Friday, June 29, 2012

OREGON OUTBACK

Oregon Outback by Elizabeth Goddard is really four books in one. It hits the shelves July 1. I really enjoyed it. I thought it's a western. Well, it's a western all right, but with ATV's and SUV's and a little with horses. Very good book.

It's about four brothers, the Love brothers. I loved the strong names. Not Jim, Sue, Tom, Sally, but strong names. Helps you to remember them better.

The first brother is Jonas. He is an FBI agent who has returned home after one of his agents was killed in the line of duty. His old girlfriend lives there. He is afraid if he gets involved he will endanger her life. They all have a fear of falling in love. Oh, yes, his girlfriend's name is Darcey.

The next brother is Carver. He is in love with the sheriff, Sheridan. He's afraid she'll get killed in the line of duty, so he tries to protect her by bad mouthing her. Sheridan loves him, but is afraid he hates her by what he says. Carver inherited the family ranch.

Lucas is the next brother. Lucas owns an outdoor adventure store. He rents AVT's, sells gear for outdoor adventures, that sort of man thing. He loves adventure and likes to live on the edge. He needs a bookkeeper so in comes Avery. He's afraid if he falls in love he'll not be able to enjoy what he likes to do, so he puts love on the back burner. How wrong he is.

The last is Justin. He was my guy. Rugged, quiet, but knew what he wanted. A bounty hunter. Had been in law enforcement, but a civilian was accidentally killed, so he left the law enforcement and became a bounty hunter. Meets Darrow while hunting for her brother. Good story.

Here's the book cover and the blurb. I hope you enjoy this book. It is very good.

The harsh, yet peaceful Oregon Outback molds the lives of four rugged brothers who stumble into love. FBI agent Jonas Love has brought trouble back home, endangering his life and that of an old flame. Cattle rancher Carver Love finds himself falling for the sheriff in the midst of chasing down modern-day rustlers. Thrill-seeker Lucas Love fears nothing—until he meets a beautiful bookkeeper. Justin Love is trailing a fugitive who’s heading too close to home—and one particular lodge keeper. How will God protect these men as they risk their lives to defend the ones they love?  

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

OUT OF TOUCH TOO LONG

Yes, I've been out of touch too long. I'm ready to get back in the world of living. I'm beginning to get excited about writing again, but I need to get my office arranged and moved back into it. It's a mess right now. We've painted it from a bright lime green to a soft peach. It looks very nice. My daughter and granddaughter will be here Friday night and Saturday, so I have a deadline.

Lately I have felt so sorry for myself and had a lot of pity parties. I'm through with that now. I'm ready to start looking on the bright side. My diet is not the best in the world, but I'm eating. At least it's better than the liquids I had in the hospital.

The book I'm reading now is Oregon Outback by Elizabeth Goddard. It comes out July 1, and it's really good. I hope to have an review on Friday. It's about a family of four boys and each boy has his own story. I've enjoyed it and I'm on the last boy right now.

Our garden is also coming in. We have been putting up green beans and corn. The heat may take care of it in the next few days. We need rain, as does everyone else. Pray for those in Colorado and the East Coast.

Monday, June 25, 2012

MAKING WAVES

Making Waves by Lorna Seilstad was a surprise book for me. I met Lorna at ACFW Conference in St. Louis last year. I hung some with her, Judith Miller, and Regina Merrick. Regina is in our writers group, and I had been an influencer for several of Judith's books. Lorna had helped me with my one sheet, so I was anxious to meet her, it's always good to put a face with a name.

This book is free on Kindle. It's very good and so funny. Full of energy. I guess that is what surprised me. The villain is someone you absolutely hate. I think the blurb tells it better than I can. I'm always afraid I'll tell too much.

When spunky Marguerite Westing discovers that her family will summer at Lake Manawa in 1895, she couldn't be more thrilled. It is the perfect way to escape her agonizingly boring suitor, Roger Gordon. It's also where she stumbles upon two new loves: sailing, and sailing instructor Trip Andrews. But this summer of fun turns to turmoil as her father's gambling problems threaten to ruin the family forever. Will free-spirited Marguerite marry Roger to save her father's name and fortune? Or will she follow her heart--even if it means abandoning the family she loves?

Author Lorna Seilstad's fresh and entertaining voice will whisk readers away to a breezy lakeside summer holiday. Full of sharp wit and blossoming romance, Making Waves is the first book in the LAKE MANAWA SUMMERS series.


Katt here:
This is a book I call very entertaining. I will give it 5 stars. I loved it. Another favorite author came my way. As I read it, I wondered how these rich people managed all the dresses with the sand and dirt. It was very interesting. Thanks Lorna for a good book.

Friday, June 22, 2012

LIZ CURTIS HIGGS


Liz, it’s so great having you as my guest. I’ve been reading Rise and Shine as part of my morning devotional, and it has been a great inspiration to me. What has inspired me most is the fact that you are not ashamed to tell the good in your life as well as the bad. By telling about your years of drinking and drugs, tells us all that we all have things that we are not proud of, but we might as well tell them because we cannot hide them under the rug. Is that the way you feel?

