Reflecting on: Nothing Beats Sweet Family Gatherings, with Teena Stewart

This past weekend, Jeff and I made a last minute decision to drive up to Lynchburg, VA from Hickory, NC to attend our niece Brooke’s college graduation. We picked my mother up from assisted living in Lewisville. Our stay was short and sweet, just Saturday and part of Sunday morning. But we packed in the fun and memories. I am so glad we went. The days of us all gathering at my mother’s house are over. We have to find new ways and places to gather. This coming weekend we’ll hold a garage sale to help clear out her house and then we’ll put it on the market. An era is passing away.

 Being with family this weekend underscored more than ever the value of family, and, how fleeting time is. It slips by so quickly and in the moment we don’t see it passing away. It’s only when we compare the yesterdays with the todays, looking at old photos and how we’ve all grown and aged that we realize that life is so very temporary. I watched my mother struggle with remembering even the basic things. She sat through the graduation ceremony only to forget later she’d even attended. “When is graduation?” she asked as we gathered with family at the grad party afterwards. I gently reminded her she’d already attended.

More than ever I wanted to preserve family memories. As a writer/artist I am always working on one art project or another, but rarely do something for myself. Finally, I found a way to capture some of these precious moments and memories. You can find more about the heirloom mirror on my blog. 

As a historian, I hear you, Teena – don’t forget to take notes and grab all the memories you can–once the folks are gone, the stories go with them…thanks for sharing….Lisa

Teena Stewart is a published author of The Treasure Seeker and many other books. In addition she is a  ministry leader and successful artist.Teena Stewart is a published author of The Treasure Seeker and many other books. In addition she is a  ministry leader and successful artist.

Promotion in Motion Tuesdays: K Dawn Byrd and Lessons From the Open Road

Lessons from the Open Road

A couple of years ago, the idea of writing a devotional about the lessons I learned while riding a motorcycle came to me. I had no idea what I was getting into and how much writing devotionals would minister to me as an author. I jotted down notes for weeks, hoping to come up with enough lessons to take the reader through a month. Lessons from the Open Road ended with 33 lessons, each followed by Scripture and prayer.

Sometimes life is hard. Sometimes learning new things is hard. Just when I thought I’d mastered the parking lot where I was learning to ride my little Yamaha Virago starter bike, I pulled out, forgot to hit the brake, did an Evel Knievel, and jumped a short concrete wall, landing in some trees. My poor little bike limped home with a hole in the crankcase the size of a quarter. J-B Weld to the rescue!

I’m stubborn, too stubborn to quit. After I recovered from the sore neck that resulted from my stunt, I climbed back on the old iron horse. Eventually, I graduated from the parking lot and hit the streets. When I’d learned to ride well enough to satisfy hubby, he bought himself a new Harley and I inherited his anniversary edition Harley Davidson Sportster. And, when I graduated with my masters degree, you’d never guess what I wanted. Yep, a new bike. I became the proud owner of a Screamin Eagle V-Rod (picture attached.)

All good things must eventually come to an end. I enjoyed my days on the road, but found another passion. Writing. I work a full-time job and since there’s only so much time in the day, I have to choose what’s most important to me. The bike had to go. Occasionally, I miss it, but for the most part, I’d rather be writing. I’m hoping the devotions in Lessons from the Open Road will minister to your heart as much as writing them did to mine.

Lessons from the Open Road is currently available in e-book format and will be coming soon in print. I had planned to list it at no cost, but Amazon wouldn’t allow me to do so. I’ve listed it at the lowest price Amazon allows, 99 cents, and all proceeds will be donated to my church’s building fun for the new church that’s currently under construction.

For more information about Lessons from the Open Road, you can check it out on Amazon .

 

About the Author:

K. Dawn Byrd is an author of inspirational romance, romantic suspense, and non-fiction. She is an avid blogger and gives away several books per week on her blog, most of which are signed by the authors. She’s also the moderator of the popular facebook Christian Fiction Gathering group

When not reading or writing, K. Dawn Byrd enjoys spending time with her husband of 16 years while walking their dogs beside a gorgeous lake near her home and plotting the next story waiting to be told.

