A Gift of Grace

Last week I read A Gift of Grace in two days! That's a record for me. When I started reading, I could not put it down. Amy Clipston has a way with words.

Amy and I had corresponded about a year ago. Her husband is waiting a second kidney transplant. Since I have a niece who has had a kidney transplant and a cousin with a liver transplant, I felt I might be able to give her some words of encouragement. Her husband is still waiting on his second transplant. She not only works full-time and writes, but she is the mother of two boys and cares for her husband. Pray that he will soon find a match and get this second transplant.

Sometimes I am a little slow getting to the books I want to read. That is the case with this one. I had read so many Amish books that I didn't think I could read another one. Most are the same and I was afraid this one would be also. Was I wrong!

I guess you could say it is the opposite of Saving Grace by Beverly Lewis. This time the mother turns to the English world and has two children. She and her husband are killed in a traffic accident and Rebecca Kauffman, the Amish aunt, finds out in her sister's will that she is to take the children, two girls, to live in Pennsylvania.

How different would that be for two teenage girls used to having television, cell phones, computers and all the other modern conveniences suddenly find out they cannot have any of these? This is heart rendering. One girl adapts, but the other doesn't.

Rebecca could not have children and wondered if this would be the way to give her husband Daniel a family. The struggles of Rebecca are great. How much can you encourage someone to live by your rules when those rules are foreign to the person?

If you have not read it, you must. Amy is from German heritage and all through the book she has scattered recipes. If you like to cook, you will enjoy that.

Amy, thanks for a great book. I look forward to reading Book Two soon.

Love Finds You in Bridal Veil, Oregon

There are so many good authors and it's getting to where I have more favorites. Miralee Ferrell has become a favorite of mine. Miralee has three novels out and I'm sorry to say, this is the first one of hers I've read.

This book is very well written with action and suspense. A murder is always a favorite of mine. This is no exception.

This book also reminded me so much of the mining town my great-grandparents lived in. My great-grandfather worked at the "company store." Although the setting here is a lumber town owned by the lumber company. Miralee, this brought back so many memories as I read it.

The setting is Bridal Veil Falls, Oregon. The picture of it today is so beautiful. It really existed! That always makes fiction better. Now to the story.

It starts when Margaret Garvey is sixteen years and wanting to run away to marry her boyfriend, Nathaniel Cooper. He father finds their note and buries it under a rose bush. Nathaniel leaves the town without her. After four years, he returns to town and wants to begin the relationship.

During the four years, Margaret's father has passed away and she has moved to the house owned by the school board. Two runaway children enter her life. One has a learning disability.

The murder, the children's mean guardian, a decision Margaret has to make and a disaster all make the story move along fast. I don't read all day, but this was one book I could not put down. Now I have to find the other two books Miralee has written.

"Cowgirl at Heart"

With all the snow we're having in Kentucky, it's been a good time to read and write. The last book I read was "Cowgirl at Heart" by Christine Lynxwiler.

This is the second book in the McCord Series. The first blew me away as this one did also. Chris is a wonderful writer and when you read, you see, feel, smell and hear what she does.

The McCords had adopted most of their children and Elyse was one of them. Her story is amazing and her fear is evident from the beginning. She is afraid of almost everything, except dogs. Then comes Andrew Stone. Andrew wants to fall in love with her, but he can't until the murder of his wife is solved. Naturally Elyse falls for him and she could never talk to humans outside of her family.

The book is a mystery, a love story and a downright funny book. So many things are everyday happenings. Nothing flashy, but good reading. This was the first time I knew anyone else dipped their hush puppies in tartar sauce. My husband does that. Funny what you can read in a book.

Chris, I'm looking forward to many more books from you. The way you weave all of your books together is amazing. I love you Sister!

My mind is working overtime

Today my mind seems to be working overtime. I can't keep up with it. So much to do and such little time to do it in.

We leave tomorrow for Tennessee where I will have the cataract removed in my right eye. I am excited since I can already see so much better. The doctor assures me I will have a matched set.

One of my problems in writing is I don't use contractions. I'm trying so hard to do better, but it's hard for me. I know a story flows better if it is written in language we are familiar with. I don't speak that formal, or at least I don't think I do. Why do I write so formal? I'm wondering if it goes back to school and more formal English.