I came to know Christ as my Lord and Savior at age 27, after a decade of sex, drugs, rock ’n’ roll, and way too many dead-end relationships with men. Believe me, for this Bad Girl there wasn’t a rug big enough to hide my sins! I share my past foolishness and present failures in my books and on the platform simply to point to our faithful God, whose love and grace really IS big enough to cover us.

Now we will get a little lighter. How long have you been writing?

Writing for joy? All my life. I wrote stories all through my childhood, edited our high school newspaper, and majored in English in college. Writing has always been a passion of mine. But I got a bit more serious about it professionally in 1990, when my first article was published, and then in 1993 with my first book, now long out-of-print: “One Size Fits All” and Other Fables, published by Thomas Nelson. My thirtieth published book, A Wreath of Snow,  will release October 2nd,. It’s a Victorian Christmas novella set in Scotland, published by WaterBrook Press.

My husband was born and raised about thirty miles from Abingdon, Virginia. When I saw you had written a book about Abingdon, I had to buy it. It is on my “to read” shelf right now, and is on the top. I love to go there and drive by Barter Theater, Martha Washington Inn, and the beautiful tree lined Main Street. Why did you ever decide to write about little ole Abingdon?

For the setting of my first novel, Mixed Signals, I wanted a charming small town in North Carolina or Virginia, two of my favorite states in the U.S. My husband and I had driven through Abingdon en route to somewhere, and I remembered it being wonderfully historic. I went there twice to do research, visiting all the places I wrote about, taking lots of photos, and interviewing the locals. I just love Abingdon and am so glad to have had a chance to share it with my readers.

The first book I read of yours was Grace In Thine Eyes. I fell in love with the Isle of Arran. In fact I fell so in love with it that when we went to Scotland, I had to go there. It is a beautiful island. We went to Brodick Castle and then toured the island. I know you get your ideas from scripture, but how did you come up with the settings in that series?

For my Lowlands of Scotland series—Thorn in My Heart, Fair Is the Rose, Whence Came a Prince, and Grace in Thine Eyes—I wanted to take readers to my favorite corner of the world, Dumfries and Galloway in the South West of Scotland. I first visited there in 1996 when hubby and I celebrated our tenth anniversary in bonny Scotland. I’ve been back fourteen times since! Although I’ve toured many places in that country, the title of my armchair travel guide to Scotland says it all: My Heart’s in the Lowlands.

What is your next book coming out?

I’m SO excited about this one! On July 10 look for my new nonfiction book, The Girl’s Still Got It: Take a Walk with Ruth and the God Who Rocked Her World. Publishers Weekly kindly gave it a starred review and called it, “A perfect blend of humor, extensive research, descriptive language, and insightful commentary.” I hope you’ll agree when you read it!

How long does it take you to write a book from research to final edit?

What I call “pre-writing” can take ages. I began outlining Thorn in My Heart in 1995 and it was published in 2003, so sometimes the process can take a l-o-n-g time. Of course, I wrote 15 other books in between those years, so I was plenty busy! ;>) For The Girl’s Still Got It, my research on the book of Ruth began in 2007, and it’s coming out in 2012. Once the research is done, the actual writing process itself for any given book, from the time I write the first sentence until I edit the last draft, is roughly eight to ten months.

What do you enjoy doing most, aside from writing?

I love speaking and traveling, reading historical novels, singing in our church choir, and taking photos. Most of all, I love being the wife of Bill and the mom of two college grads. Hooray!

What’s your favorite food?

Anything Italian!

Do you write dressed and made up or in pjs; at a desk or a recliner?

Tee-hee. I work best in my writing study wearing very casual, comfy clothes (and yes, sometimes pajamas), but because of my traveling, I’ve learned to write everywhere wearing anything!

God bless you, Kathy! 

Thank you so much Liz. You can visit Liz at her website http://www.LizCurtisHiggs.com. Check out her schedule to see if when she is going to be close to you.

Liz is a wonderful lady. The first time I met her was last year at ACFW conference. This is a tall lady and very recognizable. She was holding up a pillar in the waiting area before the conference. I walked over to her and said, “Liz?” She said, “Yes.” Then I introduced myself, and she hugged me. When Liz hugs you, you have been hugged. I knew I loved her at that moment. She is a wonderful person. Her books are wonderful. I hope you have enjoyed meeting her. 

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

THE FORGIVEN DUKE

The Forgiven Duke by Jamie Carie hits the shelves July 1, 2012. This is another chase of the Duke of St. Easton, Gabriel Ravenwood in search of his ward, Lady Alexandria Featherstone. This Duke is such a fascinating character. He can do anything, except hear.

As with the first book, I was caught int he web of Ms. Carie's storytelling. The action is fierce and funny. It reminds me a lot of Around the World in 80 Days. If you loved that, you will love this book.

Alexandra has gotten herself into a mess with Sir John Lemon. He wants to marry her for her money, and she has seen him for what he is. The Spaniards are after her, the Duke is trying to find her, and John is trying to marry her. What a mess she is in. It ends so well, except the Duke still cannot hear. Here's the picture of the cover and the blurb.