 

Links:

Book giveaway blog: www.kdawnbyrd.blogspot.com

Young adult blog: www.zoe-mack.blogspot.com

Website: www.kdawnbyrd.com 

I’m also on Twitter (kdawnbyrd) and facebook (K Dawn Byrd.) I am the moderator of the Christian Fiction Gathering facebook group  If you join this group, you’ll get reminders about the weekly book giveaways.

 

Reflecting on: a Debut Novel, with Nick Dettmann

Welcome to Nicholas Dettmann, whose first published novel just released this winter. He’s joined our local writer’s group and I’ve asked him to share about his experiences.

When I held the hard copy of my novel for the first time, it was one of the most exciting moments of my career and my life. A lifelong dream had been achieved: I wrote a book and it was published.

The process to do so was much harder than I originally anticipated, specifically the cost. After some efforts to get it published through traditional houses, I came across the idea of self-publishing. I did a lot of research and found that it was an expensive route, which dampened my spirits. There were times I never thought my manuscript would be published because I couldn’t figure out how to pay for it. But after some begging and generosity from family and friends, my manuscript finally got off the computer and into a printer.

It was exciting and still is. However, it’s been a struggle to try and convince people who are unfamiliar with my work that purchasing my novel is worthwhile. I also didn’t expect to have as hard of a time selling the physical copies. The electronic editions, at least from what I’ve been told, have sold better.

I’ve spent an enormous amount of time working on my craft and believe I have the talent to be a successful author. The other part I’m trying to adjust to is the idea of patience. Outside of family and friends, I’m not really sure how the book is selling, so I wish I could say if the active promotion that I’m doing is working or not. I know it’s worked on a couple people who’ve met me at certain events.

My dream is to be a best-selling author someday. Some professional reviews I’ve received were not big fans of my novel, A Life Worth Dreaming About. But people who have read it said they love it and had a hard time putting it down. So the other problem I’m having is finding out what the true sense from people of the book is.

True no matter how much you sell, Nick–best wishes! Belief and dreams are excellent. ~Lisa

About the Book:

•ISBN-10:1468543008

•ISBN-13: 978-1468543001

Kindle: $3.03

Paperback: $16.95

Carl Robertson, a 32-year-old man, did everything he could to move out of his small Midwestern town, losing many friends along the way. He dreamt of living the elegant lifestyle of New York City. He used his anger and hatred to move out of his hometown, discredit it and never wanted to think about it again. For a while, it worked. Then, he finds his life on the ropes and doesn’t know why or how to change it. That is until he meets a man who will change his life forever and in a way he never could’ve seen coming. Suddenly, he finds himself trying to catch up to a new reality, just in time to save his life and find his true love. Learn more at www.nickdettmann.com

About the Author:

Nicholas Dettmann is a veteran journalist from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He has worked at daily newspapers in Idaho Falls, Idaho, Michigan City, Indiana, and West Bend, Wisconsin. He has also appeared in numerous newspapers around the country, including the Houston Chronicle, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and the Baltimore Sun.

He has won writing awards at the local, regional and national levels. Nicholas graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with a degree in journalism & mass communications. In 2010, Nicholas wrote a story about a high school swimmer who suffered from dwarfism. His dream was to become a Paralympian. The Wisconsin Newspaper Association said, “Good story and nice storytelling getting the reader into the story.”

Tuesday Promotion in Motion: Becky Melby

Welcome fellow Wisconsin Author, Becky Melby, author of Tomorrow’s Sun, to Reflections in Hindsight.

Tomorrow’s Sun back cover copy:

One House. Two Loves. A century and a half apart.

Her fractures have mended, her scars faded, but Emily Foster can’t move on until she makes restitution for a past mistake. Flipping houses seems like the path to her goal. Yet, instead of finding a door to the future, the 1840s house she plans to remodel opens windows to the past.

