Legacy of a Writer

Under the stars of Texas, a promise was made... (Litfuse)

2012-03-02T07:23:00.000-06:00

About the Author:

Best-selling author Colleen Coble's novels have won or finaled in awards ranging from the Best Books of Indiana, ACFW Book of the Year, RWA’s RITA, the Holt Medallion, the Daphne du Maurier, National Readers' Choice, and the Booksellers Best. She has nearly 2 million books in print and writes romantic mysteries because she loves to see justice prevail. Colleen is CEO of American Christian Fiction Writers and is a member of Romance Writers of America. She lives with her husband Dave in Indiana.

For more about Colleen and her other books visit www.colleencoble.com.

About the Book:

Lucy Marsh's worldly resources are running out, but she's fiercely determined to care for her younger brother and sister. When she discovers that their father's recent death was no accident, Lucy is eager to leave town. She accepts a proxy marriage she believes will provide safe refuge. But trouble follows her to Texas where her new husband is surprised to suddenly have a wife and children to care for.

Nate Stanton always hoped he'd marry someday, but running the family ranch meant he had no time for romance. When his father deposits Lucy Marsh—a city girl—on his doorstep, with two siblings in the bargain, he expects ranch life will send her running on the first train out of town. But Lucy is made of tougher stuff than Nate imagined. When danger moves in, Nate finds he'd give anything to protect Lucy and the children he's grown to love. Even if it means giving up his ranch.

My Review:

Even though this is only the second book I have read by Colleen Coble, I know that I will always enjoy reading anything she writes. She wonderfully mixes a sweet historical romance with suspense, intrigue, and adventure to make her books enjoyable to a variety of readers!

While the story plot is very important in a book, the characters are even moreso—if the characters don’t seem real, the story falls apart. At least, in my opinion. I was excited and delighted to discover that Coble created a wonderful cast of characters within Blue Moon Promise—from Drew Larson, a guy with a serious chip on his shoulder, to Jed, a young boy striving to be the man of the house.

I remember with the previous book I read by Coble, I sometimes had a problem with how the action scenes were written. And I was delighted to find out that I ran into no such problem in Blue Moon Promise! Things flowed along at a good pace—not very fast, but then I didn’t expect it to be. It’s a historical romance, and while there is suspense in it, it’s more of a subplot. The main focus is on the budding relationship between married couple Nate and Lucy. Which was totally sigh-worthy, by the way! :-)

In all, Blue Moon Promise was a very sweet read from beginning to end. I always love reading a romance where the two main characters marry, and then have to learn how to love, respect, and honor each other. And Colleen did it so beautifully in this one! I look forward to the next book in the Under Texas Stars series—and hope it tells Margaret or Fanny’s story!

I reviewed this book for Thomas Nelson via Litfuse. It was not required that I give a positive review, but solely to express my own thoughts and opinions of this book, which I have done.

Check out what other reviewers are saying about this book!

About the Party:

Blue Moon Promise is a story of hope, romance, and suspense . . . immersing the reader in a rich historical tale set under Texas stars.

To celebrate Colleen is teaming up with her publisher Thomas Nelson for a "Blue Moon Promise" Facebook Chat party where she will giveaway a KINDLE Fire and a Texas-sized gift basket (fabulous Texas treats and fun Lucy-inspired housekeeping products)!

Click the banner, RSVP today for the Facebook Party and mark the date on your calendar!

Invite your friends and don't miss Colleen's evening of chat, trivia, prizes, and more.

Kindle Giveaway and More! Save the Date - 3/13!

Yet another book by Laurie Eakes that I really enjoyed! (Revell Tour)

2012-03-01T10:57:00.000-06:00

About the Author:

Laurie Alice Eakes is the author of Lady in the Mist, A Necessary Deception, Heart's Safe Passage, and several other novels. She won a National Readers Choice Award for Best Regency in 2007 for Family Guardian. Laurie Alice writes full-time from her home in Texas, where she lives with her husband and sundry dogs and cats.

Find out more about Laurie and her books on her website:

http://www.lauriealiceeakes.com/

About the Book:

All Phoebe Lee wants out of life is to practice midwifery in Loudon County, Virginia. But when she refuses to accompany her pregnant sister-in-law to help save her husband from an English prison during the War of 1812, Phoebe finds herself pressed aboard a British privateer.

Captain Rafe Docherty promises to get Phoebe's brother-in-law out of prison in exchange for information Rafe needs to exact revenge on the man who destroyed his family. As he realizes his attraction to Phoebe, she determines to get ashore before her patient goes into labor--and before her own heart is in danger. But an enemy in their midst threatens to end their plans--and their very lives.

My Review:

While I have really enjoyed all the books I’ve read by Laurie Eakes, I think Heart’s Safe Passage has been her best book yet! The characters are realistic and memorable, the story plot woven with suspense, danger, and hidden enemies, and the tempo of the book fairly fast-paced.

Okay, I just have to say this—Rafe is an awesome name for the captain of a privateer brig! But, really, regardless of his name, he really was a neat character to get to know. So complex! We meet him and his path is dead set. Determined. But through the course of the adventure…he’s not so sure anymore, and you feel for his uncertainty.

Phoebe made for a strong heroine—though who had her own faults and fears. The reason for her seasickness was rather neat, in my opinion, but I felt the author kind of forgot about it for the second half. And, just for the record, I think Phoebe had amazing tolerance—I would’ve slapped Belinda, with everything she did to Phoebe and put her through!

The story takes place on the sea, so readers who enjoy a book sprinkled with sailor terms and what life aboard a ship—I mean brig!—is like will enjoy this book! It reminded me of MaryLu Tyndall’s swashbucklin’ romances…though without the pirates! (Sorry pirate-lovers! ;-) So, if you want adventure on the high seas and romance that will leave you breathless, then get a copy of Heart’s Safe Passage and dive right in!

Available February 2012 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

I reviewed this book for Revell. It was not required that I give a positive review, but solely to express my own thoughts and opinions of this book, which I have done.

Looking back over this past month (February 2012)

2012-02-29T07:00:00.000-06:00

Before we get into today's end of the month post, I have a little surprise winner to announce. Remember the Follower Love Giveaway Hop I did on my blog a few weeks back? Well, the original winner never contacted me to claim her prize. So! I have selected a new winner to receive a PaperBackSwap credit (worth one book). And that person is....

* Velvet Hubler *

Congratulations, Velvet! I will be sending you an email this afternoon. Remember, winners have one week to respond to my initial email in order to claim their prize.

And now! On with today's post. As you all know, it's time for my "Month in Review" post. I got the idea from Crystal over at Just Another Book Lovin' Girl and she--very sweetly--said I could join her in this monthly post. Let's begin!

~ Legacy of a Writer's Month in Review - February ~

Books I Read:
Song of My Heart - Kim Vogel Sawyer
Beyond Molasses Creek - Nicole Seitz
Peril - Suzanne Hartmann
Honor Redeemed - Loree Lough
11:15 - Heather Burch
When the Smoke Clears - Lynette Eason
The Guardian Duke - Jamie Carie
Words Spoken True - Ann Gabhart (Favorite!)
Unvieled: The Story of Tamar - Francine Rivers

Sweeter Than Birdsong - Rosslyn Elliott
The Realms Thereunder - Ross Lawhead
Promise Me This - Cathy Gohlke
Heart's Safe Passage - Laurie Eakes

Author Interviews Done:
Regina Jennings - Sixty Acres and A Bride
Cathy Gohlke - Promise Me This
Ellyn Gibbs - Torn Heart (Still Open!)

Reviews Posted:
Back on Murder - J. Mark Bertrand
The Sound of Red Returning - Sue Duffy
Song of My Heart - Kim Vogel Sawyer
Beyond Molasses Creek - Nicole Sietz
Peril - Suzanne Hartmann
Honor Redeemed - Loree Lough
When the Smoke Clears - Lynette Eason
Sixty Acres and A Bride - Regina Jennings
The Dark Side of Valor - Alicia Singleton

The Guardian Duke - Jamie Carie
Words Spoken True - Ann Gabhart
Sweeter Than Birdsong - Rosslyn Elliott
The Realms Thereunder - Ross Lawhead
Promise Me This - Cathy Gohlke

Blog Tours Participated In:
Litfuse - The Sound of Red Returning
CFBA - Song of My Heart
CFBA - Beyond Molasses Creek

FIRST Wild Card - Peril
PUYB - Honor Redeemed
Revell - When the Smoke Clears
PUYB - Dark Side of Valor
Revell - Words Spoken True
Litfuse - Sweeter Than Birdsong
FIRST Wild Card - Frantic

Special Events/Posts:
- I did my first giveaway hop for Valentines day called the

Follower Love Giveaway Hop. It was a blast, with a swell turn out. The prize? A book credit for PaperBackSwap! :-)
- As promised, I did a character interview this month with the characters from Frantic--Marny and Esther. It was really lots of fun! If you missed it, no worries, you can still stop by and read it.
- I posted another update for the Contentment Reading Challenge for the month of February. If you're participating in this giveaway, be SURE to stop by there sometime soon. I am giving away a book to one of the people who comment with their progress so far! :-)

Favorite Book of the Month:
This is easy! While there were lots of good books I read this month, one stands out above all the rest. Words Spoken True by Ann Gabhart! It's sitting on my favorites shelf right now! :-)

Well, there you have it. That's what took place for me (book-wise) for the month of December. How about you? What books did you read this month?

Prepare to experience a story that will touch your heart! (Book Review)

2012-02-27T13:49:00.000-06:00

I had meant to post the review for Promise Me This before the giveaway for the book ended. But, alas, with my sickness, I became behind in my reading and so was not able to do that. However, I am posting it today--better late the never, I always say! And now the winner of a copy of Promise Me This will be able to read my thoughts on the book. Who is the winner? *drum roll*

* Wendy Newcomb *

Congrats, Wendy. I will be emailing you shortly to get your mailing address. And now, on to my review of Promise Me This....

About the Book...

Michael Dunnagan was never supposed to sail on the Titanic, nor would he have survived if not for the courage of Owen Allen. Determined to carry out his promise to care for Owen’s relatives in America and his younger sister, Annie, in England, Michael works hard to strengthen the family’s New Jersey garden and landscaping business.

Annie Allen doesn’t care what Michael promised Owen. She only knows that her brother is gone—like their mother and father—and the grief is enough to swallow her whole. As Annie struggles to navigate life without Owen, Michael reaches out to her through letters. In time, as Annie begins to lay aside her anger that Michael lived when Owen did not, a tentative friendship takes root and blossoms into something neither expected. Just as Michael saves enough money to bring Annie to America, WWI erupts in Europe. When Annie’s letters mysteriously stop, Michael risks everything to fulfill his promise—and find the woman he’s grown to love—before she’s lost forever.

My Review...

When a book cover captures my attention, and then the synopsis also piques my interests, I’m sold—I must read the book! Which is why I instantly jumped at the chance to read award-winning author Cathy Gohlke’s newest release. In my opinion, Promise Me This is not a book you can just devour in one sitting. It's a book to be read slowly, with characters to be savored and a story to be treasured.

From the very beginning, I was swept away by this poignant story of Annie and Michael. And while I wasn’t fond of Annie in the first part of the book, as I watched her change throughout the years after the disaster of the Titanic, I grew to love her self-sacrificing character. Both Annie and Michael go through so much in Promise Me This that at the end of the book, as the last page is fast approaching, all you hope for is that they get their ‘happily ever after’! And while the ending wasn’t what I thought it’d be, I was still content with how we leave the characters.

There were so many twists and turns in Promise Me This—just when I thought things were looking up for these two, something huge would happen that hurls them straight into the path of danger and separation. Towards the end, there were several convenient “coincidences”, but also some surprises, too.

When I finally read the last page, I didn’t want to leave Annie and Michael! I closed the book, wishing there had been an epilogue of where these two were a few years after the book ended. That’s how real these characters were to me, and how much danger and turmoil they had been through in this 400 page book.

When you begin Promise Me This, be prepared to experience a story that will touch your heart in more ways than one!

I reviewed this book for Tyndale House Publishing. It was not required that I give a positive review, but solely to express my own thoughts and opinions of this book, which I have done.

The 2nd Contentment Reading Challenge post! (February)

2012-02-24T08:30:00.002-06:00

This month has been crazy-busy for me, but I managed (somehow) to work this into my post today. :-) So! Let's get on to today's post.

First of all, for those who doesn't know what this post is about...the Contentment Reading Challenge was originally started last year by Amber, over at Seasons of Humility. When she wasn't able to continue, I volunteered to take over hosting this fun challenge. If you haven't heard the 2012 Contentment Reading Challenge, but are interested in signing up, check out the original post HERE to find out more!

So, as for my own challenge, I have failed miserably this month and have read zero books. Sad, I know, but I had too many new books that needed to be read this month. I hope to do better next month, though.

How did y'all do this month?? You'll want to comment below with your progress. Why? Well, because for this monthly post, I am going to give away ONE BOOK to one of the people who has reread a book for this challenge, this month. What book will be the prize? Hmm...that will remain a surprise to be reveled when the winner is picked. *grin* But I promise you it will be a recent book, published last year...or maybe even this year!!

Soooooo! Leave a comment with how many books you've read this past month to be entered into this giveaway. If you're just joining, but have reread a book sometime this year, you can still join in on this fun giveaway. :-)

An amazing world from the imagination of Ross Lawhead (Book Review)

2012-02-23T20:40:00.000-06:00

About the Book...

A homeless man is stalked by a pale, wraithlike creature with a mouthful of needle-sharp teeth. Maimed animals and a host of suicides cluster around a mountain in Scotland. And deep beneath the cobbled streets of Oxford, a malicious hoard besieges a hidden city.

Freya Reynolds is a university student with a touch of OCD and an obsession with myth and folklore. Daniel Tully is living rough on the streets of Oxford, waging a secret war against an enemy only he can identify. Years ago, they found themselves in a world few know is real. They have since gone their separate ways and tried to put that adventure behind them.

But the mythical world is now bleeding into our reality-a dark spiritual evil that is manifesting itself in forgotten corners of the British Isles. Alex Simpson is a Scottish police officer who specializes in hunting mythical creatures. Together, they must confront the past, the present, and points beyond to defeat the ultimate threat to humanity.

Nothing they've seen so far prepares them for what awaits . . . in The Realms Thereunder.

My Review...

I’ve read one of Stephen Lawhead’s books in the past (The Bone House) and enjoyed it. So when I saw that his son, Ross, was coming out with a book, I was interested. The synopsis intrigued me as well—knights that are destined to awake in the last days…are suddenly waking up? Yep, sounded pretty cool to me!

While for me, personally, The Realms Thereunder didn’t live up to all my expectations...I think this has more to do with the fact that this just isn’t my genre. I think this will be the last book of this type that I try—not that this is at all the author’s fault. It’s just not for me.

The way the story jumps back and forth between the past adventures of Daniel and Freya’s, and their present adventures was, in my opinion, confusing. Once I figured out how the book worked—every chapter switching off between “Before” and “Now”—I understood it more, but I felt the jerking back and forth kept pulling me out of the story. I would have rather the author separated the two adventures and given them each their own book. But…that’s my opinion!

There is a lot of descriptions within The Realm Thereunder, mainly due to the fact that Lawhead created so many amazing people and places. It became a bit drawn out in places, but I have to admit that because of it, the things that Daniel and Freya experience really sprang from the pages and came to life. Be prepared to experience an amazing world from the imagination of Ross Lawhead!

