Remember When . . . Dolls Brought Us Our Fashion?

Remember When . . . Dolls Brought Us Our Fashion?

by | Mar 16, 2011 | Remember When Wednesdays, Uncategorized

For reasons I will be sharing soon, my 1784 story is back on my mind. And as I lay in bed last night unable to get back to sleep, I remembered a fun little factoid I’d yet to share with y’all. =)
Ever wonder how people kept up on fashion back in the day? I mean, in the 18th century fashion was EVERYTHING. Even here in the colonies–in fact, a London man described our balls and gowns as far more fashion-forward than anything to be seen in London. (Not his exact words, but that’s the gist, LOL.) But it wasn’t exactly the age of full-color magazines . . . nor of Fashion Weeks. They didn’t have Style or E! and certainly couldn’t browse Ideeli daily for awesome bargains on designers.
So they looked at dolls. Yep, that’s right. Marie Antoinette was more than a leader of France in the late 18th century, she was the unanimously agreed upon leader of fashion the world over. And whenever Marie Antoinette appeared in a new style, her peeps would make miniature versions of it for dolls and send those dolls to every major port.
It may have taken two months, but those “fashion babies” arrived on our doorsteps and brought detailed examples from the Queen of Fashion into our lives. And so, though it moved at a snail’s pace compared to our changes from season to season now, styles changed far more quickly than they had in centuries prior.
All thanks to prettily made up baby dolls. =)
Happy Wednesday, everybody! I know mine will be!
Story Time . . . GIRL IN THE GATEHOUSE by Julie Klassen

Story Time . . . GIRL IN THE GATEHOUSE by Julie Klassen

by | Mar 15, 2011 | Uncategorized

The Girl in the GatehouseBy Julie Klassen

Thanks to one poor decision, Mariah Aubrey has been sent into exile. She finds herself taking up residence in the abandoned gatehouse of a distant relative’s estate, where secrets abound as numerous as her own. But when her tight finances force her to resort to publishing the novels she writes in secret, Mariah cannot be certain who is friend and who is foe among her new acquaintances–who will judge her harshly, and who will accept her for who she is, stained by ink and shame though she may be?
Captain Matthew Bryant has made a fortune in the war, but can it buy his way into polite society? Determined to win the hand of the only woman he has ever loved, the woman who spurned him for his inferiority not so long ago, he leases Windrush Court with one goal in mind–prove to the world that he is worthy. But the longer he is master of the estate, the closer he gets to his goal, the more he finds himself drawn to the mysteries of his lovely tenant-neighbor. Is getting to know her worth risking the scandal that follows her? Worth his dreams?
The Girl in the Gatehouse is the newest Regency by Julie Klassen, full of intrigue and intricate plot details that had me guessing up to the very end. Her characters were immensely lovable–Matthew Bryant is at once a swashbuckling naval hero and a man grasping desperately at the chance to be, for once, accepted. What better combination to make a reader’s heart thud? Mariah is a young woman whose good heart contrasts so brilliantly with her shamed reputation that I was propelled through the story with the need to learn every one of her secrets, so that I might love her anyway.
Though The Girl in the Gatehouse didn’t start as quickly for me as Klassen’s The Silent Governess did, I loved how intricate were the mysteries woven through the plot. Each time I figured one aspect out, another twist was thrown in to keep the anticipation and intrigue strong. I found the suspenseful elements to be oh-so-interesting and compelling without venturing toward nail-biting; and the book as a whole was fabulous and satisfying. I could put it down–but I was eager to pick it back up.
Overall, The Girl in the Gatehouse is another amazing period novel from Klassen that leaves me thirsting for her next release. I adore the Regency as brought to life by this talented author and the way love burrows deep into the heart through her characters. A definite must-read for those historical romance readers out there! (And if we’re judging books by their covers, this ranks as one of my favorites!)

Word of the Week – Handsome

by | Mar 14, 2011 | Word of the Week

I don’t often pause to examine the etymology of words like “handsome,” which have meant what they mean for centuries, and so I can use freely in all my manuscripts.
But once in a while, it’s fun to see how it came to mean what we know all those hundreds of years ago. =) “Handsome” is a good example. When we break it down, it’s “hand” and “some.” Now how in the world did that come to mean “good looking”??
Well, first it meant “ready at hand or easy to handle” in the 1400s. Literally hand + some. By the mid/late 1500s the meaning had been extended to mean “considerable, of fair size.” And then within ten years, that became “of fine form,” which easily becomes “good-looking.” Then it extended further to mean “generous” (i.e. a handsome reward) a hundred years after that, in 1680.
Fun, eh? Who knew?
My Friend Liz – Interview & Giveaway

My Friend Liz – Interview & Giveaway

by | Mar 11, 2011 | Uncategorized

Today I’m happy to welcome Liz Johnson to the blog to talk about her release from Love Inspired Suspence, Code of Justice. I’m sure you’ll enjoy the peek into Liz’s world!

