to read about it, visit Girls, I Owe You and Apology.

***

Our daughter is a teen with special needs resulting from various health issues. Middle school is tough for anyone, but for her, it was brutal and nearly did both of us in. One day while processing her emotions, she mentioned wishing there was a way to encourage girls before those tough times start. She started sharing, and I realized she had a story. I encouraged her to write it out, and I’d make sure it was published.

She plotted out a three-book series.

Surrendering Stinkin’ Thinkin’ features a mentoring ministry, Linked, with middle and high-school aged girls, as well as women mentors. Each book highlights a girl and her mentor, both believing the same lie. Hannah created the characters, the plot, and cover vision. She approved each chapter to make sure I caught the vision. As one reviewer said, “This series needs to be in every church, school, and library.”

We’d love for you to check it out. They can be read as stand alones, but we hope you start with You’re Beautiful, then You’re Amazing, and coming in May, You’re Brilliant.

Interview Excerpt with Author Bruce Judisch

Lewiston Sun Journal: “From San
Antonio to Rangeley”

Interview with author of “The Marble
Falls Legacy,” Bruce Judisch

BY STEVE HUNNEWELL

I read an incredible little
/mystery/thriller/romance book last winter, called Quimby
Pond, by Bruce Judisch.
And not only was it a “page turner/can’t put it down” type of book, but it’s
set in my future home of Rangeley, Maine, which obviously made me love it even
more.

Quimby Pond would have been one of my favorite
books ever, even if it hadn’t been set in my favorite town ever. Why write a
book with the setting of Rangeley? I believe you’re from San Antonio?

Yes, I am from San Antonio, but I have friends in great places—like
Rangeley. One of those friends shared with me a newspaper discovered in his
great-aunt’s attic, a copy of the Rangeley
Lakes from August 20th, 1896. It carried a fascinating article
on an inner page that I’ve summarize the article on the back cover of Quimby Pond. Here’s a photo from the
newspaper itself.

How could any self-respecting fiction writer read something like
this, and not write a mystery story?

What can you tell me about your trip here for research, where
did you go, who did you meet and talk to?

I visited Rangeley first in early May of 2015 to research Quimby Pond, and then again in August of
last year where I supported the library’s annual fund-raising gala and do more
research for the sequel, Sandy River.
I’ve included the folks who made the story possible in the Acknowledgments
page, but to name a few, I’m especially indebted to Belinda Mansfield as my
primary local point of contact, who the public library referred me to when I
requested help with research; Jarod Austin of the Rangeley PD took time with me
to answer law-enforcement-related questions; and Earle Albert of North Star
EMS, who was great at both answering medical/medical-transport questions and
even suggesting some scenario elements that fit beautifully into the story.
There are others who I hope will forgive me for not listing here, but they do
appear in the Acknowledgements of the book.

Why did you call the town in the book Marble Falls instead of
Rangeley?

I had retained “Rangeley” as the name of the town until the very
last edit, when my editor suggested I fictionalize it. Initially, I rebelled at
the idea, so entrenched was I in the town and the region. However, I discovered
she was right. There are too many necessary fictional elements of the story
that would not fit the actual setting—and violating the real Rangeley by
inserting non-existent places into it would surely annoy folks who are familiar
with the town. You can get away with hiding fictional places in large settings
like New York or Chicago, but not so much a small town. So, I renamed some of
the town’s streets and businesses. When I do take the story outside town, I
revert to real names, like Quimby Pond and the town of Farmington.

Can you talk more about the historical basis for your book, what
parts are based in the actual history of the region?

I conducted a lot of research online and on site in Rangeley, and
some in conjunction with the History Department at UMaine. I don’t violate the
true history I discovered, but I do adapt parts of it to advance the story.

Any insights on the characters or who they were modeled after?

They aren’t patterned after anyone in particular. I just made
them up and love them dearly. The heroine, Gwen, is named after my 14th
grandchild, so she’s close to my heart. After Gwen, the eccentric recluse Corky
Williams was the most fun to write, followed by Skeeter, the seaplane pilot.

What can you tell me about your upcoming book?  The tease at the end of Quimby Pond got me wondering!