I reviewed this book for Christian Science Fiction & Fantasy Blog Tours. Special thanks to the publishers, Thomas Nelson, for sending me a review copy. It was not required that I give a positive review, but solely to express my own thoughts and opinions of this book, which I have done.

Definitely a book that will keep you up at night! (FIRST Wild Card)

2012-02-23T08:30:00.002-06:00

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Today's Wild Card author is:

Mike Dellosso

and the book:

Frantic

Realms (February 7, 2012)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Mike Dellosso is the author of numerous novels of suspense, including Darkness Follows, Darlington Woods, and Scream. He is an adjunct professor of writing at Lancaster Bible College and frequent contributor to Christian websites and newsletters. Mike is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers association, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance, the Relief Writer’s Network, and FaithWriters, and he plans to join International Thriller Writers. He earned his BA degree from Messiah College and his MBS from Master’s International School of Divinity. He lives in Hanover, PA, with his wife and daughters. Hometown: Hanover, PA

Visit the author's website.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Gas station attendant Marny Toogood thinks it’s just another ordinary day on the job until an urgent message from a young girl in the backseat of a car draws him into a daring rescue attempt. Now he is on the run with Esther and William Rose from their insane “uncle” who thinks it is his mission from God to protect William, a boy with incredible faith that gives him supernatural powers.

As they face kidnapping, underground cults, and other evils, can Marny trust the simple faith of a child and stand his ground against a power so twisted?

Product Details:
List Price: $13.99
Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Realms (February 7, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1616384808
ISBN-13: 978-1616384807

MY REVIEW:

The first chapter of Frantic opens with a bang(I mean, it isn’t every day that you set off to rescue a young woman from a crazy, violent man!). From there, Mike Dellosso does not let up the suspense, tension, or stakes. I’d been introduced to Mike and his work in his previous release, Darkness Follows. That book captured my attention and I wasso excited to be able to read his next book, Frantic! What a wild adventure! Throughout the whole book, the tension continues to build up to a very climatic, and satisfying, ending.

Marny is an easy character to cheer for, as he suddenly finds himself rescuing Esther and her eleven-year-old brother William from their crazy uncle. Marny was just a normal, everyday guy who—when he rescues the girl who gave him the quickly-scrawled message HE'S GOING TO KILL ME—suddenly finds himself in the middle of something far bigger then he’d ever imagined. And stakes that are even higher. As much as Marny wants to, he doesn’t back down to the challenge.

Mike’s writing really brings the characters and surroundings to life. He reminds me of Ted Dekker in the way he tackles and includes the supernatural things into his writing. If you at all enjoy any of Dekker’s work, then Dellosso’s books are a must for your reading pile!

From start to finish, I found it very difficult to put down Frantic. Marny, Esther, and William seemed to get out of one near-death experience, only to fall into another. First they are running from a deranged kidnapper, and then from a serial killer. Danger stalks their every step! Definitely a book that will keep you up all night! :-)

I reviewed this book as an influencer in Mike Dellosso’s Darlington Society. It was not required that I give a positive review, but solely to express my own thoughts and opinions of this book, which I have done.

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

The night Marny Toogood was born it rained axheads and hammer handles.

His grandfather made a prediction, said it was an omen of some sort, that it meant Marny’s life would be stormy, full of rain clouds and lightning strikes. Wanting to prove her father wrong, Janie Toogood named her son Marnin, which means “one who brings joy,” instead of the Mitchell she and her husband had agreed on.

But in spite of Janie’s good intentions, and regardless of what his birth certificate said, Marny’s grandfather was right.

At the exact time Marny was delivered into this world and his grandfather was portending a dark future, Marny’s father was en route to the hospital from his job at Winden’s Furniture Factory where he was stuck working the graveyard shift. He’d gotten the phone call that Janie was in labor, dropped his hammer, and run out of the plant. Fifteen minutes from the hospital his pickup hit standing water, hydroplaned, and tumbled down a steep embank- ment, landing in a stand of eastern white pines. The coroner said he experienced a quick death; he did not suffer.

One week after Marny’s birth his grandfather died of a heart attack. He didn’t suffer either.

Twenty-six years and a couple of lifetimes of hurt later, Marny found himself working at Condon’s Gas ’n Go and living above the garage in a small studio apartment George Condon rented to

1

Mike Dellosso

him for two hundred bucks a month. It was nothing special, but it was a place to lay his head at night and dream about the dark cloud that stalked him.

But his mother had told him every day until the moment she died that behind every rain cloud is the sun, just waiting to shine its light and dry the earth’s tears.

Marny held on to that promise and thought about it every night before he succumbed to sleep and entered a world that was as unfriendly and frightening as any fairy tale forest, the place of his dreams, the only place more dark and foreboding than his life.

On the day reality collided with the world of Marny’s night- mares, it was hotter than blazes, strange for a June day in Maine. The sun sat high in the sky, and waves of heat rolled over the asphalt lot at the Gas ’n Go. The weather kept everyone indoors, which meant business was slow for a Saturday. Marny sat in the garage bay waiting for Mr. Condon to take his turn in checkers and wiped the sweat from his brow.

^“

^{Man, it’s hot.”}

^{Mr. Condon didn’t look up from the checkerboard. “Ayuh.}

^{Wicked hot. Newsman said it could hit ninety.”}

^“S

^{o it’ll probably get up to ninety-five.”}

^{Mr. Condon rubbed at his white stubble. “Ayuh.”}

^{He was sixty-two and looked it. His leather-tough skin was}

^{creased with deep wrinkles. Lots of smile lines. Marny had worked}

^{for him for two years but had known the old mechanic his whole}

^life.

^{Mr. Condon made his move then squinted at Marny. Behind}

^{him Ed Ricker’s Dodge truck rested on the lift. The transmis-}

^{sion had blown, and Mr. Condon should have been working}

^{on it instead of playing checkers. But old Condon kept his own}

^{schedule. His customers never complained. George Condon was}

^{the best, and cheapest, mechanic around. He’d been getting cars}

^{and trucks through one more Maine winter for forty years.}

^{Marny studied the checkerboard, feeling the weight of Mr.}

^{Condon’s dark eyes on him, and was about to make his move}

Fr antic

when the bell chimed, signaling someone had pulled up to the pump island. Condon’s was the only full-service station left in the Down East, maybe in the whole state of Maine.

Despite the heat, Mr. Condon didn’t have one droplet of sweat on his face. “Cah’s waitin’, son.”

Marny glanced outside at the tendrils of heat wriggling above the lot, then at the checkerboard. “No cheating.”

^{His opponent winked. “No promises.”}

^{Pushing back his chair, Marny stood and wiped more sweat}

^{from his brow, then headed outside.}

^{The car at the pump was a 1990s model Ford Taurus, faded blue}

^{with a few rust spots around the wheel wells. The windows were}

^{rolled down, which probably meant the air-conditioning had quit}

^{working. This was normally not a big deal in Maine, but on a rare}

^{day like this, the driver had to be longing for cool air.}

^{Marny had never seen the vehicle before. The driver was a large}

^{man, thick and broad. He had close-cropped hair and a smooth,}

^{round face. Marny had never seen him before either.}

^{He approached the car and did his best to be friendly. “Mornin’.}

^{Hot one, isn’t it?”}

^{The driver neither smiled nor looked at him. “Fill it up. Regular.”}

^{Marny headed to the rear of the car and noticed a girl in the}

^{backseat. A woman, really, looked to be in her early twenties. She}

^{sat with her hands in her lap, head slightly bowed. As he passed}

^{the rear window she glanced at him, and there was something in}

^{her eyes that spoke of sorrow and doom. Marny recognized the}

^{look because he saw it in his own eyes every night in the mirror.}

^{He smiled, but she quickly diverted her gaze.}

^{As he pumped the gas, Marny watched the girl, studied the}

^{back of her head. She was attractive in a plain way, a natural pret-}

^{tiness that didn’t need any help from cosmetics. Her hair was rich}

^{brown and hung loosely around her shoulders. But it was her eyes}

^{that had captivated him. They were as blue as the summer sky, but}

^{so sad and empty. Marny wondered what the story was between}

^{the man and girl. He was certainly old enough to be her father. He}

Mike Dellosso

looked stern and callous, maybe even cruel. Marny felt for her, for her unhappiness, her life.

He caught the man watching him in the side mirror and looked at the pump’s gauge. A second later the nozzle clicked off, and he returned it to the pump. He walked back to the driver’s window. “That’ll be forty-two.”

While the man fished around in his back pocket for his wallet, Marny glanced at the girl again, but she kept her eyes down on her hands.

“You folks local?” Marny said, trying to get the man to open up a little.

The driver handed Marny three twenties but said nothing. Marny counted off eighteen dollars in change. “You new in the

area? I don’t think I’ve seen you around here before. Lately, seems more people have been moving out than in.”

Still nothing. The man took the money and started the car. Before pulling out he nodded at Marny. There was something in the way he moved his head, the way his eyes sat in their sockets, the way his forehead wrinkled ever so slightly, that made Marny shiver despite the heat.

The car rolled away from the pump, asphalt sticking to the tires, and exited the lot. Marny watched until it was nearly out of sight, then turned to head back to the garage and Mr. Condon and the game of checkers. But a crumpled piece of paper on the ground where the Taurus had been parked caught his attention. He picked it up and unfurled it. Written in all capital letters was a message:

^{HE’S GOING TO KILL ME}

Be prepared to grow attached to the Hanby family! (Litfuse)

2012-02-22T16:53:00.003-06:00

Hey everyone! If you're wondering where my early post went for this morning ... well, I got sick yesterday and have been out of commission since. Needless to say, this has put me behind in many things, including blogging. So, if I go a while without posting, then suddenly have 2 or 3 posts done in a day, I hope y'all will forgive my jamming them in as I try to get caught up. Of course, I'll try not to do that...but I just might have to. Thanks for understanding! :-)

About the Author:

Rosslyn Elliott is the award-winning author of Fairer than Morning, the first in the Saddler's Legacy series. She holds a B.A. from Yale University and a Ph.D. in English from Emory University. Her study of American literature and history inspired her to pursue writing fiction. Elliott lives in Albuquerque, where she homeschools her daughter and works in children's ministry.

Her debut novel also won Clash of the Title's 2011 Laurel Award!

For more about Rosslyn, visit her website: http://rosslynelliott.com

About the Book:

In Westerville, Ohio, 1855, Kate Winter’s dreams are almost within reach. As the first woman to graduate from Otterbein College, she’ll be guaranteed her deepest wish: escape from the dark secret haunting her family. But with her mother determined to marry her off to a wealthy man, Kate must face reality. She has to run. Now. And she has the perfect plan. Join the upcoming musical performance—and use it to mask her flight.

Ben Hanby, Otterbein College’s musical genius, sees Kate Winter as an enigmatic creature, notable for her beauty, yet painfully shy. Then he hears her sing—and the glory of her voice moves him as never before. He determines to cast her in his musical and uncover the mystery that is Kate. Still, he must keep his own secret to himself. Not even this intriguing woman can know that his passionate faith is driving him to aid fugitives on the Underground Railroad.

A terrifying accident brings Kate and Ben together, but threatens to shatter both their secrets and their dreams. Kate can no longer deny the need to find her courage—and her voice—if she is to sing a new song for their future.

Read an excerpt HERE

Benjamin Hanby's home

My Review:

I really enjoyed this next installment to the Saddler Legacy series. And since it wasn’t long ago that I read the first in the series, Fairer than Morning, all the characters were fresh in my mind, and I loved watching their offspring’s grow and mature. While I have to say that, out of the two, I liked the first one better, Sweeter Than Birdsong was a lovely addition to the story and a very ‘sweet’ read.

Kate Winter intrigued me immediately because of her shyness and fear of speaking in public. Since I would rather not give speeches in front of a crowd either, I could relate—though she was more extreme then I! Ben Hanby, of course, drew my attention before he was the eldest son of Will and Ann (from Fairer Than Morning). Out of these two loveable characters, I enjoyed watching Kate grow the most throughout Sweeter Than Birdsong.

As Kate sees the plights of other slaves, I loved watching her view of life changed—no longer did she see her life as unbearable, for she’d seen what was truly ‘unbearable’ through her rescue attempt of a slave. She grew so much throughout the book, there is an obvious night and day difference from when we first met Kate, and when we leave her.

Rosslyn Elliott kept all the characters within Sweeter than Birdsong so real and vivid, that I, as the reader, found that I could relate to them on a few different levels. Doesn’t everyone desire to make their mark on the world? But, just as Ben realized, sometimes we need to leave it in God’s hand, and trust Him to open people’s minds and hearts.

I am looking forward to the next installment to this series, and to see where Elliott takes the Hanbys. They are such an endearing and loving family! Be prepared to grow attached to them!

I reviewed this book for Thomas Nelson via Litfuse. It was not required that I give a positive review, but solely to express my own thoughts and opinions of this book, which I have done.

Check out what others are saying about this book!

GIVEAWAY!

In this second in the award-winning Saddler's Legacy series, Rosslyn Elliott has written a stirring novel of hope and faith inspired by real historical people and events. With Ben Hanby, a genius composer, Kate Winter, one of the first female college graduates in America, and John Parker, an ex-slave who risked his life time and again to help fugitive slaves, Sweeter than Birdsong is full of real heroes to inspire us. "I hope readers will find a renewed sense of strength in their own lives," says Elliott, "knowing that change is possible, and our efforts matter. I want them to remember these unique, brave people in history who left us a shining example of what it means to live out one's beliefs with passion and commitment."

So to celebrate the music in all of us, Rosslyn and Thomas Nelson are hosting this "sweet giveaway"

One fortunate winner will receive:

A Brand new iPod Nano (Winner's choice of color!)
Fairer than Morning by Rosslyn Elliott
Sweeter than Birdsong by Rosslyn Elliott

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends at noon on February 28th. Winner will be announced at Sweeter than Birdsong Author Chat Facebook Party on 2/28. Rosslyn will be chatting with guests, sharing a sneak peek of the next book in the series, hosting a trivia contest, and more! She'll also be giving away some GREAT prizes: gift certificates, books, season 1 of DowntownAbbey, and a book club prize pack! (Ten copies of the book for your small group or book club AND a LIVE Author Chat for your group with Rosslyn.)

So grab your copy of Sweeter than Birdsong and join Rosslyn and friends on the evening of the 28th for an evening of fun.

Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 28th!

Sleeping through the night

2012-02-22T10:00:00.000-06:00

Thanks for the article from Laura Ryan

Our nine month old daughter is having trouble sleeping through the night. Our son did not sleep through the night until he was nine months old. Our daughter slept through the night when she was six weeks old, but then she caught a cold and we started letting her sleep in the bed with us. We put her back in her bed on and off until now, and now when we lay her down in her bed at night she screams for at least 30 minutes before falling asleep. She then wakes up every two to three hours each night. I decided to do some research on our Florissant 4g internet and found out that there is no way to know why babies don’t sleep through the night. It could be that our daughter is teething or starting to get sick. It could be that she has gotten used to sleeping in our bed and is just lonely sleeping in her bed. I hope that we can figure out a way to get her sleeping through the night in her own bed before she turns one year old.