Liz has been gracious enough to offer a copy of Code of Justice to one lucky reader, so please leave a comment below for a chance to win!

~*~

About Code of Justice

“Follow the drugs.”

Her sister’s last words shake FBI agent Heather Sloan to the core. They also convince her that the helicopter crash only Heather survived wasn’t an accident. Sheriff’s deputy Jeremy Latham is assigned the case—he’s the one who can help Heather find the person responsible…once she convinces him they should work together. As they dig for the truth, they learn to trust and care for each other. Will they lose it all when the killer targets Heather? She’s willing to risk her life to find her sister’s killer—but her code of justice could cost her the chance to win Jeremy’s love.

~*~

About Liz

 Liz Johnson grew up reading Christian fiction, and always dreamed of being part of the publishing industry. In 2006 she got her wish when she accepted a publicity position at a major trade book publisher. While working as a publicist in the industry, she decided to pursue her other dream-becoming an author. Liz makes her home in Nashville, TN , where she enjoys theater, exploring the local music scene, and making frequent trips to Arizona to dote on her two nephews and three nieces. She loves stories of true love with happy endings.

~*~

What’s your latest book?

Code of Justice, from Love Inspired Suspense, just released March 1, 2011

It sounds great! What’s your favorite part of the story?

Code of Justice is a story about sisters, and I loved getting to explore what one sister would do to find justice when the other is killed. Writing it helped me really think through how I show affection and love for my sister and sister-in-law. I think it’ll be one of my favorites for a long time.

Funny how novels can make us better understand ourselves, isn’t it? =) Other than the Bible, what’s your favorite of all the books you’ve ever read?

My favorite novel of all time is The Witch of Blackbird Pond Elizabeth George Speare. It’s a Newberry Award winner from the 1950s and tells the story of Kit, a young woman who must move in with her only relatives, Puritans in New England. I love the way this book make history come alive for me and how I would reread it over and over again as a child. I fell in love with Nat Eaton (probably my first literary crush), the sailor who not only rescues Hannah, the Quaker woman called a witch, but also wins the heart of Kit.

Oooo, I read that back in 6th grade and LOVED it!! Such an awesome book, for sure. But back to YOUR books. Is there any one thing or reference you keep handy when writing? Anything you kept around for this particular book?

I’m never far from a thesaurus no matter what I’m working on. While I was writing Code of Justice, I kept several aircraft/helicopter websites open at all times, learning what I could about their anatomy and what might actually bring one down. 

Neat! What writing goal have you set for yourself that would be the hardest (or unlikeliest) but most rewarding to achieve?

When I turned 29 last summer, I wrote a 30 by 30 list. On there is to sign a 3-book series contract before my 30thbirthday. I thought it was really achievable when I wrote it, but I’ve discovered it’s not as easy as I thought. I can’t seem to get my proposal together. But I would really love to sign a 3-book deal this year.

He he, you’ve got a year on me. 😉 And I’d love to achieve that as well! Do you remember where you were when you got your first or most important call about a book contract?

I know exactly where I was when I got the call on my first book. It was July 15, 2008, and I was at the International Christian Retail Show in Orlando, FL. I was working as a publicist for a Christian publisher at the time, and I had an entire day of escorting one of my favorite authors from interview to interview. He had to stop to take a phone call, so I checked my phone as well, discovering that I’d missed a call from the 212 area code. The message was from the editor who I’d been going back and forth with on my manuscript for nearly 9 months. She asked me to call her back as soon as possible. Of course, I was busy working, so I had the rest of the day to talk myself into believing she was calling to let me down gently. In fact I was in such upheaval by the end of that day that I had to call my dad to calm myself down before I could call my editor back. Sitting on the floor outside my company’s hospitality suite, I got the best news of my life. Love Inspired Suspense offered me my very first contract for The Kidnapping of Kenzie Thorn.


That’s so cool!! But let’s delve toward the personal now. Have you ever taken someone in your family on a vacation? Where did you go?