Contractor Jake Braden hates Emily’s plan to modernize the old house, but the cost of fighting for guardianship of his late sister’s twelve-year-old twins forces him to take the job anyway. When a hidden door and faded love letters connect the house with the Underground Railroad, he and Emily embark on a mission to uncover the fate of young lovers.

As Emily and Jake unravel the long-forgotten love story, words of faith in the face of fear inspire, convict, and draw them to each other. . .but will they be prepared when faced with the greatest test yet?

 Becky Says—-

 

What I love about Tomorrow’s Sun:

For years I’ve been a fan of artist Charles L. Peterson’s “Memories” Collection (http://www.clpetersonstudio.com/prints-memories.html). Each painting depicts a contemporary setting superimposed with a translucent scene of a by-gone era. These paintings spark questions and spin stories in my head. Several years ago, sitting at a historic restaurant inRochester,Wisconsin with my husband, the history of the building we were sitting in awakened the same kind of muse. Built in 1843 and originally known as the Union House, the building had thirteen-inch stone walls. Local legend claimed it had once been a stop on the Underground Railroad. . .and was inhabited by ghosts! From there it was an easy step to creating a father and daughter living just across the bridge from the Union House. What impact would their involvement in the Underground Railroad have on a woman who bought their house a hundred and sixty years later? I loved the vicarious experience of living in this house with a hidden room in two radically different eras.

 

What I learned while writing it:

That I love writing historical fiction! That came as a surprise since most of what I read and all I’ve written has been contemporary. Rather than choosing between genres, I hope to continue writing parallel stories that juxtapose two time periods.

I also learned some intriguing facts and legends about the Underground Railroad in my part ofWisconsin. While his conductor got a fresh team of horses, Joshua Glover, a Missouri slave seeking asylum in 1854, enjoyed “a hot cup of tea and lunch” at a home in Rochester—just across the river from the Union House. On arriving inRacine, Mr. Glover was “pounced upon” by his master who had him arrested and put in jail. But abolitionists from all around southeasternWisconsinsurrounded the jail, broke down the doors, and transported him safely toCanada.

The other thing that comes to mind wasn’t new knowledge, but a needed reminder: True freedom is only possible through surrender to Jesus Christ. Most of us are bound by some kind of shackles—memories of past injustice or mistakes or loss—and only through a relationship with the God of the universe can we experience the breaking of chains and cycles.

Something unique about the book:

Adam, one of the twelve-year-old twins in the book, is patterned very, very closely after my grandson Sawyer. All of the things Adam carries in his cargo pants can be found on my ready-for-emergency grandson at any given time. My daughter sent an email last week telling about Sawyer’s latest doctor’s check up: “We forgot to have Sawyer disarm before he left home. The nurse asked if he had anything in his pockets and he just started pulling out knives (four, I think) and flashlights and rope and duct tape. . .”

While Adam got to use a lot of his survival gear in Tomorrow’s Sun, Sawyer is still dreaming of that great adventure for which he will be more than prepared.

About the Author:

I started writing stories when I was about seven. One memorable piece. . .“How Valentine’s Day Got Started,” foreshadowed my future career in romantic fiction. In high school, a poem I wrote about Jacqueline Kennedy was published in the Union Grove Sun, our local paper. I imagine the circulation was about four hundred, but I was ecstatic. My next big break came with a high school literary magazine. We used a lot of literary license in calling it “literary”! One of my poems, entitled “Depression,” depicts being symbolically buried alive and ends with the soul-stirring words “Metal on stone, I’m now alone.”

            My goal of seeing my first novel published by the time I turned twenty-five was detained a few years thanks to my real-life romance and the four sons that resulted. My publishing dream became reality the same year I found out I was going to be a grandma. In March we’ll celebrate forty years of marriage. In January of this year our twelfth grandbaby was born. In spite of all these wonderful “interruptions” I’ve co-authored nine books for Heartsong Presents and written three novellas. Tomorrow’s Sun is the first book in the Lost Sanctuary series, my first full-length project. Yesterday’s Stardust and Today’s Shadows will be released later this year.