I’m glad the tease got you to
wondering. That’s what teases are for. Sandy
River is a split-time story. In the present day, Gwen’s is trying to
settle her late-father’s estate, which is hung up in probate by a startling revelation,
one that puts her into danger. The historical storyline features Gwen’s distant
grandmother, Irma Louise Kelly, a strident feminist and abolitionist living in
Boston at the start of the Civil War. How their two stories entwine is the fun
part. J

The third and final part of the Legacy series is currently under construction.

Bruce Judisch has been writing fiction for over fifteen years.  His first work, “A Prophet’s Tale,” is a two-part novelization of the story of the Old Testament prophet, Jonah ben Amittai, comprising The Journey Begun and The Word Fulfilled. A third part, The Promised Kept, is under construction. More recently, he wrote Katia and its sequel For Maria, both with split-time, (present-day and 20th-century historical) storylines. His most recent work is another split-time trilogy, “The Marble Falls Legacy,” with Quimby Pond and Sandy River comprising parts one and two. Part three of that series is underway. His work has been independently and traditionally published by both small and large publishers. He also has nonfiction publishing credits to his name and has served as an editor for a Department of Defense professional journal.

Bruce lives in Texas with his wife and high-school sweetheart, Jeannie, and their two Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Charlie and Raleigh. They are the proud parents of three and grandparents of fourteen.

Valentine’s Day Event and Giveaway

One of my writing goals this year is to connect with new readers. I recently learned about Christian Women Readers and the Valentine’s Day Event and Giveaway. I love groups like this, and events that allow authors to chat and share about themselves and their work.

I am going to participate in this event on Facebook Saturday, February 15 from 2-4pm Eastern. I promise there will be fun chat, games, and giveaways!

I hope you’ll tell your fellow Christian romance readers and join this fantastic event!

Match Made in Heaven Free for Kindle

I’ll say it every time, my heart’s desire is to get my books in as many hands as possible. I want to see people encouraged and lives transformed. I think romance is one genre where this can happen!

For Valentine’s Day weekend, Match Made in Heaven is FREE for Kindle. This is the first romance I ever wrote once I made a commitment to Christ. I let it sit and sit, never thinking it would be something the public would read. However, last year I was sick and was struggling to find words for new material. I went back to Match Made in Heaven and revised/updated it.

There’s so much to Match Made in Heaven that’s personal. Matchmaking is something I dealt with at my job before I met my husband. I also gave Beth the same diagnosis that our family deals with through our daughter. The feelings Beth has regarding trusting God are ones I can absolutely relate to. It’s the first romance I’ve seen that mentions hypothyroidism.

Here’s a blurb:

Beth Prescott wants to make a difference with the senior citizens she serves as a volunteer coordinator, but their matchmaking efforts leave her guarded. She’s experienced too much pain to make that leap again.Dean Kellerman returns to the Finger Lakes area to help his grandfather and heal his own broken heart. He’s recommitted his life to Christ, and doesn’t want any distractions.When his grandfather needs assistance with a senior program, it places Dean right in Beth’s path. Can these two surrender their pasts to Christ and have faith in each other and their future?

Silver and Bold Accountability

Last month I shared that my gray hair transition was complete and as afraid as I was starting the process, I came out of it feeling confident and free. It gave me the incentive to try new things in the pursuit of being “silver and bold.”

Well, my first attempt is a checkmark in the done column.

I heard a lot about Book Funnel as a means to distribute content to readers. I researched it, created an account, and offered my first contemporary romance, Entrusted, complete with an exclusive epilogue, to newsletter readers.

To you, it may be a small thing, but marketing on a small and usually non-existent budget is a challenge I want to conquer. Maybe going gray is scary for you but you feel like it’s time. Whatever your silver and bold moment is, I encourage you to try. I’m learning and growing, and I love that.

Julie Arduini

I have an idea what my next try is. It’s out of the box, it’s a little scary, and happens once in a lifetime.

Stay tuned!

Coffee with Kathy

One of the things this site offers is the chance for guest bloggers. By agreeing to the guidelines and signing up through SignUp Genius, I love interacting with the bloggers and authors who share their content and hearts.

Today is a little bit different, but I’m excited to introduce you to blogger and author Kathy Joy. Her post is actually on her blog, Coffee with Kathy. I think as you look around you will be encouraged and comforted, I know I was.

Read her post, Grace Runs to Pain, HERE.

Julie Arduini

Don’t forget to check out her book, Breath of Joy: Winter Whispers.