My mom introduced me to Anne of Green Gables when I was a girl, and I fell instantly in love. So when I started writing seriously, I told my mom I would take her to Prince Edward Island when I sold my first book. Of course, no one tells first-time authors that they won’t make much money on the first book. So I told my mom we’d have to go after I sold my second. Sure enough, just a month after my second novel released, we flew to PEI and spent almost a week exploring the most beautiful island I’ve ever seen. It was incredible to walk where L.M. Montgomery had walked and stand on the beaches that inspired her words. We had an amazing time, and I can’t wait to go back again. 

Liz, we are kindred spirits! I’ve never been to PE Island, but L.M. Montgomery remains one of my all-time favorite authors. Oh, the Emily series!! But, again, back to you, LOL. Any upcoming releases we should keep our eye out for?

I’m really excited about A Star in the Night, a Christmas novella that I wrote as part of A Log Cabin Christmas collection, which comes out in September. I had so much fun researching the late Civil War era story set about 20 miles from my home in Nashville in historic Franklin, Tennessee.

~*~

Thanks so much for visiting, Liz! Readers, be sure to check out her website at www.lizjohnsonbooks.com. You can find Code of Justice at Amazon.

Void where prohibited. Entry into the contest is considered verification of eligibility based on your local laws. Chance of winning depends on number of entries. Contest ends 3/18/11. Winner will have two weeks to claim prize.

Thoughtful About . . . Waiting and Fear

by | Mar 10, 2011 | Thoughtful Thursdays, Uncategorized

As many of you know, about four weeks ago I pressed “send” on a manuscript submission. Exhaling a major sigh of relief, I then focused on my son’s birthday. Went to church the next day. Got sick that evening. For the next three weeks, I battled infection and flu and who knows what else, throat blazing with pain and nose a veritable facet. Fun stuff.
But you know, it kept my mind off things, LOL.
This week I’ve felt so great that I’m daily praising the Lord for renewed health. Sure, the nose still has a little gunk, but I can breathe through it. I can taste and smell again. My stomach isn’t revolting, I have no fever. My eyes are back to full strength after the bizarre swelling, so I can read. I can edit.
I can check my email every five minutes to see if there’s anything from a certain editor yet . . . 😉

See, this is going to be a relatively quick turnaround one way or another. I’ll have a yes or no pretty soon. I think. (Unless, my imagination points out, I just never hear and they let me assume a no . . . aaaaggghhhh!) Which means that every single day, I’m praying and praying and praying, giving God not only my fears but my hopes. Turning the whole thing over to him, to his will, his dreams for me, because my little brain is stuck between “It’s finally going to happen” and “It’s never going to happen.”

I’m an optimist–this is no secret, LOL. But there’s still that niggling Doubt Monster who whispers, “Every time you hope about something like this, you’re disappointed. Your hope jinxes you.” Stupid Doubt Monster! But what are my choices? To not hope? I can’t do that. It’s not in my nature. So instead, I hope, but give it to God. I trust him with it.
Last Friday I had a great moment. I was sitting at my desk, glanced over at my email, and thought, “If an email came in from the editor right now, I would be terrified to open it. Terrified. Lord, I’m so stinking afraid about all of this!”
My Bible lay open on the corner of my desk, still at the Psalms where I’d left off the day before. I pulled it over and glanced down at the next chapter. Here’s what it said:
The Lord is my light and my salvation;
Whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the strength of my life;
Of whom shall I be afraid? . . .
One thing I have desired of the Lord,
That will I see:
That I may dwell in the house of the Lord
All the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the Lord,
And to inquire in His temple.
I had a real “Wow” moment from that. Literally two seconds after whispering the words, “I’m afraid,” God directed my gaze toward those verses. And reminded me that my goal in life is not a contract with a major publisher. It’s dwelling in the house of the Lord. It’s beholding his beauty. It’s being his, doing his will.
God is so cool. =) Sure, waiting still stinks. But I’m waiting with the Lord. I’m doing his work while I do so.
In other awesome news (which is some of that work I’ve been doing), our publishing company, WhiteFire Publishing, is tickled to welcome Dina Sleiman to the family. Her medieval love story, Dance of the Dandelion, will make its debut this summer, right on the heels of Christine Lindsay’s romance during the British Raj in India, Shadowed in Silk. I’m so excited to be working with these awesome ladies! =) (And not just because it keeps me busy while waiting to hear from another editor myself, LOL.)
Thanks to all who prayed for me while I was sick. You guys are the best!
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