            I love writing and reading spiritual Cinderella stories. For real-life and fiction stories of “tarnished dreams refinished by grace,” come and visit me at www.beckymelby.com/blog.

Tuesday Promotion in Motion: Delores Beggs

Delores Goodrick Beggs is a prolific writer. Her work is influenced by the tolerance of horses for imperfection, the warmth of hounds reaching out, and the caring of heart for all human conditions, packaged in whichever format her inspiration of the moment decrees.

Growing up, she was always writing because radio and television before closed captions failed to entertain. During her teens she wrote mostly nonfiction, poems and short stories, collecting them over the years in a box she saved one Christmas.  As an adult with a hearing disability, she started her From the Heart western series evenings when she came home after working her day job, writing her own stories in the days before closed captions were added to television shows. Breaking Point is the first book in her From the Heart series, coming May 11, 2012 from Desert Breeze Publishing. Visit her web site.

 

 

About the book:

Mauranie Wells is at odds with her sister Tennyson and her demands for money they don’t have when handsome cowboy banker Stemson Arroyo Smith rides into the Wells Double Bar ranch requesting assistance.

ISBN: 978-1-61252-166-4

Available May 11

Welcome to Reflections, Delores. Our usual first question is, What do you love about this book?

The heroine of Breaking Point, Book One of my Place in the Heart series, became my best friend during the long dark evenings spent writing Breaking Point at home after my day job. Television held little appeal for me because closed captions were not available yet, and radio was just a noise. But Mauranie Wells graciously filled entertained me, telling me her story as I pecked on my typing machine. Like Mauranie, I have to compensate for my poor hearing.

So it sounds like you were able to explore your character in a way many of us will never know. What’s the main thing you learned during the process of writing and publishing this book?

You know the saying, stop sometimes to smell the roses? The main thing I learned was what a rich life I had been given to draw upon for this and my upcoming other books of my From the Heart series. I learned how very much I appreciated my wonderful and supportive family, the strength of my horses and the unconditional love of my dogs. We never had much money, but we had a great wealth of the things money can’t buy. Love.

Love. What more can we say? Delores, What should your readers discover and want to share with their family and friends after reading this book?

All about growing up, the good, the bad, and the what ifs. It’s like the saying sunshine always follows a storm. But in life, when they persist, persons have the option of blowing the storm clouds away so the sun can shine.

Thank you, Delores, and best wishes with your future work.

Delores Goodrick Beggs:  Horses, hounds, heart

Breaking Point - May 11, 2011

Charming Champion – Aug. 2011

Substitute Lover – Dec. 2011

Sunday Book Review: The Map Quilt by Lisa J. Lickel

Posted by Elaine Marie Cooper

What could more intriguing than a contemporary mystery/romance about buried treasure that’s also filled with history? The Map Quilt by Lisa J. Lickel is a fun and satisfying read for the grown ups that still long for an involving mystery that provides plenty of detail without overemphasizing the grittier aspects of a story involving bodies.

The central focus of this novel, which is the sequel to Lickel’s The Gold Standard, is an old family quilt that turns out to be so much more. Dating back to the days of slavery and the underground railroad, the quilt becomes the link from the past to the present.

Judy and Hart Wingate, now married and expecting their first child, become caught in the middle of both business intrigue and the ownership rights of property based on an old deed—an important document that has gone missing. After generations of an African-American family’s loss of their land ownership, will big business win against the rights of justice for all?

As is her usual style with characters, Lickel is engagingly creative with her descriptions and personalities, leaving a reader smiling frequently over the fun quirks of all her characters. A few are familiar returnees from her first book in this Buried Treasure Series, but there are a few additions to this cast in The Map Quilt that are equally charming.

The historical aspects included in this book are such a precious part of the plot. It reminds us how close our nation’s amazing history is to our present—and in The Map Quilt, it is as close as the characters’ backyard.

It was not that long ago that some white families reached out to help their black fellow Americans reach freedom. Some on both sides survived the dangerous endeavor, while others died in the effort. This is a book that will entertain as well as touch the heart and soul of America—freedom for all.