Let's hear it for teen authors!!! (Interview & Giveaway)

2012-02-21T07:00:00.001-06:00

Katie: Welcome to Legacy of a Writer, Ellyn! To begin with, can you tell us a little about yourself?

Ellyn: Thank you so much for having me on LoaW, Katie! I am currently sixteen years old, and I self-published my novel, Torn Heart, when I was fifteen. I live in the cold North state of Minnesota, which is currently not very cold and I’m kind of upset about that. :-)

I have four younger brothers, soon to be five, and they bring out my tomboy side. I was homeschooled until this year, when I started doing college classes. My family and I own one horse (mine), three kitties, around 26 chickens, and two bunnies.

Katie: Aww, bunnies? We used to have a few of them. :-) When did you first know you wanted to be a writer? Who or what inspired you?

Ellyn: I really don’t know when I decided to be a writer. I think it just happened. I have been writing since before I could read (of course, I didn’t know what I was writing then) and after I did learn to read, I would write countless beginnings of stories that, for better or for worse, I never finished. I started getting serious when I did a program in school called “How to Write the Novel Way,” which left me with a finished, 50 page “novel.” After that, I worked for years on a novel called For the Love of Harth, which I loved so much that I kept hashing and rehashing until it was pretty over done. That was my training novel, I guess. The best thing I learned from it was to never try and write romance at age eleven. It just doesn’t work.

Katie: Hahaha! Yeah, that sounds like good advice! ;-)

Ellyn: My dad was a huge part of my writing. He was writing a story too, so that inspired me, and then he put a huge amount of time into editing and brainstorming my work. That is a debt I can never repay. He’s also not the kind of parent who reads something I’ve written and says, “Oh, honey, it’s great! You should get it published! Now go clean your room.” Instead, he reads it and thinks hard about how I can improve it. He’s also very transparent, so if he lies about whether he likes it or not, I can usually tell. ;)

Katie: That is so awesome to have a parent so “into” you and your writings. Wonderful! What was your journey to publication like? How long did you write before you were published?

Ellyn: I started writing Torn Heart in September of 2009 and finished the first draft around three months later. It was only about sixty pages long and had only one main plot thread. On the second and third draft, I worked on incorporating more complexity into the story.

Because I self-published, I had to do my own formatting and cover, and that was the hardest part! I procrastinated a lot, which is why I didn’t get to submit the book for publication until December of 2010.

Katie: How do you get the inspiration for your book, Torn Heart?

Katie: Well. It was a quiet night at home and my family and I were curled up in the basement. My younger brothers were playing the Wii, but since I don’t find watching video games very interesting, I had my notebook out and was making up character names.

Then, I started making up characters to go with the names.

(Big mistake, if you currently have a WIP and don’t want to get hijacked by another.)

That’s exactly what happened—one of the characters, a tiny girl with dark hair and a mistrust of other humans, stole my heart. I wrote her first lines and I was hooked. I knew that this story was a go.

Katie: Do you have a favorite scene?

Katie: My favorite scene is the scene where Oren confronts Jacha and she thinks he is trying to “take advantage” of her. Then of course, Kiann overhears the whole thing.

I think I snickered to myself the whole time I was writing that scene. J

Katie: Haha, yeah, when your characters embarrass themselves…it is rather humorous :-P Which scene do you think was the hardest for you to write? Why?

Ellyn: It was probably the end, after the battle is over and everyone has gone home. I didn’t have a good handle on how a government would work, so I wasn’t sure what the rebel leader should discuss with the other men. Also, by that point, I was getting giddy and loopy in a “I-want-to-be-done-now” sort of way, so I think that scene turned out a little cheesy.

Mia Wasikowska as Jacha

Katie: Haha, I hear ya! In that state of mind, you could write just about anything! :-P If Torn Heart was turned into a movie, which actors do you think would best portray what you imagined for your main characters? Can you describe a few main physical features that they have?

Ahhh, I love choosing actors. For my main characters, Jacha and Kiann, I’d like new actors, but since I can’t exactly go through random people’s Facebook pages looking for twins of my characters, I’ll do my best with what I’ve got…

Jacha has green eyes and dark hair, and she’s not pretty. But as Kiann says, “there was a certain charm about her, especially when no others were around.” I chose Mia Wasikowska (Alice in Wonderland, Jane Eyre). She’d have to get some work done—darken the hair, green contacts….but she has close to the right face.

For the life of me, I can’t find anyone to play Kiann. So you’ll have to settle for a picture of him as a young boy (Edward Speleers). He doesn’t look old enough or tough enough to be the Kiann in my book, but he’ll do.

Katie: I love the actor for Jacha. I think of “serene beauty” when I see that picture. What are you writing right now? Any upcoming releases we should keep our eye out for?

Ellyn: My writing right now is very slow. I don’t have writer’s block, but I have had to push my stories down on my priority list because of school.

However, I am currently editing my next novel, Seaspear, which is undergoing some major changes plot-wise. When it is finished (probably going through a few more drafts) I’d like to submit it to a “real” publishing house, even though my agent (Dad) is skeptical of why a “real” publishing house is better than CreateSpace.

I’ve learned a lot since I wrote Torn Heart and I believe I’ve already improved my writing abilities since then.

Katie: I hear ya there. I went a similar route (self published my first) and with the current novel I am writing, I want to try to get it published by a “real” publishing house, too! ;-) Here’s a fun question I wanted to throw in: If you could pick any historical figure from history to chat with, whom would it be and why? (Besides Jesus! ;-)

Ellyn: Definitely someone from the Revolutionary War period. Preferably John Paul Jones, that resilient sea captain of the Bonhomme Richard who said, “I have not yet begun to fight!” He sounds like a very inspiring guy. (And probably handsome, too.) He would probably be able to help with the mechanics of Seaspear, since it has a lot of sea battles.

Edward Speleers as Kiann

Katie: Haha, yes, handsome of course! ;-) Do you like to read as much as you like to write? Who is your favorite author?

Ellyn: Yes, I do! I love a story that will draw me in and transport me to a different place. My favorite book series is The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. I hate sounding like a giddy fangirl, but the books are unspeakably good. The emotions of the characters are so gritty and excruciating and intense that I can’t help but hold my breath as I read. I laughed, I cried…

I also love the Leviathan trilogy by Scott Westerfeld and I got to meet him (Westerfeld) last fall. That was a great experience! Other authors I enjoy are Patricia McKillip, Shannon Hale, Catherine Fisher, Stephanie Morrill, and Kenneth Oppel. I love the classics, too, especially Little Women.

I followed your lead, Katie, and started reading The River of Time series. Even though I have only read the first book so far, I’m really enjoying it.

Katie: Oh, great! The River of Time series is AWESOME!! Enjoy! Anything else about writing, yourself, or your books you’d like to add? Where can people find you?

Ellyn: You can find me / contact me through several places.

I check my email (very) often and I always appreciate questions / comments / whatever. Don’t be afraid to ask whatever you like. I’m very friendly, really. ellyn(at)gibbscorner(dot)com.

You can also find me on my writing club’s blog. We call ourselves the Inkblots. (http://inkblotswritinglog.blogspot.com)

I also have a book review blog though I have sadly neglected it. I’ll try to get on that. (http://booktrapper.blogspot.com),

If you want to order a copy of Torn Heart for yourself, it’s only $9.99 and you can find it on Amazon and also my Createspace store, here (https://www.createspace.com/3509189).

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Ann Gabhart has completely surprised and delighted me! (Revell)

2012-02-20T07:00:00.001-06:00

Before diving into today's Revell book tour, I have a winner to announce. (These are always so much fun!!) Regina Jennings giveaway for a copy of Sixty Acres and a Bride ended last night and I have selected a winner. And that person is...

* Sierra B *

Congratulations, Sierra!! I will be sending you an email sometime today to get your mailing address. If, however, you see this before I email you...feel free to send me your address. :-)

About the Author:

Ann H. Gabhart grew up on a farm in Kentucky. By the time she was ten years old she knew she wanted to be a writer. She's published twenty novels in several different genres and one non-fiction biography/memoir. She and her husband, Darrell have three children and nine grandchildren. She still lives on a farm and keeps on writing.

Her Shaker books have been popular with readers and are set in a Shaker Village in the 1800's. The Outsider was a Christian Fiction Book Award Finalist in 2009. She's also written a series of books about a preacher and his daughter in small town America (the fictional town of Hollyhill, KY) set in the 1960's. Her new book, Angel Sister, has a 1930's setting.

Visit Ann's website http://annhgabhart.com.

About the Book:

Adriane Darcy was practically raised in her father's newspaper offices. She can't imagine life without the clatter of the press and the push to be first to write the news that matters. Their Tribune is the leading paper in Louisville in 1855. Then Blake Garrett, a brash young editor from the North with a controversial new style of reporting, takes over failing competitor the Herald, and the battle for readers gets fierce.

When Adriane and Blake meet at a benefit tea, their surprising mutual attraction is hard to ignore. Still, Blake is the enemy, and Adriane is engaged to the son of a powerful businessman who holds the keys to the Tribune's future. Blake will stop at almost nothing to get the story—and the girl. Can he do both before it's too late?

Set against the volatile backdrop of political and civil unrest in 1850s Louisville, this exciting story of love and loyalty will hold readers in its grip until the very last page. Bestselling author Ann H. Gabhart once again delivers an enthralling and enduring tale for her loyal and ever-expanding fan base.

My Review:

Oh my goodness, what a beautiful historical fiction that will completely keep you on your toes! I’ve read two of Ann Gabhart’s books in the past, and thought I knew the kind of fiction she writes. But she completely surprised—and delighted—me with Words Spoken True. I wasn’t expecting this historical to be so...suspenseful!! I stayed up late into the night, unable to stop reading.

Adriane is a very strong heroine that I liked from the very first scene—when she snuck away in the middle of the night to get the scoop on a murder. Her desire to do the right thing, to obey her father, and to make her father proud of her work really brought her to life. Oh, and I really grew to like Blake! I love the go-getter nature that drove him! And Blake and Adriane’s verbal battles were so hilarious!

All that said, there are a few scenes that would keep me from recommending this to younger readers. There are a few intimate scenes between husband and wife, and then there's a bedroom scene when newlyweds consummating their marriage (the husband helping his wife undress and then taking in her beauty). The scene doesn't cut off when they actually consummate it, but the author skips over the actual act. Depending on the reader, this might be okay or not.

The story starts off at a good pace, and consistently builds tension as the story progresses until, at a little over half way, I was reading as fast as I could to find out what would happen next. There was even a little mystery over a serial killer known as the "river slasher" that added a neat mix into the story. When I reached the end of this book and read the last page...I immediately knew this book would go on my favorites shelf! What a historical read!

Available February 2012 from your favorite seller of Revell Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

I reviewed this book for Revell. It was not required that I give a positive review, but solely to express my own thoughts and opinions of this book, which I have done.

A good beginning to a series...with a major cliffhanger! (Book Review)

2012-02-18T08:00:00.001-06:00

About the Book...

The Guardian Duke is award-winning novelist Jamie Carie’s most exciting story yet, a uniquely arranged Regency-era romantic adventure where hero and heroine know each other through written letters but have yet to meet.

Gabriel, the Duke of St. Easton, is ordered by the King to take guardianship over Lady Alexandria Featherstone whose parents are presumed dead after failing to return from a high profile treasure hunt. But Alexandria ignores this royal reassignment, believing her parents are still alive and duly following clues that may lead to their whereabouts. Gabriel, pressured by what are actually the King’s ulterior motives, pursues her across windswept England and the rolling green hills of Ireland but is always one step behind.

When they do meet, the search for earthly treasure will pale in comparison to what God has planned for both of them.

My Review...

Jamie Carie has captured my attention once again with her newest release, The Guardian Duke. This first book in her A Forgotten Castle series will have you traveling across countries as Lady Alexandria is determined to find her parents…and Gabriel, the Duke of St. Easton, is just as determined to find her.

Both Alexandria and Gabriel make for unique and endearing characters. Gabriel especially. He captured my attention from the very beginning and I always looked forward to reading one of his scenes. With all of the problems he is constantly facing—and now having to be a guardian to a young woman who is anything but compliant—had me cheering him on throughout the book.

I confess I didn’t like Alexandria as much. She seemed…ditsy, almost, in the way she went about things. I don’t know, but it got on my nerves a little. Montague was really cool, though! I loved how he just swooped into Alexandria’s path like a guardian angel and protects her along her journey.

The first half of The Guardian Duke was a little slow going, but not terribly so. But be forewarned—there is a major cliffhanger at the end of this book. I am anxiously awaiting the next book in this series, I can tell you! What will Gabriel and Alexandria go through next??

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Spend less on your pets, yet still give them the best!

2012-02-17T16:18:00.001-06:00

Do you have a pet? Dog, cat, hamster...doesn't matter what kind of animal it is, because I'm just talking about the expenses it takes to keep a pet. Doesn't matter how big or little it is, it cost something to keep it healthy, happy, and well-fed. Right?

Well, I say "right"! My family has a large dog -- a part red bone hound (a hunting dog). We got him as a cute, small little puppy and named him "Rusty" because of his rusty color. He was so adorable then...and now he's grown into a giant of a dog. Though, rest assured, we still love the big Lazy Bones (a nickname, since he'd rather lay in the sun all day then chase squirrels), it is a lot to keep him fed(as I'm sure you can imagine)!

Even though the prize of good food for your pet can be pricy, it doesn't have to be expensive for you! Take Purina, for example--that's a great brand when it comes to dog or cat food. But for some people, the price is just outside of their budget. Well, having a coupon handy is one way to cut back on spending! And, if you know where to look, it doesn't have to be hard to track down those elusive coupons, either.

There's a website called Frugal Dad. Ever heard of it? No? Then I suggest you go check it out...like, today! (It's a pretty popular site that's been featured at places like Daily Finances, The New York times, and Business Insider)

Just to give you a quick idea of what this place is ..... Frugal Dad is a website focused on bringing you "Insight on money, career, and coupons". Frugal Dad has also published a short ebook called The 7-Day Turnaround: One Week to Change Your Family's Financial Future. The website is really neat, with lots of things to read and learn about. I encourage you to take time to explore.

But! Getting back on track now! Frugal Dad has a page dedicated to letting you know about Purina coupons. Yeah, they do!! So before you had off to the store to purchase some more chow for your pet...stop by their post, Purina Coupon Code, and see if there are any new coupons out that you can use and save money!!!

And don't be discouraged if there aren't any coupons there when you first check -- bookmark this page and check back often, as they update often!

Singleton’s writing will get your attention from chapter one! (PUYB)

2012-02-17T07:00:00.001-06:00

The Author:

Born and raised in Philadelphia, the Howard University graduate embraced the written word at an early age. She credits this to her loving, older sister whom, while they were youngsters, made the author eat lotion on a regular basis. Realizing the need to sound-out the ingredients on the lotion label, Alicia stopped the lotion-eating practice, but continued to read the labels of the concoctions her sister brought for her to try. This early necessity to read flowered to a passion; hence, a writer was born.

The award winning author resides in Maryland with her wonderful husband and son. Still an avid reader, label or otherwise, Alicia is hard at work completing her next suspense novel. Her latest book is the suspense novel, Dark Side of Valor. Visit Alicia’s website at www.aliciasingleton.com.

