Story Time . . . HIGHLAND BLESSINGS by Jennifer Taylor

Story Time . . . HIGHLAND BLESSINGS by Jennifer Taylor

by | Apr 20, 2010 | Uncategorized


Don’t forget to enter Friday’s giveaway for A Distant Melody.

And I’m sure y’all were just so bored yesterday without a post from me (ha ha), but I was too sick to care. Feeling mostly better this morning, though with a headache . . .

Anyway. Today you’re getting a sneak peak of a book whose author I’ll soon be posting an interview with and which I’ll be doing a giveaway of. Enjoy!

Highland Blessings
by Jennifer Taylor

It’s supposed to be her wedding day. But first Akira MacKenzie’s groom gives his regrets, and then the MacPhearson warriors swoop down on them. Akira knows they’ve come for her–in spite of the fact that the chief of the MacPhearsons sent a missive breaking their engagement, he has obviously changed his mind and will not let her wed another. Except . . . why is it Evan’s younger brother, Bryce, that comes for her instead of The MacPhearson himself?

Bryce is determined to honor his last promise to his dying father–that he would see peace with the MacKenzie’s through Evan’s engagement with the clan chief’s daughter, Akira. His brother may not agree, but Bryce will not let one man’s stubborness lead to more war. He steals Akira away and knows within moments of spending time with her that Evan will change his mind once he meets her and wed her as he should. How could he not? This is no ordinary woman, and such fire as she has will surely make a strong marriage and strong sons to bind the two clans together. Now if only he can keep his own thoughts off the woman destined to be The MacPhearson’s wife.

Highland Blessings combined the charm of medieval Scotland with intrigue, adventure, and a love that battles the odds. The story takes the readers through twists and turns brought about by treachery, misunderstanding, and the misguided hatred of one clan for another. But through it all is the deep-seated love of family and the soul-deep connection of two people who don’t quite understand why they feel these things for each other but cannot long deny them.

I was glad to see a book with this setting and look forward to more from Jennifer!

*I received a free copy of this book from the publisher for review purposes.

My Friend Sarah – Interview & Giveaway

My Friend Sarah – Interview & Giveaway

by | Apr 16, 2010 | Uncategorized

Today I’m super-excited to welcome Sarah Sundin to talk about her fabulous debut novel, A Distant Melody. I just reviewed this book on Tuesday, so feel free to check that out to see how awesome a book it is. =)

Sarah has graciously offered a signed copy, so as usual, leave your comments below with a way I can reach you!

~*~

About Sarah

Sarah Sundin’s first novel, A Distant Melody, was released in March 2010 by Revell. She lives in northern California with her husband and three children. When she isn’t ferrying kids to soccer and karate, she works on-call as a hospital pharmacist and teaches Sunday school and women’s Bible studies.

~*~

About A Distant Melody

Never pretty enough to please her gorgeous mother, Allie will do anything to gain her approval—even marry a man she doesn’t love. Lt. Walter Novak—fearless in the cockpit but hopeless with women—takes his last furlough at home in California before being shipped overseas. Walt and Allie meet at a wedding and their love of music draws them together, prompting them to begin a correspondence that will change their lives. As letters fly between Walt’s muddy bomber base in England and Allie’s mansion in an orange grove, their friendship binds them together. But can they untangle the secrets, commitments, and expectations that keep them apart?

~*~

What’s your latest book?

A Distant Melody, Revell, March 2010.

Which was soooooooo good. Check out my review. What was the hardest part to write?

For me, the hardest part to write is always the first chapter—you have to do so much in so few pages. One scene that was emotionally difficult to write was late in the book when Walt receives bad news similar to bad news I once received. My first draft of that chapter was short and flat. I realized I didn’t want to delve into his emotions, but I had to—for Walt’s sake and for the story—and for myself.

Well, there was no flatness in those late bad-news scenes, so you obviously dug your toes in, gritted your teeth, and poured those emotions out! Is there any one thing or reference you keep handy when writing? Anything you kept around for this particular book?

I keep my whole bookcase handy when I write. I have three five-inch binders filled with research notes (yes, sick), plus another binder with story notes, character charts, and plot outlines. For this particular book I kept going back to my reference books on Army Air Force uniforms, Eighth Air Force history and procedures, and the B-17 pilot’s manual.

Well, that explains your expertise! I was struck time and again with the knowledge you effortlessly imparted. And speaking of knowledge . . . what lessons have you learned through the publication process that you wouldn’t have guessed as a pre-published writer?

I knew about the editing process and how much publicity needed to be done, but I didn’t know about the random assignments, often with short deadlines: title & cover questionnaires, catalog copy, influencer lists, marketing plans, etc. Also I didn’t realize how much juggling I would do. Currently I’m doing publicity for A Distant Melody, I just finished Revell’s edits for Book 2, I’m polishing Book 3 before I turn it in, and I’m preparing a proposal for another series.