Well worth the read.

I give this book: 5 out of 5 Reflections

Book Synopsis

Death in rural Wisconsin is only the beginning to new chaos in Robertsville. What do a stolen piece of revolutionary agricultural equipment, a long-buried skeleton in the yard, and an old quilt with secrets have in common? Hart and Judy Wingate, who met in The Gold Standard, are back to solve the mystery of The Map Quilt. Hart’s new battery design could forever change the farm implement industry. But after the death of Hart’s most confrontational colleague in a fire that destroys Hart’s workshop, the battery is missing.

Throw in a guest speaker invited to Judy’s elementary classroom who insists she owns the land under Hart’s chief competitor’s corporate headquarters, and a police chief who’s making eyes at Hart’s widowed mother, it’s no wonder Hart is under a ton of pressure to make sure his adventurous pregnant wife stays safe while trying to preserve his company and his reputation.

About the Author:

Lisa Lickel is a Wisconsin writer who lives with her husband in a hundred and sixty-year-old house built by a Great Lakes ship captain. Surrounded by books and dragons, she writes inspiring fiction. Her novels include mystery and romance, all with a twist of grace. She has penned dozens of feature newspaper stories, short stories, magazine articles and radio theater. She is the editor in chief of Creative Wisconsin Magazine, a workshop leader, book reviewer, contest judge, and a freelance editor who loves to encourage new authors.

Where you can purchase The Map Quilt:

http://museituppublishing.com/bookstore2/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=376&category_id=8&manufacturer_id=196&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=1&vmcchk=1&Itemid=1

Tuesday Promotion in Motion with Samantha Chandler

Welcome, Sammie!

Originally from Louisiana, Samantha Ryan Chandler raised three girls. She is a co-founder of Childspring International and helps bring disadvantaged children from Haiti, the Philippines, Ethiopia, and other countries, to the United States for donated surgery.

Tell us why you love your new book, A Love Song: How God Pursued Me and Found Me, an impossibly true story.

I am proud of my book as it speaks of many God-given promises to believers for encouragement and enlightenment. My book is a glimpse of my life trying to find God in unnerving circumstances that were just not understandable.

What’s the main thing you learned during the process of writing and publishing this book?

Having written The End and Amen, I found that I was totally free.  The writing of my life to see God in my circumstances was cathartic. The publishing aspect was so fast that I had to take notice that this could just possibly be a God movement.

What should your readers discover and want to share with their family and friends after reading this book?

I have had readers contact me. Some have said they wanted to get closer to God and discover Him in their life while others expressed a sadness reading my story only to arrive at the end and find a joy that was unexpected.

Find out more at http://www.samantharyanchandler.com

Epilogue

I have learned reams of knowledge, wisdom, and patience since I first began this journey of writing about my life. The emotional healing cannot be quantified. To tell my story, I had to acknowledge that my trek had a plethora of enlightenment, hatred, love, abuse, forgiveness, betrayal, greed and fear. The day I finished the manuscript, I went for a long walk to process my thoughts.  As I walked, I began a murmur into my heart, saying “I am free!” The murmur transcended into a low voice. Before I returned home, I had to shout for all to hear, “I am free, I am free!!” The next morning was quite different.  I awake to the thought of what do I do now? The manuscript lived in my laptop for several weeks as I had not the courage to present my work.  After all, I am just a skinny girl from Nowhere, Louisiana. Who would want to hear my heart…or my story? Having lived all the negative and destructive emotions with a scant few of good ones thrown in, I decide that I can do this. Remember my belief that I can do anything for five minutes? I can present my soul to the world. It clearly became a world wind of publishers, etc.  It became a book so fast that it made my head spin. I definitely took notice that this just might be a “God thing.”