Official Tour Page

The Book:

Child advocate Lelia Freeman saves children for a living. As the director of ChildSafe Shelters, she ventures to abandoned squats and crackhouses to rescue teens from the hellish streets of Los Angeles. When she is summoned to Washington to serve on a committee that aids the children of a war-torn African nation, Lelia is kidnapped and becomes a political pawn in a sinister conspiracy. Oceans away from everything she knows, she must trust a mercenary to save her life, or die in the clutches of a psychopath.

Hunting, combat and staying alive are Elijah Dune’s specialties. Vengeance is his passion. Haunted by past demons, he’s travels to the Motherland to collect a debt. A debt that demands one payment. Death.

Caught in the crosshairs of a madman, Lelia and Elijah must survive the jungles of Zaire and the horrors of their pasts or be forever consumed by the Dark Side of Valor.

My Review:

The title of this book—The Dark Side of Valor—intrigued me. It almost sounded like a contradiction or something…but Alicia Singleton shows otherwise! Many times, in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds, there is a necessary dark side to being the courageous hero.

Singleton knows how to write suspense! Her style grips the readers, pulling them right into the scene—the moment—and will have them holding their breath. The story plot has many rough characters, as Lelia fights to get out of the hood she was born into and live a better life. It wasn’t hard for me, as the reader, to cheer this young, strong woman on in the face of so many difficulties.

All that said, there was a lot of things I didn’t really like about the book. In the first chapter there were about ten curse words, and they were considerably sprinkled throughout the book—cr*p, h*ll, *ss, and bi*** to name a few. A woman is thoroughly frisked and then ordered, at knife-point, to take off her clothes. She resists, but ends up complying. Nothing is physically done to the woman, besides humiliating her. There are several heated and descriptive kisses and the attraction between two characters is very physical.

Because of the things mentioned above, I wouldn’t recommend this, personally. And I won’t be rereading it. If you are a mature adult who is okay with a lot of rough cuss words and adult content, then this suspense-filled book might be right up your alley. Singleton’s writing will get your attention from chapter one and keep you near-breathless till the very end.

I reviewed this book for Pump Up Your Book. It was not required that I give a positive review, but solely to express my own thoughts and opinions of this book, which I have done.

Book Trailer:

The story of Ruth with a Texan twist! (Book Review)

2012-02-16T07:00:00.000-06:00

Those of you who entered my Follower Love Giveaway Hop, it's time to listen up! Yep, I've picked a winner. And she is...

* Kathryn Hubbard *

Congratulations, Kathryn! For anyone who is interested, she said that if she won, she'd probably select a book for her daughter. How sweet! :-) I will be sending you an email later, Kathryn, with instructions on how to pick your book from PBS. Thanks to everyone who entered in the giveaway.

Oh, and be sure to check out the giveaways that are still going on! Regina Jennings debut book (Sixty Acres & a Bride) and Cathy Gohlke's newest (Promise Me This).

About the Book...

With nothing to their names, young widow Rosa Garner and her mother-in-law return to their Texas family ranch. Only now the county is demanding back taxes and the women have just three months to pay.

Though facing eviction, Rosa falls in love with the countryside and the wonderful extended family who want only her best. They welcome her vivacious spirit and try to help her navigate puzzling American customs. She can't help but stand out, though, and her beauty captures attention. Where some offer help with dangerous strings attached, only one man seems honorable. But when Weston Garner, still grieving his own lost love, is unprepared to give his heart, Rosa must decide to what lengths she will go to save her future.

My Review...

I admit that when I reached the end of Sixty Acres and a Bride I sighed…because I wasn’t ready to leave these characters! So many things about this debut book by Regina Jennings really drew me in.

I really liked the Mexican heroine! And the fact that Rosa is so ignorant of the way a “proper” lady should act. It made for quite a few humorous moments! Rosa was so sweet natured and hard-working, you can’t help but love her. Just like Ruth, she is filled with an intense desire to provide for Louise. Weston’s desire to protect and care for his family made him a very likeable hero, too—not to mention a very handsome one!

When Rosa (like Ruth) goes to Weston in the barn, she slips into the bed with him and (unlike Ruth) curls up against his chest. Now, I understood how this wasn’t supposed to be exactly like the story of Ruth, but just thought to mention this, since they do embrace each other in bed before they’re married. Though, of course, nothing else happens!

My favorite—favorite!—scene was when Rosa does the Mexican dance and afterwards when Weston stops it and follows her. Wowza, did I laugh when Weston realized what he did! While in the last few chapters I seriously wanted to slap the two upside the head with frustration, Sixty Acres and a Bride was a wonderful read from start to finish. I can’t wait to read more by this very talented author!

I reviewed this book for the author. It was not required that I give a positive review, but solely to express my own thoughts and opinions of this book, which I have done.

Eason's next book can't come out fast enough! (Revell)

2012-02-15T07:00:00.002-06:00

About the Author

Lynette Eason is the author of several romantic suspense novels, including Too Close to Home, Don't Look Back, and A Killer Among Us. She is a member of American Fiction Christian Writers and Romance Writers of America. A homeschooling mother of two, she has a master's degree in education from Converse College. She lives in South Carolina.

Check out her website - Lynette Eason / Infinite Suspense

About the Book

After a brush with death due to equipment failure, smokejumper Alexia Allen is ordered to take time off while the incident is under investigation. She makes a last-minute decision to recuperate at her mother's home and attend her high school reunion. Yet trouble seems to be following her, and within hours of arriving home she is confronted with murder, arson--and a handsome detective.

But the conflicts ahead are nothing compared to the ghosts of her past. As she struggles to accept and forgive her family's past, she must also decide if the secret she's been guarding for the last ten years must finally come to light.

Chock-full of the suspense and romantic tension you've come to expect from Lynette Eason, When the Smoke Clears is the explosive first book in the Deadly Reunions series.

My Review

When the Smoke Clears is a great beginning to a new series by Lynette Eason—instantly, your thrust into the action as Alexia finds herself inside of a burning house, searching for a child, when her air runs out. What a way to grab the reader’s attention!

I was so excited when I saw Serena Hopkins (a character from The Women of Justice series) was a friend of the main character, Alexia Allen. While she was the only familiar name, I thought it was too cool that Eason kept something from her previous series. And just like the characters from that series captured your heart, so will the ones in When the Smoke Clears. Alexia is strong and seemingly independent…at least, she’s had to be independent her whole life. But when Hunter comes into her life, she finds out that she doesn’t have to shoulder all the burdens alone.

There was one thing that I had a bit of a problem with. When Hunter gets shot, once he has it bandaged up, there is only one other mention made of it after that. It just kinda felt weird that afterwards, as he’s working on the case and protecting Alexia…he never really thinks of it again.

The flow of the story was great, always jumping from one tense-filled, near-death experience to the next! Eason doesn't give the reader rest as the story increases in suspense with every page! And what a cliffhanger you get at the end! I am on pins and needles to see who this mysterious man is who wants Jillian so badly. And now he's after Serena!! Eason's next book can't come out fast enough!

Available February 2012 from your favorite seller of Revell Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

I reviewed this book for Revell. It was not required that I give a positive review, but solely to express my own thoughts and opinions of this book, which I have done.

It's Valentine's Day! And let's welcome Cathy Gohlke! (Interview & Giveaway)

2012-02-14T07:00:00.000-06:00

What do y'all think of the "creative" blog post titles? Or did you like it when I simply had "Author Interview and Giveaway - (name)" and "Book Review - (title)"? I began thinking up fun titles at the beginning of this year, but haven't decided if I like it or not. I'd love to hear y'alls thoughts on it.

Do you like the new way I do it? Or not?

Katie: Cathy, welcome to Legacy of a Writer! To begin with, can you tell us a little about yourself?

Cathy: I’m delighted to join you this Valentine’s Day, Katie—a perfect day to talk about the love story found in Promise Me This.

I’m wife of 29 years to Dan, mother to Elisabeth (who was my inspiration for Annie in Promise Me This), mother-in-law to Tim (who was my inspiration for Michael), and mother to Daniel—my globetrotting son who inspires me all the time.

I love reading, writing, gardens, campfires, trying new recipes, riding my bike on flat roads on sunny days, and hands on ministry. I love research—especially travel and investigating things and places that time forgot. Most of all I love our Lord, and am daily delighted by His all pursuing love, his amazing grace.

Katie: How neat that your daughter and her husband inspired the characters in Promise Me This. Speaking of your newest book, where did you get the idea for it?

Cathy: I’ve always been fascinated by Titanic—certainly the romance of the era and the magnificence of the “ship of dreams” that sailed 100 years ago, but especially by the people who sailed on her maiden voyage—the passengers, and those employed by the White Star Line. I’ve wondered about the hopes and dreams cut short that fateful night, and about those who survived—how did they go on with their lives knowing they’d been miraculously, magnanimously saved when so many died around them?

The first time I saw a copy of the ship’s manifest, I saw a gardener listed, Owen George Allum, third class, who’d sailed from Southampton, England. He reminded me of my great-grandfather, who emigrated from London just a few years before. Unable to find work as the gold leaf artist he was, he embraced a long time passion for gardening, becoming a master gardener for a wealthy Buffalo family, and developed new strains of flowers.

From these two real people, the character Owen Allen was born, and I wrote a short story, “The Legacy of Owen Allen,” which eventually grew into the full length novel, Promise Me This.

Katie: Wow, that’s amazing!

Cathy: Yes! But the most exciting thing is that Owen’s story aboard Titanic presented the perfect opportunity to paint a picture of Christ’s love story to the world—one man offers life, a home, hope and a future to others while sacrificing himself.

When Michael promises to care for Owen’s family in America and his sister, Annie, in England, it is also a picture of our response to Christ’s charge to “love one another.” As the story unfolds we see how Michael, while carrying out this charge, becomes more like Owen. In the same way, as we’re obedient to Christ and allow ourselves to be mentored by Him, we become more like our Lord. Christ’s love story for the world is the most exciting and enduring love story of all.

Katie: I couldn’t agree more! So if Promise Me This was turned into a movie, which actors do you think would best portray who you imagined for your main characters, Michael and Annie? Can you describe a few main physical features that they have?

Jeremy Irvine as Michael

Cathy: Rachel MacAdams, who is a wonderful character actress, would make a great Annie. Taylor Swift has Annie’s looks and is, perhaps, more Annie’s age. In the book, Annie has long honey blond hair with eyes the color of deep blue lobelia (flowers)—almost violet. She is slim, but strong enough to endure the hardships of WWI nursing at the battle of Verdun. In the last scene Michael looks up and recognizes her smile—“two dimples calling his name.”

Jeremy Irvine (of War Horse) would make an excellent Michael. In the book, Michael has thick and curly black hair, blue eyes and dimples. By the end of the book he’s grown into a tall, broad shouldered and handsome man.

Katie: Ohhh, Jeremy Irvines and Taylor Swift make for a cute couple, IMO! What are you writing right now? Any upcoming releases we should keep our eye out for?

Cathy: This week I’m finishing revisions for Band of Sisters, which will release from Tyndale House Publishers in September 2012.

Band of Sisters is the story of two Irish sisters, desperate to escape an abusive English landlord, who flee to America in 1910 only to find themselves helplessly drawn into a web of human trafficking, beginning at Ellis Island.

Help comes from a band of Christian women and a sting operation initiated by two good men who ask themselves what Jesus would do to rescue and restore these women and women like them.

Band of Sisters is born of a passion to end modern-day slavery—which is worse today than at anytime in history—and to offer healing, acceptance and hope to women who have been victimized. Most of all, it is to ask, what can I do to help in a need so desperate?

Katie: Anything else about writing, yourself, or your books you’d like to add? Where can readers find out more about your books?

Taylor Swift as Annie

Cathy: Writing is how I make sense of the world, how I explore the questions of life that stir my soul and keep me awake at night. It’s an opportunity to share with others the stories that God lays on my heart as I explore those questions with Him. Often, as I write, He is more clearly revealed to me. It’s a journey of discovery, one that I love to share.

Thank you so much for inviting me to visit, Katie. I wish you the very best in your own writing journey!

I’d love for readers to visit me at www.cathygohlke.com. My website is currently under reconstruction to include photographs, discussion questions, recipes of characters, etc., from Promise Me This, so be sure to stop by again in a couple of weeks for new offerings.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

We have the couple from 'Frantic' with us today! (Character Interview)

2012-02-13T07:00:00.000-06:00

So remember during my 2nd year blogiversary, I had a bunch of character interviews featured throughout that week? Well, it was so much fun and seemed such a hit with y'all, I've decided to do it once a month here on Legacy of a Writer. No giveaway, just a fun, sit-down chat with the authors of a book I choose. (If you have a book in mind that you'd love to read a character interview on, let me know!)

For the month of February, I have Mike Dellosso and his newest release (Feb 7th), Frantic. Have you seen this book around? If you haven't, you need to read my review, and then go check it out on Amazon right now!! If you like suspenseful, creepy, and edge-of-your-seat, you need to read this book!

Okay, enough from me. Here's the interview between Marny (hero of the story) and Esther (one of the victims Marny valiantly tries to save. She's the older sister of William, a sweet little boy with extraordinary gifts.)

Katie: Good morning, Marny, Esther. I’m thrilled you both could make it here today. Would y’all like to introduce yourselves to the readers here today?

Marny: Hey, I’m Marnin Toogood. Marny for short (or Mahny if you live in Maine). I know, it’s a weird name, but I’ve had it my whole life so I’m pretty used to it. I was supposed to be named Mitchell, not much better if you ask me. On the night I was born it rained buckets and water bombs and my grandfather said it was an omen, that a dark cloud would follow me around the rest of my life. So my mother named me Marnin which means “one who brings joy.” Can’t say I brought joy to too many people, though. Mostly I brought death. Until I met Esther . . .

Esther: Hi, I’m Esther Rose. Not much to say about me except that I’ve only had four men in my life. My brother William, my father Harold, my “uncle” Gary, and Marny. William is special, he has a unique gift that none of us fully understands but he’s adorable and sweet and for so long was the center of my universe. I’d do anything for him. Marny is my hero. He doesn’t see it that way but he is. They both are a world better than the other two. Harold wanted to kill William and me and Gary wanted to kill Marny. They both wanted to kill each other. I know, it’s complicated . . . and messed up in so many ways.

Katie: Yeah, sounds very complicated! (Those of you reading…if you wanna know exactly what she means by all that—read the book! ;-) This question is for both of you—If you used one word to describe your personality, what would that be?

Marny: Pessimistic

Esther: Optimistic

Katie: Haha, wow, talk about opposites! :-) Why would you use that word, Marny? Esther? Can you elaborate on your personality a little bit more now?

Marny: I’ve had a storm cloud of death following me around my whole life. I’m responsible for numerous untimely deaths just because of my presence. I live in a studio apartment above an old auto mechanic’s garage, alone. What’s there to be positive about? Things just haven’t seemed to work out too well for me or anyone who gets involved with me. That is, until I met Esther and William . . .

Esther: I try to see the best in everyone and every circumstance. God can still work even when the darkness is at its darkest. My little brother taught me that. He showed me that there is light at the end of every dark hallway, freedom to be found in every captivity. You just have to trust and have a little faith. I knew Marny was a hero the first time I saw him at that gas station. I saw it in his eyes and found it in his soul. I was right, too.

Katie: So what are your goals in life, Marny?

Marny: Well, for one, I never want to get shot again. William told me to say that. Two times is quite enough. Two, I just want to live a peaceful life, no more death , no more cupola-making maniacs, no more freaky houses. I want to work hard, love life, and keep those rain clouds far away.