I'm doing better with my writing. I'm beginning to let myself go and write more interesting scenes and put more of myself in my books. I do have a good sense of humor, or at least that's what many people say. I'm trying to put more humor in my books.

This will be the last blog until I return the last of next week. By then, I should be seeing so much better. I'm excited about this, although my son says we're about to run out of eyes. I'm glad we don't have three or four.

Have a wonderful week and I should be back by Friday, if the Lord wills. Then I should be seeing better and ready to write better.

Research

Sunday I started research for a new book. Haven't decided if it will be a series or a stand alone, but it's one I want very much to do. With the research, I found my timeline was much later than I thought it was, so that makes more research. I won't tell what it is about yet, but I feel it will be good.

When we left Kentucky the first of January, I sent Sandi Rog several chapters to edit while I was gone. I'm finishing them and hope to have them completed before the next eye surgery. It takes about a week before I can see well enough to do much on the computer.

Sandi is a wonderful editor. I can't praise her enough. She knows what she's doing, most of the time. Her head would swell if she knew what I really thought about her. We have become great friends.

One scene I wrote was "the laundry scene" and every time I drifted away in another scene, she would write, "Remember the laundry scene." Believe it or not, it helped. I felt the laundry scene was one of the best I had ever written. Two women doing their laundry and carrying on a conversation. I remember my mother and grandmother doing that.

Snow is still on the ground but it is sunny today. I love the sunshine. It was cloudy yesterday and I became so depressed, but I struggled on and finished another chapter that Sandi had sent me. I hope to finish two chapters today.

So many blessings come from God and our friends. Enjoy them and lavish yourself with them. All days are good days!

Never Too Late

As long as I am breathing, it is never too late to do anything. My hubby has said several times that we were too old to start this move to a new state, but I'm breathing and it is not too late.

My serious writing started late in live. It had been so long since I have been in school and my brain was almost dead. During these last few years, I have found a purpose in my life and a drive to get out of the bed each morning.

I love the quiet of the early hours when I can sit in my office and read or write without being interrupted. The interruptions are not that bad or often, but the quiet is something I enjoy.

My husband has his own office in another part of the house. He turns the radio on and works on power points of lessons to give in church. The radio drives me insane! The quiet is what I crave.

This week has started slow. Next week will be another slow time after the surgery on my right eye. Reading is hard for me because one eye works wonderfully, but the one that needs surgery is blurring my vision some.

Over the week-end, I thought about books I want to write later. There are three more that I am eager to write. This one must be finished before I can start. Right now I am doing the corrections on Sandi's edits. This always takes me longer, because I hate to do them. Since I hate to do corrections, I had better get started.

Ransome's Honor

At times I get behind on my reading and stack my unread books to read when I have more time. That happened with Ransome's Honor. Now I wish I had taken the time to read it when I bought it. It's such a good book.

Kaye Dacus is the author. I had read her other books, but couldn't see this bouncy lady writing a historical novel. Her contempory books are so good. We all make mistakes, don't we. I made a big one. Her historical book is better than the others. This is a must read.

Last year Kaye and I had lunch in Nashville before my husband and I jetted off to Scotland. We let the time get away from us and it was late when we left. I enjoyed talking to her so much and she made me feel good about what I was writing.

Have you ever let true love slip away from you? This is the story with Ransome's Honor. Being too stubborn to marry his commander's daughter, William Ransome had to make it in the British Royal Navy before he felt he could ask anyone to marry him.

Twelve years later, they meet again and he is wealthy, but loves the Navy. Julia Witherington has never married and has been taking care of her father's plantation in the Caribbean, They meet again in Portsmouth and he is given an order to hunt pirates in the Caribbean. She yearns to return to the plantation.

The excitement in this book is outstanding. I could not put it down. As a writer, Kaye wrote descriptions of boats, dresses and parties that made me feel I was there. I hated to end the book. Now I can't wait to get Ransome's Crossing in June 2010 and Ransome's Quest in 2011. Go to Kaye's web site www.kayedacus.com to read more about her writing. Thanks Kaye for a great read!