Well, if you decide to branch out as a circus clown, you’ll have your juggling act down! (Hmm, a circus of writers. I think we’re onto something here! I know some hilarious characters in the writing world, LOL.) Anyway. Are there any people (family, writing group, editors) who you rely on when writing?

So many! First of all, I run my early chapters through my writers group, and then I have several good writer friends who read the whole manuscript. My mother and sister always see an early draft—they’re fantastic at picking out punctuation and grammar issues. I also ran this series through a pilot friend to make sure I didn’t make any major errors in the flying scenes. The first two novels in this series were also read by about two dozen reading friends in three-ring binder format when I’d given up hope of publication. A side benefit of this was I had two dozen friends encouraging me and praying for me, and now they’re wonderful cheerleaders. Love them.

Yep, they’re priceless. Aside from writing, what takes up most of your time?

Driving. My kids are 11, 14, and 17, so I spend lots of time carting them to soccer, baseball, choir, karate, and youth group. And a big, furry demand on my time is our yellow lab. Daisy wants to play. All the time. And if I don’t play with her, she snatches papers, pens, and eating utensils from the counter. With all the chasing I do, I should be a lot skinnier.

I think your dog and my son are on the same wavelength . . . LOL. Any upcoming releases we should keep our eye out for?

The second book in the Wings of Glory series, A Memory Between Us, releases in September 2010, and the third book in August 2011.

~*~

Thanks so much for visiting with us, Sarah! Everybody, you gotta check out her blog at http://www.sarahsundin.blogspot.com and her fun website at http://www.sarahsundin.com. You can find A Distant Melody at Amazon, ChristianBook, B&N, Borders, and CrossPurposes.

Void where prohibited. Contest ends 4/22/10. Winner will have two weeks to claim book before another is selected.

Thoughtful About . . . News!

by | Apr 15, 2010 | Thoughtful Thursdays, Uncategorized

Today’s the last day to enter to win Jill Williamson’s To Darkness Fled!!

~*~

So it’s been an interesting week. As I’ve considered what would be a good followup to A Stray Drop of Blood, I got an idea for another Biblical Fiction that would be a new twist on the familiar Esther story. I wrote four and a half chapters of it a while back when the idea blossomed, and this past week I hammered out a synopsis and a blurb, polished up the first three chapters.

My thought? I’d run the idea past my agent and see what she thought about the possibility of trying to get a big CBA publisher interested. Meanwhile, my hubby/publisher of Stray Drop read it and loved what I was doing with it. Being the fabulous supporter he is, he told me to go ahead and get my agent’s take on the big houses, but that he thought it would be a good title for WhiteFire to do too.

My agent’s response was quick–given my proposals that are under consideration at the big houses right now, she didn’t think it was a good idea to toss a Bib-Fic out there right now. They’re a dubious sell in CBA, and unrelated to what I’m already trying to sell. She advised that I write it–but that I write it for WhiteFire.

I’ll confess–my initial reaction was a rather long, “Oooohhhhhhhh. Siiiiiiggggghhhh.” But then what this meant began to sink in. It means I can write this story in its full scope, without concern for keeping it under 100K. I’ll keep a lot of control over it. And I don’t have to wait who-knows-how-long to gain an editor’s eye. Instead, my husband and I sat down and soon had a plan of attack.

Which means that my second novel, Just Another Wife, will be releasing in summer 2011 from WhiteFire Publishing! My editor’s a real slave-driver, so I have to have the manuscript finished in the next few months (that’s a joke–I decided on this deadline, LOL). And boy-howdy, it feels good to have something I now HAVE to get done! I love direction!

For those of you who might now be wondering what this story’s all about, here’s the blurb I was working on earlier this week:

Kasia thinks she’ll lose herself when she is taken to the palace to wed Xerxes–instead she finds an unexpected love with the king who is regarded as a god by his people. She, of all his wives, is the only one who loves him for the man beneath the crown. She, of all his wives, is the only one to threaten the careful balance of the world’s largest empire. When the king’s advisers realize how much sway this mere Jewish girl has over Xerxes, an intrigue springs up to rival the war with Greece. Kasia knows she will never take the place of the dethroned Amestris, but when she discovers that her best friend from childhood has arrived at the House of Women, she determines to use her influence to work for God’s people. Esther will be crowned–and though Kasia inadvertently turned Persia against the Jews, she knows Esther can save them.

In a combination of the familiar story of Esther told in the Bible and the history of Xerxes as told by Herodotus, Just Another Wife is a story of a love that nearly tears an empire apart, and the friendship that knits it back together.