Katie: Haha, I agree with you both—getting shot at twice is two times too many! Esther, what about you? Got an goals for your life?

Esther: Well, I’ll be spending the next several years raising my little brother. After that, I’d like to go to college, maybe study biology. Oh, I’d also like to never be chased through the woods again . . . and I’ll probably never give blood during any Red Cross blood drive.

Katie: I don’t blame you on not wanting to give blood—I’d be really scared, too, after all you went through! Now, not to give away anything in the book, Frantic, but do either of you realize your goal or does God show you a different path for you to take?

Marny: I think I speak for both of us when I say we understand his role for us and the path we are to take as it plays out before us. If there’s one thing we learned it’s that no one knows what tomorrow holds, or in our case, what the next second holds. Faith is trusting that God knows what’s best. It’s not about us and our goals and what we want; it’s about what He wants for us and being okay with that. Esther already knew all that; I learned it the hard way.

Katie: Wow, you summed it up beautifully, Marny! After going through all your adventures in Frantic, I’m curious what you have learned through your experience. Any words of wisdom to share Marny? Esther?

Esther: The Christian walk is about faith, not in ourselves or our own abilities, but in God. He still works miracles, I’ve seen them and live with one ever day. Make that two. My two heroes. One is an eleven-year-old kid with cerebral palsy, the other is a guy who has no idea how much of a hero he really is. But God can take anyone and make him or her a hero.

Marny: Listen to that still small voice in your heart. Even if it seems like it doesn’t make sense and goes against everything you’ve ever known. Oh, and try really hard to avoid getting shot. It really is no fun at all.

Katie: Haha, Marny! That last one is good advice—one I’ll be sure to keep in mind. It doesn’t sound too fun… Well, thank you both so much for doing this fun interview with me. The best to you two as you raise William and realize your dreams!

Well, how'd you like the interview? Leave your thoughts/reactions/comments below---Marny, Esther, and I would love to hear from y'all!

What a sacrifice these First Responders give! (PUYB)

2012-02-10T08:20:00.000-06:00

Remember how I mentioned yesterday that Casey featured me on her blog, Operation Encourage an Author? Well, today, she posted an excerpt from my novelette, A Time to Love!!!! If you've been trying to decide if my writing is any good or you'd be at all interested in the story....go read the excerpt and judge for yourself!!

The Author:

With more than 3,000,000 copies of her books in circulation, best-selling author Loree Lough’s titles earn 4- and 5-star reviews and industry/reader’s choice awards. She has received nearly 10,000 letters from fans who write to say she’s “a gifted writer whose stories touch hearts and change lives.” Her 9/11 series, First Responders (From Ashes to Honor, Honor Redeemed, A Man of Honor) is no exception, and it’s raising awareness and funds for organizations that assist soldiers and first responders, and their families. (For more information about these worthy groups, visit http://www.loreelough.com)

The Book:

Highly skilled Search and Rescue (SAR) team leader, Honor Mackenzie, works almost as hard at guarding the dark secrets of her past as she does when training SAR dogs. As for widowed Sun reporter Matt Phillips, not even his former SAR work is as important as protecting his ten-year-old twin boys.

When a jumbo jet crashes outside Baltimore one cold night, their respective jobs put them face-to-face at the grisly scene--and force Matt and Honor to reconsider the difficult decisions that resulted in their long-standing "single forever" status.

As Matt tries to come to terms with his feelings for Honor, he gets word that she hasn’t reported in since starting the search for a missing child. Reverting to his SAR training, Matt leads the search team as a vicious winter storm bears down on the area. Will he find her in time? And if he does, will they find their way back to each other or go back to living life alone?

My Review:

Loree Lough has written over 70 books…but Honor Redeemed is the first one I’ve read by her. And I really enjoyed it! Honor’s job of being part of a Search and Rescue team, and her and Matt’s relationship to other First Responders, really intrigued me. What a sacrifice these people give—just to ensure that people in need have help as fast as humanly possible. Wow!

Out of the two main characters—Honor and Matt—I liked Matt the best. His witty comments and dialog were just so humorous, I chuckled aloud a few times. And his heroic desire to protect—rightfully earning him the nickname “Defender”—made his character really come alive. And Lough did a great job with Matt’s twins, too. Those boys were something else!

In the first chapter there are two uses of the word “Oh my ***”. Later on, it is used two more times, along with "Oh good L***". This really took me by surprise, for a Christian book to take the Lord’s name in vain, and I admit I was uneasy about what else the book would contain. However, there weren't any other other curse words to be found in the rest of the book…I just really wished they hadn't been there in the first place.

The back of the book felt like it was stretching this about the actual book...the book seemed a lot more slow-paced then what the synopsis eluded to. And the end of the book felt a bit sudden—like everything happened at once, and then there wasn't complete closure. But since this is a series, maybe things will wrap up in the next addition. And while I haven’t read the first book in the First Responder series, I never felt lost or confused about characters or events—Honor Redeemed does very well as a stand-alone novel. I have the first book on my Kindle, and know I will be picking it up sometime in the near future to read more about these character's history.

I reviewed this book for Abingdon Press Fiction via Pump Up Your Book. It was not required that I give a positive review, but solely to express my own thoughts and opinions of this book, which I have done.

Book Trailer:

A creative mix of just about every genre! (FIRST Wild Card)

2012-02-09T07:30:00.004-06:00

Before we get into today's post, I just have a few lil' bits of news to share with y'all. First, Casey featured me over on Operation Encourage an Author yesterday. If you have a few minutes, stop by, read about why I wrote a historical fiction novelette, and leave a comment. I'd love to hear from ya

Next...yesterday I found out that Jill Williamson wrote a review (and post it on Amazon!) for my novelette, A Time to Love!! Too cool, eh?? I thought so -- it totally made my day and just had to share that with y'all. :-)

And, finally, I have a winner to announce! For Jill Williamson's book, Replication. Rafflecopter and Random.org have spoken, and the winner is....

Deborah (thebookishdame@...)

Congratulations, girl! Be haunting your inbox...I'll be sending you an email later on today. :-)

Today's Wild Card author is:

Suzanne Hartmann

and the book:

Peril (Fast Track Thriller #1)

OakTara (November 18, 2011)

Special thanks to Suzanne Hartmann for sending me a review copy.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Suzanne Hartmann is a homeschool mom of three and lives in the St. Louis area. When not homeschooling or writing, she enjoys scrapbooking, reading, and Bible study. PERIL: Fast Track Thriller #1 is her debut novel.

On the editorial side, Suzanne is a contributing editor with Port Yonder Press and operates the Write This Way Critique Service. She has consolidated her popular Top 10 series of articles about the craft of writing into an easy-to-understand guide titled Write This Way: Take Your Writing to a New Level, which leads the new writer through the process of writing and revising a novel.

Visit the author's website.

Visit the author's blog.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

A top secret agent with enhanced strength must use her extraordinary abilites during several high-profile assingments when she escorts the first Muslim king to turn to the Christian faith to the White House and a NASCAR track. when unwanted publicity threatens to expose her, she herself becomes a terrorist target, with danger surroundingher on all sides.

"Plenty of action and unexpected twists."

Foreword by Jimmy Makar, GM of Joe Gibbs Racing

Product Details:
List Price: $16.95
Paperback: 232 pages
Publisher: OakTara (November 18, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1602903069
ISBN-13: 978-1602903067

MY REVIEW:

It’s got suspense, action, a bit of romance, and—most important—lots of Peril! With an interesting mix of a sci-fi, this book by Suzanne Hartmann covers many genres and is sure to please many readers.

In the first scene you are introduced to Lady Anne, who’s at the capitol to escort a King Ahmad—a Muslim converted to Christianity. Even with extraordinary abilities, this job is anything but easy. And when Stuart witnesses her bizarre stunts, he begins to sniff around. Her cover is threatened to be exposed. Terrorists are now targeting Lady Anne—they want her out of the way. Now not only is her life at stake…but also her husband and children’s lives.

While there is plenty of action to keep this book rolling, there were too many instances of implausibility to keep me fully engaged in the story. I don’t want to say much without giving away any crucial scenes, but suffice to say that I felt there were many times when Lady Anne “accidentally” showed her super-strength…she could’ve done something else that wouldn’t require giving away her cover. This annoyed me, personally, as a read through the book.

I am not a big NASCAR fan, so much of the racing terms and whatnot went right over my head (not that I was paying close attention to it, though). The romance was very minimal, and really intrigued me because of the complexity of it. I didn’t like how it ended—I really grew to liked Neil, but his future was so uncertain at the close of the book! Good thing that Peril: Fast Track Thriller is the first in a series. Fans of this book are going to be keeping a sharp eye out for the rest of the books on Lady Anne and Stuart!

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

The moment Lady Anne stepped out of the Mashkoori embassy, the Washington, DC heat hit her like a wall. The humidity wrapped itself around her like a blanket, heightening the tension writhing in her stomach like a dozen slithering serpents. Only minutes from now she would enter the White House, where Husam-Jabbar threatened an attempt on the life of King Ahmad, her companion for the day.

Placing a hand on the arm King Ahmad held out for her, she firmly pushed her misgivings aside. Premonition or not, she had a job to do.

While she settled herself near the king in the rear of the second of two stretch Hummers, two of his personal bodyguards took up positions by the driver’s compartment. She brushed a neatly manicured finger against a miniscule earbud as she tucked a stray strand of curly blond hair into her elegant updo. The wallet-shaped wireless device in her purse would pick up the chatter between the Secret Service agents at the White House. Knowing she would hear if they spotted any danger eased some of the tension that had been building all morning. But would the well-respected agency live up to its reputation and stop the planned assassination attempt against the king, or would she need to display her enhanced strength to protect her charge?

She glanced at the king. Did he know the terrorist group had announced their intentions on the Arab television network Al Jazeera earlier this morning?

“Are you ready, my lady?” Something about the glint in the older man’s sea-green eyes and the set of his jaw told her he was prepared for whatever might come today, whether he’d heard the latest news or not. Perhaps he’d become used to the constant threat. After all, every Muslim terrorist group in existence had pledged to kill the first Arabic king to convert to Christianity.

“Of course, Your Majesty. This isn’t the first time I’ve served as a bodyguard.”

The king opened a cabinet that hid a wet bar and refrigerator, pulled out a long-stemmed glass, and poured himself some water. He waved a hand toward the cabinet. “Please help yourself.”

Grateful for something to focus on, Lady Anne followed the king’s lead. A sip of the water’s coolness washed clarity into her thinking, as though it were a dose of fresh confidence. If this had been a normal assignment, her veins would have pulsed with restrained energy at a reason to unleash her enhanced strength.

But nothing about this mission was normal. And if she had to use her abilities today, it would be under the watchful eyes of the media. The power the media held to expose her secrets sent a shiver up her spine. But it was far too late to back down now.

A rap on the glass behind the driver’s compartment brought her thoughts back to her surroundings. The thin, beardless guard nodded to his bearded partner. In sync, they pulled out twin S&Ws and aimed them at King Ahmad.

Lady Anne’s hand shook, spilling water onto the floor. She tapped the king’s arm to warn him. Were the intelligence reports wrong about the attack? Perhaps Husam-Jabbar had intentionally mislead them.

The thin guard slid down the long leather seat lining the driver’s side and came to a stop directly across from King Ahmad. He straightened his back, raised his chin, and addressed the ling in Arabic. Although Lady Anne couldn’t understand the words, the gleam in his eyes radiated pride and determination, not hatred.

King Ahmad looked down his long nose at the guard. “You are rude, Kalil, to speak Arabic in front of my guest. Will you condemn her to death without even the benefit of knowing why?”

Kalil wrinkled his nose at Lady Anne as though she were a piece of distasteful garbage, then nodded. “I will grant the wish of a dying man.” He pulled his shoulders back and seemed to take on the role of a judge. “King Ahmad, you have defiled both yourself and Mashkoor by turning to the blasphemous practices of Christianity. According to Hadith 9:57, it is my duty to kill you.”

“Kalil, my trusted guardian.” King Ahmad spread his arms in front of him. “Since when have you taken the requirements of the Koran to heart?” Only a glance at the weapon in Kalil’s hand betrayed any hint of anxiety. “Why, only last week you told me you looked forward to this trip so you could restock your liquor supply.”

Kalil lowered his eyes, “It is to my shame that I have not lived according to the Koran—a Muslim in name only.”

Lady Anne leaned forward. Her muscles twitched, anxious to attack while the man’s guard was lowered. But the bearded guard remained alert by the far door, his Ruger still pointed toward the king. The time was not yet right. She ran a finger around the lip of her glass and sifted through possible scenarios.

Kalil lifted his eyes, now full of resolve. “When you turned your back on Islam, Your Majesty, I realized how much our Muslim heritage had shaped and formed the nation and people of Mashkoor. I called out to Allah and begged his forgiveness.”

“So you joined Husam-Jabbar and pledged to kill the leader of your beloved country?” asked King Ahmad. “How noble of you.”

Kalil lifted his chin a notch higher. “I did not need them. Plenty of people were willing to help me gain the supplies I needed. No, I do this because Allah promised to use me to restore Islam to the kingship.” He pounded his free hand on his chest. “He offered me, who ignored him all these years, a way not only to shift the balance of the scales to weigh in my favor but guaranteed my entrance into martyr’s paradise.” He bowed from the waist. “I must thank you for—”

Lady Anne’s brain screamed, Now! She flung her glass down the length of the vehicle toward the bearded guard.

The foot of the long stem slammed into the man’s forehead. He slumped back against the window. His gun clattered to the floor amid pieces of broken glass.

Kalil jerked his head up and shifted his aim toward Lady Anne.

With a wide sweep of her arm, she backhanded the gun, which fired as she hit his hand. The bullet went wide as the gun flew down the length of the limousine. The window it struck shattered but didn’t break.

King Ahmad leapt out of his seat and tackled Kalil. He threw his full weight against the guard’s chest, then pressed a forearm against his neck.

Lady Anne retrieved Kalil’s Ruger and pointed the weapon at its owner. When the king released the guard, she handed him the pistol and unbuckled the guard’s belt. Once she pulled it out, she rolled Kalil facedown on the seat and tied his hands together.

In the quiet, the electric whir from the front of the limousine sounded loud. She glanced toward Kalil’s partner, who had slid to his side. No threat there. But the glass between the compartments had lowered.

The driver called out in Arabic, and Kalil answered.

King Ahmad pulled up hard on Kalil’s hog-tied arms. “What do you mean by ‘Arm it now’?” The king’s pale eyes blazed. At Kalil’s laughter, the king yanked harder on the man’s arms.

“Your efforts are for nothing,” Kalil spoke through clenched teeth. “We will enter paradise—”

King Ahmad rolled the guard to his back. “What do you mean?”

“If my arms were free, I would show you what is under my shirt.” Kalil shrugged. “But since I cannot…”

Lady Anne ripped open the shirt and ignored the buttons flying in her face. Her attention riveted on the square of gray, clay-like substance strapped to his chest. Wires protruded from it and connected the bomb to a small rectangular case next to the explosive. A red light blinked steadily on the front of the case.

A grin spread across Kalil’s face. “You see, you have not won. Yasir wears one as well, and he has already armed both of them. When he drives through the White House gate, he will push the detonator, which will give him just enough time to pull in front of the dignitaries and take out not only you but also President Hedge.”