My manuscript is soon to be a book.  I write my epilogue five months after I finished the manuscript with having written The End and Amen. On occasion, I talk to friends about the title of being an author, but it feels like it belongs to someone else. This period of five months brings me to reflection mode. I have come to realize that there are four complete stages in recovery.  They are in the order you receive them:

1)  Faith

2)  Trust

3)  Surrender

4)  Rest

When we encounter a trial and a test of our identity in Christ, we begin with faith.  Something dreadful happens, so we recount what we know of our knowledge of whom God is and what scripture says about life on earth.  This stage usually is quite long, especially if the trial extracts a price of pain and anguish. Some people never leave this stage and more than likely do not win in the end.  Remember when God wants to take you to another level of belief in His goodness and promises, his patience of getting you there will far out last yours. Faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. Romans 11:17 Trust will come as you delve into scriptures extracting those verses that speak to your mountain. This process more than likely drives you to seek and glean places and people in the Bible who displayed great trust in God. You learn of Job and his painful trying experiences and on occasion are grateful Job was Old Testament. Possibly you seek more relief and discover Joseph.  Joseph, after eighteen years of unfair and underserved grief wins!  Good to know.  The night terror now becomes, “eighteen years”!  Will I possibly be able to withstand such a trial?  You begin to talk about it with your understanding Godly friends or Bible study mates. At this level in the trial, trust can and does waiver.  You convince yourself one day that you can do this only to awake in the night gripped in fear and trepidation. You may have head and heart knowledge, but trust can be as elusive as a butterfly in the wind. Great trust and then not so great trust as a yo-yo comes and goes in a skilled hand. It is also possible to live in this stage as it is incomplete to receive the, “I am taking you to another level” reward.

Surrender is a sweet place to be and you believe the test and trail has end in sight. Scripturally surrender means yield. You are worn down and weary so yielding can be confused with giving up.  Not so. Surrender means to yield to the plan of God. Your days are, “Okay, God, do what you have to do.” In the surrender stage, I would awake each day and remind myself that the day I was going to have is the day God had ordained or allowed. Many a day, I would end it with not liking the day I had, with a mumble, grumble and endless prayer request to just give the test a rest. I reached this stage three months ago. The faith and trust stage was my identity for an undeterminable amount of years. Oh, for rest, the sweetest of all places to be. You must long for it.  God longs for it for you. Resting in God’s will is brand new to this skinny girl. I arrived a few weeks ago and it is quite sweet.  To achieve rest, it is a conscious decision to stay in this place. Hopefully all the lessons learned in the first three stages will easily allow this. I must say it is born out of weary but weary must contain an abundance of trust, faith and surrender. Everyone gets weary and it is not necessarily a sign of lack in an area. “Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. Galatians 6:9. Resting looks and feels like surrender but has no concern for the day.  It is what it is. God says, “I know the plans I have for you, to prosper you.” How can we possible argue with this?

A day of rest awakens to hope that this might be the day the trial or test ends.  If it does not end, you go to bed with the thought that tomorrow might bring the answers and the puzzle pieces to your doorway. You also maintain that at the end of the day and the answer has not arrived, you are most certainly one day closer to relief. You know that you know that you know God will not and cannot deny his promises for you.

“Remember the word which Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, saying, ‘The Lord your God gives you rest and will give you this land. Joshua 1:13

And the weary are at rest. Job 3:17b

Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him. Psalm 37:7a

Wisdom rests in the heart of one who has understanding. Proverbs 14:33a

And his resting place will be glorious. Isaiah 11:10c

Do not destroy his resting place. Proverbs 25:15b

Tuesday Promotion in Motion with Allie Pleiter

Welcome back, Allie Pleiter!

About the Author:

An avid knitter, coffee junkie, and devoted chocoholic, Allie Pleiter writes both fiction and non-fiction.  The enthusiastic but slightly untidy mother of two, Allie spends her days writing books, buying yarn, and finding new ways to avoid housework.  Allie hails from Connecticut, moved to the Midwest to attend Northwestern University, and currently lives outside Chicago, Illinois.  The “dare from a friend” to begin writing has produced two parenting books, fourteen novels, and various national speaking engagements on faith, women’s issues, and writing.  Visit her website at www.alliepleiter.com or her knitting blog at www.DestiKNITions.blogspot.com

About the Book:

Homefront Hero by Allie Pleiter

Love Inspired Historical

May 2012

ISBN: 978-0-373-82916-3

Back cover copy: Dashing and valiantly wounded, Captain John Gallows could have stepped straight out of an army recruitment poster. Leanne Sample can’t help being impressed—although the lovely Red Cross nurse tries to hide it. She knows better than to get attached to the daring captain who is only home to heal and help rally support for the war’s final push. As soon as he’s well enough, he’ll rush back to Europe, back to war—and far away from South Carolina and Leanne. But when an epidemic strikes close to home, John comes to realize what it truly means to be a hero—Leanne’s hero.

Allie, what things did you learn with this publication experience?

I learned how much fun it can be to combine your passions. By fusing my love for knitting with my love for romance, I discovered the sum is greater than its parts. Not only was writing this story an adventure of love–diving into the history of something I hold dear–but I became so very excited about the project that I’m impossible to live with lately! Before this book, I would have thought it odd to make knitting romantic (well, let me rephrase that: I would have been sure other people would find it odd). The more I watched how learning to knit under Army orders forced John and Leanne together in close quarters, fed their conversation, enabled them to learn things about themselves and each other, the more ideal the plot became.

That is definitely outside the box. What can readers do to help you spread the word about your books?

Online reviews like bn.com and Amazon.com have become important ways “word of mouth” happens in the information age. The best way to spread the word is to do just that–tell your friends. Gift an e-book, purchase a second copy and hand it off to someone you know will enjoy it, tell what you liked on Twitter and Facebook. Readers can also go to alliepleiter.com to sign up for my newsletters so they catch more of my work.

Do you have a favorite recipe related to the book? if so – share.

No, I don’t, but I know some people who can provide the next best thing: a knitting pattern. We still have soldiers, and they still need socks. Socksforsoldiersinc.com has information on how we can still support our troops with yarn and needles. You can also find patterns and groups on the social networking site Ravelry.com.

Oh, I like that, Allie! Thanks so much for those sites. Do you have a funny story about the blog tour so far you can share?

 It’s a bit early for hi-jinx, but I’ve had a great deal of fun researching this book. People have been wonderfully helpful. One memory I will keep forever took place on Jackson Army Base in Columbia, SC (which is Camp Jackson during the time of my book). I was there just before the 10th anniversary of 9/11, and was on site for the base’s memorial ceremony. It was incredibly moving to be among so many patriots for such a somber event–I’ll never forget it.

Moments that like help define us, don’t they? Anything else you’d like to tell us – motivation-wise, reader-advice, writerly.

Only that I truly believe the words all over my website: the adventure starts right where you are!  Adventures are everywhere, even in the saddest of places. You do not need to be equipped or strategic, they can start here and now, right where you are. If you don’t like where you are, start your adventure to where you want to be–it has to begin somewhere, so why not here? The important thing is not where you begin, it’s that you begin.

What great inspiration, Allie! Thanks so much for stopping by today, and best wishes with your future work.

Sunday Book Review: Prize of My Heart by Lisa Norato

Posted by Elaine Marie Cooper

Captain Brogan Talvis, veteran of the War of 1812, returns home to search for his son. Before he had gone to war, his spiteful wife sent his child away, breaking the devoted father’s heart. Now that his wife has died during his absence at sea, all he can focus on is finding his son and becoming the parent that he longs to be.

Returning to the mainland, his search takes him to the family of Nathaniel Huntley, a wealthy ship builder, whose daughter Lorena has become the boy’s adopted mother. Brogan devises a plan to obtain a new ship from Huntley. At the same time, the war veteran plots to abduct his child that is his only living relation.

But Brogan has not taken into account the love the surrogate mother and the now five-year-old have for each other. Nor does the desperate captain realize the attraction that he would feel for Lorena. Could he consider the consequences of breaking her heart as well as his son’s, while satisfying his own desire to get his son back?

An unexpected turn of events forces him to reconsider his quest when Lorena is in danger and Mr. Huntley begs him for help. Brogan must decide if he will help the very man standing in the way of reuniting with his precious son.