Tethered by her impulsive promise to marry Lord John Lemon - the path of least resistance - Alexandria Featherstone sets off toward Iceland in search of her parents with a leaden heart. A glimpse of her guardian, the Duke of St. Easton - the path less traveled by - on Dublin’s shore still haunts her.

Will he come after her? Will he drag her back to London, quelling her mission to rescue her treasure-seeking parents, or might he decide to throw caution to the wind and choose Foy Pour Devoir: “Faith for Duty,” the St. Easton motto. The Featherstone motto Valens et Volens: “Willing and Able,” beats in her heart and thrums through her veins. She will find her parents and find their love, no matter the cost.

The powerful yet wing-clipped Duke of St. Easton has never known the challenge that has become his life since hearing his ward’s name. Alexandria Featherstone will be the life or the death of him. Only time and God’s plan will reveal just how much this man can endure for the prize of love.

Monday, June 18, 2012

POST NUMBER 400

When I started this blog, way back when, I had no idea I would still be writing today. I usually don't carry through this long. This is my 400th post. When I get close to 500, I'll have to think about something to give away. Probably a book. Any suggestions?

This is the first time I've drawn a blank in a long time, but I have today. I'm sure you don't want to hear about my week. It gets a little boring at times. Our oldest grandson turned twelve yesterday. It doesn't seem possible that I held that little baby twelve years ago in my arms. He's taller than I am now. He'll be going to school across the road from our house in the fall, and playing football. He's growing into a fine young gentleman.

As I begin to feel better, I'm wanting to write. It's been a long time since I've sat down to do that. We're painting my office, and I'm anxious to get in there and get to work. I love soft colors, and it's a soft peach. It's very peaceful.

Finally the pain is leaving me. I did eat coleslaw yesterday and I shouldn't have. It really has hurt me this morning. I'll learn, but I had eaten it before. This was a little too crispy.

My day is going to be full today, so I guess I'd better get busy. Have a good one.

Friday, June 15, 2012

VEIL OF PEARLS

Veil of Pearls by Mary Lu Tyndale will hit the market July 1. I think I finished it in the hospital, but I'm not sure. Anyway, it doesn't matter, I did finish it and it was wonderful. I do like Mary Lu's books and this one was no exception.

The setting begins in Barbarous, an island I love. A slave who would pass for a white woman escapes her master and ends up in Charleston, South Carolina. She knows she'll be found. She hides in a orphanage. She is a healer, and eventually a doctor finds her and asks her to come to work for him. Remember we are in the South before the Civil War. No one would ask a black person to work for them for money. This is what makes this so interesting. She passes as a white woman.

I could tell you the whole story, but I won't. It is not a pirate story, but there is a ship involved. Let me give you the cover and the blurb on the back. If you are a fan of Mary Lu, you will love this. It''s one of these, "I can't put it down" books. I give it 5 stars.

  Be swept away to Charleston of 1811, a city bustling with immigrants like Adalia, who is a runaway slave so light-skinned that no one guesses her past. Terrified her secret will be discovered, she settles into a quiet life making herbal remedies for a local doctor. But when Morgan, the handsome son of a prominent family, sweeps her into his glamorous world—a world in which the truth about Adalia’s heritage would ruin them both—suspicions and petty jealousies are aroused. What will Morgan do when he discovers that the woman he has fallen in love with is a runaway slave?

Monday, June 11, 2012

THE IRISH HEALER





Accused of murdering a child under her care, Irish healer Rachel Dunne flees the ensuing scandal while vowing to never sit at another sickbed. She no longer trusts in her abilities-or God's mercy--though when a cholera epidemic sweeps through London, she feels compelled to nurse the dying daughter of the enigmatic physician she has come to love. James Edmunds, wearied by the deaths of too many patients, has his own doubts about God's grace. Together, they will have to face their darkest fears . . . and learn what it means to have real faith.






This is one of the best books books I have read in a long time. Nancy Herman has a fresh outlook on writing a Regency book. I thought it was well written and kept my attention. The descriptions of the characters and the settings were wonderful. She instructed me in many points of good writing. I can't wait for her next book, whatever it is. She has me hooked to look forward to reading more of her books. Thanks for this good read, Nancy.

Thursday, June 7, 2012

HOME FROM THE HOSPITAL

Friday we made a trip to the ER, and took a little vacation time in the hospital. The pain in my abdominal region became so intense that I could not stand it. It is some better, but not completely gone. My diagnosis is severe diverticuli. There are several diverticuli  and they are inflamed. Not very good.

I am not in pain this moment, but it comes and goes. The nurses were very nice, except for the last night. Why did they need to knock on the door all during the night to ask if I was all right? When I came home Tuesday, I still heard someone knocking on my door when I took a nap. 

Maybe I'll be feeling better by Monday and can write more. I did get to finish a book while I was there. I'll have to let you know about it. I'm also reading another very good book, but I'm not half way through it yet. I've not been a fast reader in the hospital. I know it's the drugs. They should be out of my system in a few days.

I'm going to have to take a nap. Have a good day.