Lady Anne held back a gasp. This was a twist no one had anticipated, but she had no way to warn anyone. Now she carried not only the burden of King Ahmad’s safety, but also the president of the United States.

Options flitted through her head as she glanced out the windows. Traffic and pedestrians passed by the historic buildings on their way to work. Too much collateral damage if she took out the driver now and he managed to detonate the bombs.

She studied the Hummer in front of them. Was the rest of the king’s entourage in on the plot? Surely not. The king had supposedly discharged all close advisors who would not support his change in religion. That meant the first Hummer would have to unload its passengers, then move on before the bombs detonated. She prayed she was right.

A low whir sounded again. The driver had raised the window between them. She’d missed her chance to shoot him while it had been lowered.

As they approached Pennsylvania, Lady Anne pictured the area surrounding the White House. Wide-open space free of people, with few buildings nearby. A plan of action formed in her mind. “Once we are on White House grounds,” she whispered to King Ahmad, “wait until I give the word, then jump out of the car.”

The king opened his mouth as if to reject her instructions.

“Someone must warn the Secret Service that the welcoming party is in danger.”

His gaze remained on her for another long moment, then he nodded and handed her the pistol.

“Sit by the door and be ready,” she told him. As he rose, she glanced toward the front of the vehicle. The bearded guard still lay unconscious on the floor.

Suddenly King Ahmad slammed hard into her and landed in her lap. Her head smacked against the window, and she dropped the gun.

Kalil pulled back from where he’d head-butted the king. Before Lady Anne could extricate herself, Kalil rammed King Ahmad in the stomach again.

Lady Anne pushed the king to the side and rose to face Kalil as he prepared another assault. She brought up both hands, balled into fists. They connected with his chin, and bone crunched against bone.

Eyes wide, Kalil flew backwards against a window. His head smacked the rim with a dull thud. He let out a whimper before he landed on the seat, unconscious.

The Hummers pulled to a stop before two military guards standing in front of a line of four-foot-tall posts extending from a small gatehouse. After one of them spoke with the driver of the first vehicle, the posts sunk into the ground, and the stretch Hummer drove over them.

As their vehicle followed, the king reached for a door, but Lady Anne held him back. “There are too many people nearby. We must go through one more gate before we will enter wide-open spaces.”

Moments later, the first Hummer slowed as it approached a gate in the tall wrought-iron fence that surrounded the White House. The vehicle pulled through as the gate swung open.

Once their Hummer entered the fenced area, Lady Anne released the king. “Now, Your Majesty. You will be safe here.”

King Ahmad held his stomach where Kalil had hit him but scrambled to the door. Jerking the handle, he tumbled out as the Hummer passed through the gate.

Discover past loves and losses between the pages (Litfuse)

2012-02-08T07:30:00.001-06:00

For those of you who are interested in my writings...I was interview on the Homeschool Author blog by Sarah. I've offered a kindle copy of my novelette, A Time to Love as a giveaway. One of the commenters will win a copy. So! If you've been curious to read my historical fiction...now's your chance!!

Go HERE for a chance to win A Time to Love

About the Author:

Nicole Seitz is the author of several critically acclaimed novels - The Inheritance of Beauty, Saving Cicadas, A Hundred Years of Happiness, Trouble the Water, and The Spirit of Sweetgrass. She is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's School of Journalism, and also has a degree in Illustration from Savannah College of Art & Design. Her paintings are featured on the covers of her books. For more information, visit her at...

- @NicoleSeitz

- Facebook

- www.nicoleseitz.com

About the Book:

Having traveled to the ends of the earth as a flight attendant, Ally Green has finally returned to the Lowcountry to bury her father as well as the past. But Vesey Washington is still living across the creek, and theirs is a complicated relationship—he was once her best friend . . . and also part of the reason she’s stayed away so long. When Ally discovers a message her father left behind asking her to quit running, it seems her past isn’t through with her yet.

As Ally’s wandering spirit wrestles with a deep longing to flee again, a young woman on the other side of the world escapes her life of slavery in the rock quarries of Nepal. A mysterious sketchbook leads Sunila Kunari to believe there’s more to her story than she’s ever been told, and she’s determined to follow the truth wherever it leads her.

A deep current intertwines the lives of these three souls, and a destiny of freedom, faith, and friendship awaits them all on the banks of Molasses Creek.

My Review:

Beyond Molasses Creek is a very emotional, touching story of two women’s lives that are suddenly brought together through extraordinary circumstances. I’ve never read anything by Nicole Seitz, so wasn’t sure what to expect when entering into this book. While I didn’t get into the story, it’s probably because this isn’t my normal genre.

The people within Beyond Molasses Creek--people like Ally, Vasey, Sunila…they all came together to create a very memorable cast. I thought they all were very realistic…until the ending. Ally tells Sunila something that seemed very out-of-character.

The writing style was well done...vivid and emotion filled. Nicole Seitz did a great job on this—bringing the deep passion and emotions onto the page. There were a few times she wrote her action scenes in a very confusing way. But, eventually later on in the book, clarification would come and I'd understand what had just taken place. :-)

A woman has a baby outside of marriage, but no details are given as to the affair. As I mentioned, I wasn’t drawn into this book as much as I’d like, but I am sure that other fans of Seitz would love this newest release. If you want a book that explores past loves and losses and that goes deep into the characters feelings, Beyond Molasses Creek is a book to check out!

I reviewed this book for OakTara via Litfuse. It was not required that I give a positive review, but solely to express my own thoughts and opinions of this book, which I have done.

Check out what others are saying about this book!

More about the Fabulous Friendship Facebook Party

Nicole has woven a large story about faith, friendship and unexpected journeys. One reviewer has said that Beyond Molasses Creek is "a little like Eat, Pray, Love meets The Help".

Intrigued? Read the book and join us at the "Friendship" Facebook Party!

Join Nicole and friends on the evening of February 16th for a Facebook Author Chat Party. She'll be talking about Beyond Molasses Creek, throwing out some trivia and giving away great prizes - including a Kindle Touch, some of her beautiful artwork and a Book Club Prize Pack (10 copies for your book club/small group and a SKYPE chat with Nicole)!

RSVP today!

Mark your calendar for 2/16/12 {5PM PST / 8PM EST} and come by for an evening of bookchat, making new friends and story sharing.

Today we sit down with debut author Regina Jennings (Interview & Giveaway)

2012-02-07T09:30:00.002-06:00

Before we dive into today's interview I wanted to (1) make sure you know about the Follower Love Giveaway Hop I posted last night and (2) announce some winners. Yay, this is always a lot of fun! :-)

The winner of my 200 follower giveaway is...

Amber S (stokes.a@...)

The winner of Irene Hannon's Fatal Judgment is...

Cynthia (cynthiakchow@...)

And, last but not least, the winner of Irene Hannon's upcoming release Seaside Reunion is...

MissKallie (misskallie2000@...)

Congratulations to the winners!! And now, let's dive into today's interview. Keep reading to find out how you could enter to win a book from this debut author!

Good morning, Regina! So glad you could be on Legacy of a Writer today! To begin with, can you tell us a little about yourself?

Thanks for having me, Katie. I am new to writing, although I did study English in college and have always read like I was starving for words. During college I married my high school sweetie and we are raising our four kids in Oklahoma. We homeschool and we travel with Pa Jennings’ job frequently. School on the road is common for us.

Y'all homeschool? How cool! I was homeschooled as well. Awesome experience! :-) What was your journey to publication like? How long did you write before you were published?

God knows my impatience, so He didn’t make me wait long. I’d never tried writing a novel before because of the commitment it took. What if it wasn’t any good and I’d wasted all that time? But in 2010 I couldn’t put it off any longer so my New Year’s Resolution was to write a book. I started page 1 on January 1^st and wrote The End in May. I spent the summer revising and learning from critique partners so it’d be ready for conference. That September at the ACFW Conference my editor appointment resulted in a 3-book contract before the year was over. Now I’m playing catch-up trying to learn the publishing ropes.

You finished the first draft in about 5 months? And got a contract later that same year? W-o-w!!! That's totally awesome! How do you get the inspiration for your debut novel, Sixty Acres and a Bride?

I was writing a Ruth and Boaz skit for a church production and had big plans for it—secondary characters, subplots, and a love story that didn’t get ironed out until they’d been married for a spell. Right as the dialogue started to jell I found out that the skit could only be fifteen minutes long. Bummer. By then I couldn’t let go of these characters until I’d heard their story.

Yeah, I can imagine! Looking back over the writing process of Sixty Acres and a Bride, what's your favorite scene in the story?

That’s easy. My favorite scene was the dance scene. When I started to plot Sixty Acres that scene appeared crystal clear—even before I wrote the first page. Rosa and Weston’s strong reactions to each other during the dance and the confrontation afterwards taught me much about their characters. Before that scene was on paper, I didn’t know them very well, but their struggle through that section revealed who they were and who they wanted to be.

MINE TOO!!!! That scene was awesome--I was seriously holding my breath throughout that dance and the confrontation after. What was the hardest scene to write?

Hmmm… I’m trying not to give too much away here, but it’d be the scene when Louise sends Rosa on her midnight errand. Louise is a proper lady and wouldn’t approve of her own suggestion. Showing her desperation and the vagueness that set up the disaster was a balancing act.

Sorry if that question was a bit hard to answer. But, yes, I can see how that would be hard. After Louise coming across as so prim and proper, it was a big twist to see her desperation take over good sense. What message(s) do you want to be clear to your readers in your debut?

If you married him, appreciate him.

Jaci Velasquez as Rosa

That's a good one! :-D If Sixty Acres and a Bride was turned into a movie, which actors do you think would best portray who you imagined for your main characters, Weston and Rosa? Can you describe a few main physical features that they have?

Weston is a mature man with dark hair and dark eyes. He wears authority easily, but isn’t as confident as he once was. Jim Caviezel would be an excellent Weston.

As for Rosa, although I’ve never seen her act in a movie, I think Jaci Velasquez would be perfect. She’s got that spark, that vitality that characterizes Rosa.

Those two would make a good-looking couple on screen! Awesome picks! Do you have any other books in the making? Can you give us a lil’ sneak peek of what it’s going to be about?

We are staying in Caldwell County for the next book so we can watch as Molly Lovelace struggles against her parents’ expectations and her own misguided sense of adventure to find lasting love.

Oh, goodie!! I have been curious what happens to poor, love-sick Molly. :-) Here’s a fun question I wanted to throw in: If you could pick any historical figure from history to chat with, whom would it be and why? (Besides Jesus! ;-)

If I could just spend time with a person I’d probably benefit the most from a visit with George Mueller. Mr. Mueller provided for over 10,000 orphans during his lifetime and he never asked anyone but God for help. When they were low on funds, he would pray. He wouldn’t accept pledges or a consistent income, but insisted that people give when they felt led. Mr. Mueller never shared his needs with anyone but God, and his needs were always met. I’d love to be able to talk to that man.

James Caviezel as Weston

I remember the first time I read about George Mueller--what a courageous man of God! Do you like to read as much as you like to write? Who is your favorite author?

I much prefer reading to writing. I even like editing, but that first draft is a booger. And I’m not very faithful to follow a particular author, but I really like The Chronicles of the Kings series by Lynn Austin and The Mark of the Lion series by Francine Rivers.

I haven't read either of those series, but Voice in the Wind is sitting in my TBR pile right now! :-) What are two things that people wouldn't normally know about you as a writer and or person?

I would rather go to the dentist than go to the mall. I really hate shopping, especially for clothes. Another secret is that I’ve spent a day in a Mexican prison. You may infer what you will from that.

Oh wow, really? I can't stand the dentist!! :-P Where can people find you?

Please visit my website at www.reginajennings.com and comment so I can get to know you. I’m also at www.facebook.com/ReginaLJennings and twitter.com/#!/ReginaJennings

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Join in on this fun Follower Love Giveaway Hop!

2012-02-06T20:03:00.000-06:00

Welcome to my very first giveaway blog hop. I've never done one of these (but have wanted to!) so am really excited to be participating in the Follower Love Giveaway Hop hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and co-hosted by Rachael Renee Anderson.

So let's hope right into it. What am I giving away? Y'all ever hear of PaperBackSwap? Well, if not, go check it out because I am giving away one credit the winner can spend on that website. Make sure you explore the site and see what books are available before entering the giveaway---the book you have in mind might not be available on PBS right now.

Rafflecopter will be helping me keep track of this giveaway, so go ahead and enter below! You have to complete the first mandatory entry in order to unlock the rest of the extra entries! ;-)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

You finished? Awesome! Well, that's about it. If you want a chance to win some other books from Christian authors, check out my sidebar -- if I have any giveaways currently running, I leave a link towards the top! And, hey, if you like my blog, I hope you'll consider following. I always have giveaways, reviews, and other fun bookworm-related things going on.

Oh, and don't forget to check out all the other blogs in this hop -- there are over 300 blogs participating. That's a LOT of chances to win a lot of stuff!! ;-)

Follower Love Giveaway Hop (links)

My first Sawyer book...and I really liked it (CFBA Tour)

2012-02-06T07:27:00.000-06:00

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Song of My Heart Bethany House (February 1, 2012) by Kim Vogel Sawyer

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kim Vogel Sawyer is the author of fifteen novels, including several CBA and ECPA bestsellers. Her books have won the ACFW Book of the Year Award, the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, and the Inspirational Readers Choice Award. Kim is active in her church, where she leads women's fellowship and participates in both voice and bell choirs. In her spare time, she enjoys drama, quilting, and calligraphy. Kim and her husband, Don, reside in central Kansas, and have three daughters and numerous grandchildren.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Sadie Wagner has always been devoted to her family. So when her stepfather is injured and can't work, she decides to leave home and accept a position as a clerk at the mercantile in Goldtree, Kansas. Goldtree also offers the opportunity to use her God-given singing talent--though the promised opera house is far different from what she imagined. With her family needing every cent she can provide, Sadie will do anything to keep her job.

Thad McKane comes to Goldtree at the request of the town council. The town has been plagued by bootlegging operations, and Thad believes he can find the culprit. After he earns enough money doing sheriff work, he wants to use it to pay for his training to become a minister.

Thad is immediately attracted to the beautiful singer who performs in Asa Baxter's unusual opera house, but when he hears her practicing bawdy tunes, he begins to wonder if she's far less innocent than she seems. And when Sadie appears to be part of the very crimes he's come to investigate, is there any hope the love blossoming between them will survive?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Song of My Heart, go HERE.

MY REVIEW:

While I have several of Kim Vogel Sawyer’s books in various levels on my to-be-read pile, her newest release, Song of My Heart, is the first one I’ve read. And it was great—the characters, the story plot, the writing style…it all pulled me deep into the story.

Sadie Wagner came across as a very sweet tempered, gentle, loving girl. Within the first chapter, I was intrigued with her, springing easily to the next chapter to see what would happen to Sadie as she began her new job away from home. And, of course, Thad McKane made the perfect hero to complete this story as the reluctant Sheriff. Can’t help but like him!

Song of My Heart weaves in a very intricate and unique plot—complete with underhand dealings, blackmail, illegal liquor, and guilty consciences. And the way Sadie was coerced into wearing the revealing gown and singing those bawdy songs…I was holding my breath for Sadie!

I really liked Sawyer’s writing style. It drew me in, putting me right into the little town of Goldtree. And her characters—wow, how much fun they all were. Melva and Shelva were a hoot!