Reading Prize of My Heart was an uplifting spiritual journey of a man tormented by his past. A victim of childhood abuse and of destitution, Talvis has risen to the rank of a successful captain of his own ship. But the nightmares of his youthful traumas continue to haunt him. They drive him to reclaim his only child that he fears could suffer his own painful upbringing if he leaves him in someone else’s hands.

Talvis is a man consumed with both fear and yet faithfulness to those that he loves. But in the end, it is his realization of God’s love for him that becomes his source of healing and fulfillment.

Author Lisa Norato’s research is impeccable and the romance sweet.

A satisfying read for lovers of historical romance with a strong thread of faith woven throughout.

I give Prize of My Heart: 4 Reflections

Author Bio

Lisa Norato first discovered a love of writing when assigned to write and illustrate a children’s book at the art college she attended. She also enjoys walks with her Yorkie-poo, the New England seacoast and changing seasons, good friends, Italian food, historical dramas, and British comedy. A lifelong New Englander, Lisa lives in a historic village with homes and churches dating as far back as the eighteenth century. Currently she works as a legal assistant in the corporate department of a Rhode Island law firm. Lisa is also a member of Colonial American Christian Writers.

Amazon.com: Prize of My Heart (9780764209420): Lisa Norato: Books

Tuesday Promotion in Motion with Susan Page Davis

Susan Page Davis is the author of more than 40 published novels. She grew up in Maine, where her father was a game warden. After college in New York and teaching in North Carolina, she married a man from Oregon. They lived in the West for a while, then moved back to Susan’s home state of Maine for 33 years. They now live in Kentucky, with the youngest two of their six children. They also have eight wonderful grandchildren. Susan is a past winner of the Carol Award and the Inspirational Readers’ Choice Award, as well as Heartsong Presents Favorite Author of the Year. Visit her website at: www.susanpagedavis.com

One of this prolific author’s new books is Cowgirl Trail from River North publishers.

Susan, what do you love about the book?

I love the way Maggie and her friends jump in to get the job done, even though many of them have no experience working cattle and have never ridden the trail before.

Introduce us to your main characters.

Maggie Porter is still grieving her mother’s death, and she returns home to find the family ranch in chaos. Her father is at odds with his own men, and they are threatening to walk off the job. Papa won’t listen to reason. It’s up to Maggie to find a way to hold everything together. She’s baffled by the changes in her father, and she can’t imagine why he’s acting as he does, but that doesn’t stop her from doing more than her share. She puts aside her dreams of romance and a happy home to tend to business. If there’s a way to make peace with the men, Maggie will find it—but there’s not. If there’s a way to get the roundup done and drive those cattle to stockyards, Maggie will find it—and this time she is more successful.

Alex Bright is Mr. Porter’s foreman, and he’s caught in the middle. He used to respect and admire his boss, but now he can’t understand why Mr. Porter is treating the men unfairly. He wants to remain loyal to the boss and the Rocking P ranch, but he also longs to meet the men’s needs. It’s a tough decision, made tougher when the boss’s beautiful daughter comes home. Alex always liked Maggie when she was a kid. But he can’t give her what she wants now.

Tell us something about your book that we won’t find out from your web site.

This book is part of a six-book series written by three different authors. We share an agent, Chip MacGregor, and he encouraged us to write a book proposal for a family saga series set in Texas. Moody Publishers loved the idea and purchased the series for its River North Fiction line. The three of us (Vickie McDonough, Darlene Franklin and myself) studied Texas history and picked events that interested us. We came up with an outline of six stories, each set in a different decade and featuring historical events such as the cowboy strike in this book, the “Hoodoo” War, German immigration, and Indian captives. In the Texas Trails series, you will meet ranchers, homesteaders, Texas Rangers, soldiers, and many more. The Morgan family is a sturdy lot, and each generation is determined to make a go of it in Texas.

Sounds wonderful, Susan. Thanks for sharing with us.

Buy the book at

Amazon print, Kindle

Barnes and Noble print, Nook