Remember When . . . The Moths Ate History?

by | Apr 14, 2010 | Remember When Wednesdays, Uncategorized

Giveaway – To Darkness Fled, a young adult fantasy by Jill Williamson.

~*~

How’s that for a weird title? LOL. Had I not wanted to use my “Remember When” opener, it would have been “The Holes History Left.”

So. I’m researching for a new Biblical-fiction, which I have mentioned briefly on here before. (I’ll have an official announcement about it soon-ish.) It’s going to be combining the book of Esther in the Bible with the history of Xerxes (what the rest of the world called King Ahasa-whatever in the Bible) as told by Herodotus in his chronicles of the war between Persia and Greece.

Here’s the thing, though. Reading them, trying to put them together, leaves a lot of questions. Stupid ones like “When was his oldest son born?” that should have ready answers. But don’t. We have very few records of the Persians outside these two sources I’m already using, so if they don’t tell me, nothing does.

In a way, it’s frustrating. I just want to know how old the kid was!! But I’m going to focus on how freeing it is, too. Because the more holes, the more illogical stuff that’s recorded, the more I get to spin my way for my story, the more I get to make up.

Scholars today also agree that Herodotus, who gives us most of what we know about Xerxes, was rather biased against him, given that X was leading a massive army against H’s people and all. So in all likelihood he doctored the truth a little to reflect his own beliefs and make Xerxes look as terrible as possible in the eyes of the Greeks. I’m totally taking that into account and assuming Herodotus wasn’t a mind reader so didn’t actually know all the thoughts he attributes to Xerxes. I’ll be attributing my own thoughts to him, thank you very much. 😉 (I mean, not mine. But my interpretation, LOL.) For instance, some of the wackier things he did are going to be explained by a sense of humor. History doesn’t record one, but you know. History rarely does.

Some of my best story ideas arise when I read something in history and am left going, “Yeah, but what about . . .?” Like in Esther–how, exactly, did no one know she was Jewish when everyone knew Mordecai was and they obviously had some kind of association?? Well, I have my theory, and it revolves around my main character. =)

Does the Esther story as told in the Bible leave you with any unanswered questions for me to work in?

Story Time . . . A DISTANT MELODY by Sarah Sundin

by | Apr 13, 2010 | Uncategorized

Giveaway – To Darkness Fled, a young adult fantasy by Jill Williamson.

~*~

I’ve been hearing a lot about A Distant Melody from my writing/reviewing friends, and they’ve all said the same thing: this isn’t a book you should read too much about before you crack it open. Just read it–you’ll love it. Given that when I picked up the book and read the back I thought, “Well this sounds okay . . .” I decided they must be on to something. And within the first chapter I knew why they were all saying it. This is a story made magical by the writing and tone, something a back cover blurb just can’t adequately portray.

Allie Miller has always been a disappointment to her mother, has always been spoiled by her father. But as she was away at college it didn’t strike her as it does now. Now, every evening is spent in the same way–her soon-to-be-fiance eats dinner with them, and they all sit on the porch. She can’t help but feel that something is missing in this chord, something that would make her life’s melody sweet. She can’t imagine what note she needs, until a week spent with a college friend who’s getting married introduces her to harmony that can fill one’s soul when in the company of people who actually understand you–and like you anyway.

Walt Novak is a pilot who can’t wait to get his orders and head over to show Hitler who’s boss. Flying is one thing he can do without getting tongue tied or feeling the sting of his father’s disapproval. Plus, there are no eligible women up in the air to make him trip over himself. His bad luck with unattached females is legendary–until he meets Allie. Allie . . . wow. Allie’s everything. Unfortunately, she isn’t as unattached as he at first assumes. So why can’t he shake the desire to make her his girl?

As war ravages the world, these two less-than-perfect characters have fights on their hands that have nothing to do with the Axis. Allie must figure out where to draw the line between obedience and sacrifice. Walt must learn what damage lies and temper can cause. Together, though an ocean apart, they discover what can be when the Lord is let to work in the hearts that are His.

A Distant Melody is a beautiful story, but more, it’s told in such a beautiful way that it will become a song in your mind as you’re reading it. Each character is part of the greater movement, each scene a composition that builds toward the crescendo. And like any great composer, Sundin will have you wincing at every dissonance . . . because that makes the resolving chords so much sweeter.

Though this is her debut novel, Sarah Sundin has proven herself a master. It takes skill and vision to make a romance heart-thudding when the characters are so far from each other through most of the story, but she not only pulls it off, she makes it sing. This book gets my highest recommendation. It’s perfect for lovers of romance, lovers of history (especially the WWII era), and lovers of good stories in general. I can’t wait for the sequel!

Quick note–Sarah will be my feature author this Friday with an interview and giveaway, so don’t forget to stop back over!!

(Oh yeah–and I got this book free from the publisher for review purposes.)

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