Sometimes, when authors jump between a bunch of character point-of-views, it can get confusing. But Saywer pulls it off no problem in Song of My Heart! I know for a fact that I’m more eager to open her other books in my to-be-read pile. And definitely keeping an eye out for her future books!

I reviewed this book for the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance. Thanks to the publishers, Bethany House, for sending me my review copy. It was not required that I give a positive review, but solely to express my own thoughts and opinions of this book, which I have done.

A journey of healing, suspense, and mystery (Litfuse)

2012-02-03T07:00:00.003-06:00

About the Author:

Sue Duffy is an award-winning writer whose work has appeared in Moody Magazine, The Presbyterian Journal, Sunday Digest, and The Christian Reader. She is the author of Mortal Wounds (Barbour, 2001) and Fatal Loyalty (Kregel, 2010). Sue has also contributed to Stories for a Woman’s Heart (Multnomah). She and her husband, Mike, have three grown children.

Find out more at www.sueduffybooks.com.

About the Book:

After losing everyone she loves, concert pianist Liesl Bower has nowhere to go but to escape into her music. Searching for the peace she usually finds in her concertos and sonatas, Liesl can’t shake the feeling that she is being haunted by her past . . . and by someone following her. When she spots a familiar and eerie face in the audience of a concert she’s giving for the president in Washington, DC, the scariest day of her life comes back to her with a flash. It has been fifteen years since Liesl watched her beloved Harvard music mentor assaulted on a dark night in Moscow and just as long since the CIA disclosed to her that he’d been spying for Russia. She had seen that man--that eerie face--the night Professor Devoe was attacked. And now he’s back--and coming for her.

On the run and struggling to rely on the protection of CIA agent Ava Mullins and handsome newspaper reporter Cade O’Brien, Liesl learns she is the prey of an underground cell of Russian KGB agents determined to restore their country to its former Soviet might. But what she doesn’t know is that she is in possession of something--a piece of sheet music--that Russian intelligence is now frantic to find. Inside that music is a secret code, the hidden transcriptions of her deceased mentor, that clearly identify a Russian mole operating inside Israel’s Department of Defense, a mole with enough power and access to execute a daring assassination that no one would see coming.

Caught in a deadly conflict between American and Russian undercover agents, this innocent young pianist is just trying to survive her own personal trauma. Through it all, Liesl must learn that no matter how dark her world grows or how fiercely her enemies pursue her, God is still in control--if only she can yield herself to His grace. Read an excerpt here: http://www.sueduffybooks.com/#!vstc1=books

My Review:

The Sound of Red Returning takes on a very interesting angle to the war—15 years after it ended. Liesl’s harrowing adventures come back to haunt her when she suddenly becomes a target of former KGB agents and the CIA. Pretty cool opening to this story, isn’t it?

Liesl seemed a bit extreme at times, but besides that, she was a likeable character that is sure to intrigue the readers. I liked Cade right off! And Ian, his grandfather. The camaraderie the two of them had was so humorous, it really added to the story.

The Sound of Red Returning opens with Liesl seeing the man who murdered a close friend in the audience during a performance. And from there on, things keep moving. There is one mention of a wife cheating on a husband—he catches them in the act—but not too much detail is given.

The mystery/suspense was a bit confusing at times and, honestly, I was lost in a few places. But I kept pushing ahead and it all came to a very satisfying conclusion. There was suspense, a bit of mystery, and a journey of healing hurts and redemption.

I reviewed this book for OakTara via Litfuse. It was not required that I give a positive review, but solely to express my own thoughts and opinions of this book, which I have done.

Check out what others are saying about this book!

Win a Kindle Fire from @SueDuffy2 and @KregelBooks in the "Red Returning" Giveaway!

Sue Duffy and her publisher, Kregel Publications, are celebrating the release of The Sound of Red Returning by giving away a Kindle Fire prize package worth over $200 to one lucky winner!!!! (1/23-2/11)

Enter the Sue Duffy’s Giveaway today and you could win:

* A brand new Kindle Fire with Wi-Fi
* The Sound of Red Returning (Book One in the Red Returning series) by Sue Duffy

To enter click one of the icons below. But, hurry! The giveway ends on 2/11. Sue will be announcing the winner of the “Red Returning” Giveaway on February 13th on the Litfuse website!

Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning.

Back on Murder packs a mystery to keep you engaged (Book Review)

2012-02-01T07:00:00.000-06:00

About the Book...

Det. Roland March is a homicide cop on his way out. But when he's the only one at a crime scene to find evidence of a missing female victim, he's given one last chance to prove himself. Before he can crack the case, he's transferred to a new one that has grabbed the spotlight--the disappearance of a famous Houston evangelist's teen daughter.

With the help of a youth pastor with a guilty conscience who navigates the world of church and faith, March is determined to find the missing girls while proving he's still one of Houston's best detectives.

My Review...

Back on Murder is J. Mark Bertrand’s debut novel and the first in the Roland March Mysteries. It’s been a while since I’ve read a good mystery that really engaged me and kept me guessing, but Back on Murder did just that!

Roland March makes for a very fleshed out, believable guy. He’s ‘on the way out’ when the book first begins, and watching him fight and work to get ‘back on murder’ was neat, really showing the reader his true character through difficulties. And not only do we get to know him through his work, but at home as well, with his relationship with his wife.

Bertrand’s writing was excellent. His use of first person in the present tense was very unique—I don’t think I’ve ever read it before. But he pulled it off excellently and it was a nice change of pace, something different, then what I’ve been reading. Made it stand out for me, and in a good way.

Roland doesn’t profess to be a Christian, but through the course of Back on Murder, he has the chance to meet quite a few, including a co-worker. The spiritual elements in this book were very strong, but not in a bad way. Bertrand wove it into the storyplot so seamlessly. I never thought it was preachy, just up-front-honest encounters that any non-Christian today might have.

From start to finish, Back on Murder was a very delightful read. While this isn’t a very suspenseful read, I didn’t have a problem being pulled along by the plot and characters. Excellent mystery—very intricate and complex. The final scene, when all is uncovered, was very well done. Very moving, which surprised me—in a good way! I will certainly be reading future books by Bertrand in the Roland March Mysteries!

I reviewed this book for Bethany House Publishers. Thanks to Jim for sending me a review copy. It was not required that I give a positive review, but solely to express my own thoughts and opinions of this book, which I have done.

Let's take a look at my Month in Review! (January 2012)

2012-01-31T07:00:00.002-06:00

The first month of 2012 is over. As you all know, it's time for my "Month in Review" post. I got this idea from Crystal over at Just Another Book Lovin' Girl. Thank you bunches, Crystal, for letting me join in!

Many of the book titles or interviews are linked. If you see it highlighted, you can click on it to go and read the review, blog tour, or interview that I did, just in case you missed it when I originally posted.

~ Legacy of a Writer's Month in Review - January ~

Books I Read:

The Maid of Fairbourne Hall - Julie Klassen
The Accidental Bride - Denise Hunter
Paradise Valley - Dale Cramer
The Captive Heart - Dale Cramer
His Steadfast Love - Golden Parsons
Head in the Clouds - Karen Witemeyer
Wolfsbane - Ronie Kendig (Reread!)
Firethorn - Ronie Kendig
What He Must Be if He Wants to Marry My Daughter - Voddie Baucham
Chasing Mona Lisa - Tricia Goyer & Mike Yorkey
Mockingjay - Suzanne Collins
Replication - Jill Williamson
The Last Thing I Remember - Andrew Klavan
The Sound of Red Returning - Sue Duffy
Sixty Acres and a Bride - Regina Jennings

Author Interviews Done:

Irene Hannon - Fatal Judgment (Still open!)

Reviews Posted:

The Maid of Fairbourne Hall - Julie Klassen
Unlawfully Wedded Bride - Noelle Marchand
The Accidental Bride - Denise Hunter
Paradise Valley - Dale Cramer
The Captive Heart - Dale Cramer
His Steadfast Love - Golden Parsons
Shadowed in Silk - Christine Lindsay
Firethorn - Ronie Kendig
Chasing Mona Lisa - Tricia Goyer & Mike Yorkey
Replication - Jill Williamson

Blog Tours Participated In:

CFBA - The Maid of Fairbourne Hall
FIRST Wild Card Tour - The Accidental Bride
CFBA - The Captive Heart
CFBA - His Steadfast Love
FIRST Wild Card Tour - Firethorn

Litfuse - Chasing Mona Lisa
TNT - Replication

Special Events/Posts:

- I celebrated by second year of blogging this month. While all the giveaways are over, you can still go back over and read the character interviews I did. (All were LOTS of fun!) Day 1, Ransome's Quest - Day 2, A Lasting Impression - Day 3, A Tailor-Made Bride - Day 4, Wolfsbane - Day 5, Bathsheba & Torrent.

- I was awarded the Irresistibly Sweet blog award by Lisa Bergren. What an honor!
- The first post for the Contentment Reading Challenge was last week. Check it out for hints about what is coming up this year...and to give an update on where you are in the challenge!
- I hit 200 followers last Saturday, and celebrated with a giveaway. which is still going on!! Stop by and check it out!

Favorite Book of the Month:

I'm not going to count reread books (since if I did, it'd be Wolfsbane) but for this month I am tied between two books for my favorite. So I'm going to go ahead and name them both. One is Ronie Kendig's Firethorn and the other is Regina Jennings Sixty Acres and a Bride. Both were a-maz-ing!!!!

Well, there you have it. That's what took place for me (book-wise) for the month of December. How about you? What books did you read this month?

Intriguing and completely compelling!! (TNT Blog Tour)

2012-01-30T07:00:00.000-06:00

About the Author:

Jill Williamson is a novelist, dreamer, and believer. Growing up in Alaska led to a love of books, and in 2010 her first novel, By Darkness Hid, won the Christy Award. She loves working with teenagers and gives writing workshops at libraries, schools, camps, and churches. Jill lives in Oregon with her husband and two children. Visit Jill online at www.jillwilliamson.com.

About Replication:

Martyr---otherwise known as Jason 3:3---is one of hundreds of clones kept in a remote facility called Jason Farms. Told that he has been created to save humanity, Martyr has just one wish before he is scheduled to 'expire' in less than a month. To see the sky. Abby Goyer may have just moved to Alaska, but she has a feeling something strange is going on at the farm where her father works. But even this smart, confident girl could never have imagined what lies beneath a simple barn. Or what would happen when a mysterious boy shows up at her door, asking about the stars. As the reality of the Jason Experiment comes to light, Martyr is caught between two futures---the one for which he was produced and the one Abby believes God created him to have. Time is running out, and Martyr must decide if a life with Abby is worth leaving everything he's ever known.

Curious what YOUR expiration date is? Find out at What's Your Expiration Date!!

Want to continue having fun with Jill Williamson and Replication? Check out the fun website she set up -- www.replicationbook.com.

My Review:

I am not a very big fan of fantasy, sci-fi, or paranormal books. In fact, the majority of books I’ve read in these genres, I didn’t like. Not so with Jill Williamson and her newest book, Replication! Taking the very interesting and touchy subject of human cloning, she spins a fantastic and gripping tale about Jason:3:3—nicknamed Martyr—and his desire to see the sky before he expires…in less than 30 days.

I really liked getting to know Abby in Replication. She seemed to have such a sweet personality, and yet she had such a “teenage-ish” feel with the way her scenes are written…they were all wonderfully done. And whenever a scene was written from Martyr’s perspective, it was so unique. The way he describes things he’s never seen—TV, runny eggs, a pregnant woman—was so innocently sweet—I even laughed at a few humorous moments.

Coupled with a great cast of characters, Williamson also created an intense and suspenseful plot that kept the reader on edge. Especially for the last half of the book—it just took off! Written for the YA genre, there wasn’t thing questionable within the book that younger teen readers might have a problem with it. And while Replication is in the YA genre, I think readers of all ages would enjoy this adventure!

If there’s one thing I love most in reading, is when the author can grab my attention from the beginning and never have a dull moment—and Jill Williamson did just that in Replication! I was riveted to the pages, intrigued by the characters, and completely lost in the suspense and action!

I reviewed this book for Team Novel Teen Blog Tour. Special thanks to the author for sending me a review copy. It was not required that I give a positive review, but solely to express my own thoughts and opinions of this book, which I have done.

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Team Novel Teen is a group of bloggers dedicated to spreading the word about clean teen fiction. Check out other posts about Replication by Jill Williamson by clicking on the links below, and check out www.jillwilliamson.com/novel-teen for more information about Team Novel Teen.

ADD Librarian • Audacious Reader • The Book Fae • Books I Recommend

Book Nook 4 You • Bookworm Reading • Christian Bookshelf Reviews • Fiction Fire

Gillian Adams • Jill Williamson • Kurly Katie's Ruminations • My Story Shelf

The Pen and Parchment • Rachelle Rea • SLY Games • Terri Harr

It's offical -- LoaW has 200 followers! Let's celebrate!!

2012-01-28T13:09:00.001-06:00

YIPEE!!!!! Y'all did it -- LoaW hit 200 followers sometime during the night. How exciting. :-)

Thank you all!!!!!!!

To show my appreciation (and total excitment!) I decided to do a giveaway to properly thank you. I have a few books (three total!!) to giveaway to one of my followers.

Now, officially, Legacy of a Writer has hit (and passed) 200 followers before...but because of that blog URL change I did back in August (I think it was), I had to start all over! So, yeah, I am really excited to have hit 200 once again. I couldn't do it without all of you -- both for following me and spreading the word about my blog.

So, let's dive right into the giveaway. I am going to be using Rafflecopter.com for this giveaway today. I've seen it around a lot, and have been wanting to try it out. I don't know if I will like it...but I went ahead and decided to use it this time.

Hey, I won't know unless I try, right??

What are the prizes? Well, see all the book covers I have placed throughout this post? Yep, those are the books that you could win. ALL of them!

Okay, enter away! And have fun! ;-)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

How did you like using Rafflecopter? If you like, feel free to leave my your thoughts in the comment section below!

Waking up strapped to a chair....yikes!! (Book Beginnings)

2012-01-27T07:00:00.001-06:00

I'm here today with another Book Beginnings!! For those of you interested in doing this for your blog, check out Katy's blog, A Few More Pages for details on what to include in the post!

For this week I'm using the first 100 words or so from a book I just finished last night. It's by Andrew Klavan and it's the first in his Homelanders series, The Last Thing I Remember. Let's dive right in!

Suddenly I woke up strapped to a chair.

"What...?" I whispered.

Dazed, I looked around me. I was in a room with a concrete floor and cinder block walls. A single bare lightbulb hung from a wire above me. Against the wall across from me was a set of white metal drawers. A tray was attached to it. There were instruments on the tray--awful instruments--blades and pincers and something that looked like a miniature wersion of those acetylene torches welders use. The instruments lay on a white cloth. The cloth was stained with blood.

My Thoughts: Wow, does this book open with a bang or what??? I read this...and didn't stop till the end of the chapter....well, I didn't stop till the end of the first several chapters! Doesn't that just instantly suck you into the moment?? What a freaky way to wake up!! I just finished this book last night and, wow, was this a great YA suspense that will keep you on your toes...the entire time!

I'd love to hear what's the first hundred words or so of your current read. Feel free to share in the comments! Are you liking the book so far? Was the first few lines enough to grip your attention? :-)

Rich historical detail on the liberation of France (Litfuse)

2012-01-26T07:00:00.005-06:00

Before jumping into today's post, be sure to take a peak at yesterdays. Especially if you are participating in this years Contentment Reading Challenge. It's the first update for 2012 and I've mentioned a few fun ideas I have in mind for the rest of the year. Don't miss out! :-)

About the Authors:

Tricia Goyer is the coauthor of The Swiss Courier as well as the author of many other books, including Night Song and Dawn of a Thousand Nights, both past winners of the ACFW's Book of the Year Award for Long Historical Romance. Goyer lives with her family in Arkansas. For more about Tricia and her other books visit...

www.triciagoyer.com

Mike Yorkey is the author or coauthor of dozens of books, including The Swiss Courier and the bestselling Every Man's Battle series. Married to a Swiss native, Yorkey lived in Switzerland for 18 months. He and his family currently reside in California. For more about Mike and his other books visit...

www.mikeyorkey.com

About the Book:

It is August 1944 and Paris is on the cusp of liberation. As the soldiers of the Third Reich flee the Allied advance, they ravage the country, stealing countless pieces of art. Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring will stop at nothing to claim the most valuable one of all, the Mona Lisa, as a post-war bargaining chip to get him to South America. Can Swiss OSS agents Gabi Mueller and Eric Hofstadler rescue DaVinci's masterpiece before it falls into German hands?

With nonstop action, Chasing Mona Lisa is sure to get readers' adrenaline pumping as they join the chase to save the most famous painting in the world. From war-ravaged Paris to a posh country chateau, the race is on--and the runners are playing for keeps.

Read an excerpt, watch a video and find out more here. http://www.triciagoyer.com/historicalfiction.html#ChasingMonaLisa

My Review:

Political intrigues and personal motives run high in a plot that surrounds the priceless painting, the Mona Lisa. The different Resistance groups in France has finally driven out the Germans from their beloved city. But the danger and adventure is far from over for four certain people. When Swiss spies, Eric and Gabi, learn that the Mona Lisa is in danger, they join up with Resistance member Bernard and art curator Colette and head off to get to the painting before the thief’s do!

Unfortunately, I just couldn’t warm to this book. Especially when it came to the characters—I just couldn’t really connect with them. They didn’t seem real to me. And the writing style turned me off a bit—there was too much telling and not enough showing.

The ending confused me a bit. Not with Eric and Gabi’s story, but with Bernard and Colette. Maybe I missed something, but when the end came…I was left wondering what, exactly, happened to those two.

While I wasn’t as enthralled with Chasing Mona Lisa as I’d like to with a book that says it’s an action/adventure, I did enjoy the read. Lots of history packed within these pages, to be sure! Tricia Goyer and Mike Yorkey weave really rich facts and dive deep into French art and how France was liberated from German control.

I reviewed this book for Revell via Litfuse. It was not required that I give a positive review, but solely to express my own thoughts and opinions of this book, which I have done.

Check out what others are saying about this book!

Win an iTouch SPY Pack in the Chasing Mona Lisa Giveaway from @triciagoyer @mikeyorkey!

Chasing Mona Lisa is the continuing tale of Gabi Mueller and Eric Hofstadler (first introduced in The Swiss Courier). This time the due are on a relentless quest to save the most famous painting in the world - the Mona Lisa. You can help Gabi and Eric with your very own spy pack when you enter The Chasing Mona Lisa Giveaway!

One passionate protector will receive:

iTouch (The must-have device for any spy. Camera, Maps & Music.)
Starbucks Gift Card (For all those late nights.)
Moleskin Notebook (For those important notes.)
Invisible Ink Pen (Don’t want anyone reading those important notes.)
Chasing Mona Lisa by Tricia Goyer & Mike Yorkey (Great handbook and intriguing tale for any spy-in-training!)

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends at noon on January 31st. The winner will be announced at the Chasing Mona Lisa Facebook Party on 1/31. Tricia and Mike will be hosting an author chat (on Facebook and Live from Tricia's website) and giving away their books and a Book Club prize pack! (Ten copies of the book for your small group or book club AND a LIVE Author Chat for your group with Tricia and Mike.)

So grab your copy of Chasing Mona Lisa and join Tricia and Mike on the evening of the 31st for an author chat, spy training (do you know how to pick a lock?) and lots of giveaways.

Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 31st!

The first Contentment Reading Challenge in 2012! (January)

2012-01-25T07:00:00.001-06:00

Well, today is the first post for the 2012 Contentment Reading Challenge that was originally started by Amber. I'm so excited about all the people who signed up to commit to it. If you haven't yet, but saw this and now want to, it's not too late to join up! Just go HERE to learn more about the challenge and how to participate.

While today y'all can give updates on how much you've reread, I also want to discuss some ideas with you and get your opinion.
I'll be doing monthly updates(towards the end of each month), to hear how ya'll are doing and to give my own book-count. But I also want these posts to be fun. :-) I'm putting together ideas, and below are some of them. Let me know which ones you like the best!

- Book swaps. Amber did these last year, and I thought I'd be fun to carry it on a few times this year.
- Giveaways. Maybe the one who reread the most books that months earns a prize--a book!
- Book Discussions. Pick a book many of us have read and we discuss it (if you have a book in mind, mention it in your comment!)
- CRC Interview. I select one person (who commented the previous month) to either showcase their blog (if they have one) or interview them about their favorite book they either reread or plan to reread.

Let me know which you like above--or if you've thought of something I haven't. I'm open to ideas. All I know for sure, is that I'd love this challenge to be fun. So anything creative you might've thought, feel free to share. Let's have a fun year with the Contentment Reading Challenge!!

So, back to business. How are y'all in the challenge? I've only reread one book this month, but, boy, was it an awesome book!! It was Ronie Kendig's Wolfsbane. The third book in her Discarded Heroes series. I loved it the first time through, and I loved it the second! (My review)

Well, this is a bit short. But, hey, we're just starting out here! :-) Make sure to join in and let me know what books you've reread so far and what fun things you would like to see during this challenge.

Talk to ya in the comments! :-)

Nancy

2012-01-24T17:00:00.002-06:00

Guest post of the week by Deangelo Spencer.

So a lot of people are critical of Nancy Grace’s show on HLN. I have been watching her ever since I got Direct TV. I know that she can be intense, but I actually really like her and think that she is a pretty smart woman. I was excited when I heard that she was going to be on “Dancing with the Stars”. Nancy is smart, but doesn’t seem really athletic or musically inclined, so I wasn’t sure how she was going to fare on the show. Much to my surprise, it is the sixth week and she is still on the show. She actually has been doing a great job. She started off a little rocky at first ( like everyone does) and now at the sixth week, she is actually doing a great job. She seems like she works really hard and is really dedicated to doing the best that she can do ( per her gung-ho personality). I haven’t actually voted for anyone on dancing with the stars, but I hope that Nancy hangs in there a little longer. She has a great attitude about it and is working really hard. We will have to see how things end up this season!

A chat with suspense author Irene Hannon (Interview & Giveaway)

2012-01-24T07:00:00.001-06:00

Before we get started, I have an announcement to make! Because there were complications with two of the winners I originally picked at the end of my blogiversary, I had to repick winners this morning and....

Julie (gravesok@...) won a copy of A Lasting Impression by Tamera Alexander

and Ali (Alibaby374@....) won a copy of Bathsheba by Jill Eileen Smith

Congratulations, ladies! If you see this before I email you, feel free to go ahead and send me your mailing addresses. Congrats again! Okay, now on to today's interview with Irene!

Irene, welcome to Legacy of a Writer! To begin with, can you tell us a little about yourself? When did you first know you wanted to be a writer? Who or what inspired you?

I truly believe writing is a gift, just like any other talent. I was born with it, and I honestly can’t remember a time when I wasn’t writing. In college, however, I got interested in psychology, so that was my major. But I also worked on the college newspaper, and when I graduated I decided to get a master’s degree in journalism. For many years I worked in corporate communications in a Fortune 500 company, juggling my day job with my fiction writing, but finally left the corporate world a few years ago to write novels full time. My freshman English teacher in high school really stoked my love of writing. She opened my eyes to the power of words, and I recently dedicated a book to her (Fatal Judgment).

Oh really? I’ll have to go peak inside my copy of Fatal Judgment and take a look. :-) How do you get the inspiration for your most recent book, Deadly Pursuit?

Deadly Pursuit is Book 2 in my Guardians of Justice series (though in all my series, each book can be read as a standalone novel; no plot elements carry over from book to book.). This series features three siblings involved in justice-related professions, two brothers and a sister, and this was the sister’s book. She is a very strong character who works in the children’s division of social services, and I wanted her to come up against a formidable challenge that she just might not be able to handle on her own, despite her independence. That set up some great conflict with her overprotective brothers, which adds a touch of levity to the book. I’ve also become very troubled by the victim mentality that seems so prevalent in our society today, and I wanted to address that issue.

Too neat! So what was your favorite part of the book?

I loved getting into the heads of some of the more unusual characters, and I also loved creating the wonderful family dynamic. The Taylor siblings are a strong, independent bunch who sometimes get on each other’s nerves, but underneath they are absolutely there for each other, and that deep connection and love provides a solid foundation in all their lives. So some of my favorite parts of the book involve the interchanges between the siblings.

Yes! I loved those parts! Who doesn’t want siblings that are there for you? The scenes when her brothers are doing all they can to protect her, or just the scenes when they’re there for her, were awesome. Loved ‘em! What was the hardest part to write?

This book delves into the destructive world of drugs, and my research took me places I never, ever want to visit in real life. Reading—and writing—about some of that was difficult.

Wow, I can only imagine! Is there a theme/message to this book? What do you hope your readers will get out of the story?

There are several, including the importance of taking responsibility for our own lives; the danger of the victim mentality; the blessing of strong family relationships; and the power of love to transform lives.

All of those came across well, and each in their own different way that really spoke to me, as the reader. Well done! If Deadly Pursuit was turned into a movie, which actors do you think would best portray what you imagined for your main characters, Mitch and Alison? Can you describe a few main physical features that they have?

I am SO not into current movies; I’ll have to pass on naming actors for the main characters. I can tell you that Alison has shoulder-length brown hair touched with gold, blue eyes and a radiant smile. Mitch is 6 foot, with dark brown hair and brown eyes. He’s a former Navy SEAL and still swims a lot, so he’s broad shouldered with a powerful chest. He also has an endearing cleft in his chin. :-)

Oh yes! That endearing cleft—can’t forget that! :-) Any upcoming releases we should keep our eye out for? What are you writing right now?

The final book in the Guardians of Justice series is Lethal Legacy. That will be out next summer. I’m now hard at work on my next suspense series, which features three ex-law-enforcement operatives who join forces to form a private investigation firm. They’re college buddies and their backgrounds include police detective, ATF undercover agent and Secret Service agent. Let’s just say they handle some very interesting cases!

Ohhhhh! That upcoming series sounds like it’s gunna be really awesome! Can’t wait! Here’s a fun question I wanted to throw in: If you could pick any historical figure from history to chat with, whom would it be and why?

No contest—Jesus. I would love to experience firsthand his charismatic personality, and there are lots of questions I’d like to ask.

Okay, I’ll letcha pass with that one—since I forgot to stick my “except Jesus” stipulation in there. :-) Do you like to read as much as you like to write? Who is your favorite author?

I LOVE to read. I just wish I had more time for it. Writing—and the business part of writing—eats up most of my days. I don’t have one favorite author, though; I read the work of many different writers.

I can imagine writing would take up much of your time! What are two things that people wouldn't normally know about you as a writer and or person?

I love to sing and act, and have performed in many community musical theater productions. I also love to spend time in my garden.

You sing and act? Too cool! Anything else about writing, yourself, or your books you’d like to add?

I would like say how thankful I am for the reception that readers have given my suspense books. After writing 26 contemporary romances, it was a leap of faith to branch into suspense, but wow…has it been worth it! All of my suspense books have made the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists, and they’ve won a RITA award (the “Oscar” of romantic fiction), a Daphne du Maurier award and an RT Book Reviews Reviewers’ Choice award. Plus, in December, Booklist (the journal of the American Library Association), named Deadly Pursuit one of the Top 10 Inspirational Fiction titles for 2011. It’s been an amazing ride!

After reading Fatal Judgment and Deadly Pursuit, I can’t imagine you not writing suspense! You do it so well, I can totally understand how you came to win all those awards. Awesome! Where can readers find out more about your books?

On my website, www.irenehannon.com. There are covers, blurbs and excerpts for all of my more recent books.

GIVEAWAY:

Okay, Irene has two books to give away to two special winners. One winner will receive a copy of her first book in the Guardians of Justice series, Fatal Judgement and another winner will receive a copy of her newest contemporary romance series, Starfish Bay, called Seaside Reunion. Awesome, Irene. Thank you!!

I have already had the privilege of reading some of Irene's books, the first two in the Guardian of Justice series -- Fatal Judgement and Deadly Pursuit. (Both were awesome, by the way!) The rules are the same as they've always been -- you must be a follower to enter and you must leave your email address. If you don't, your entry can't be counted. USA only, please.

Mandatory Entry:
Answer this question from Irene: What sort of story would you like me to write next? Is there a certain theme, or a certain area of law enforcement, that you think would make an especially appealing novel?

Extra Entries:
- Subscribe to this blog(+1)
- Tweet about this giveaway(+1 per tweet) Only one tweet per day. Leave a link.
- Post about this giveaway on your blog(+2)
- Comment on a review on Book Reviews by Lady Katy(+2 per comment) 2 reviews max, total of 4 extra entries

This giveaway closes on February 5th at midnight.

Ronie Kendig is at the top of her game with Firethorn! (FIRST Wild Card)

2012-01-23T07:00:00.001-06:00

Today's Wild Card author is:

Ronie Kendig

and the book:

Firethorn, Discarded Heroes #4

Barbour Books; Discarded Heroes edition (2012)

Special thanks to Ronie Kendig for sending me a review copy.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

An Army brat, Ronie Kendig grew up in the classic military family, with her father often TDY and her mother holding down the proverbial fort. Their family moved often, which left Ronie attending six schools by the time she’d entered fourth grade. Her only respite and “friends” during this time were the characters she created.

It was no surprise when she married a military veteran—her real-life hero—in June 1990. Married more than twenty years, Ronie and her husband, Brian, homeschool their four children, the first of whom graduated in 2011. Despite the craziness of life, Ronie finds balance and peace with her faith, family and their three dogs in Dallas, TX.

Ronie has a deep love and passion for people, especially hurting people, which is why she pursued and obtained a B.S. in Psychology from Liberty University. Ronie is an active member of the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and has volunteered extensively, serving in a variety of capacities from coordinator of a national contest to appointment assistant at the national annual conference.

Since launching onto the publishing scene in 2010, Ronie and her books have been gained critical acclaim and national attention, including:

Finalist in Christian Retailing’s 2011 Readers’ Choice Awards (Nightshade)

RWA’s Faith, Hope, & Love’s 2011 Inspirational Readers’ Choice Awards in Romantic Suspense (Nightshade)

Named one of the Top 25 Christian Fiction Suspense, Mystery, and Thriller Writers by FamilyFiction (Sept 2011)

2011 FamilyFiction Readers’ Choice Awards – 3rd place as New Favorite Author, 8th place with Nightshade for Novel of the Year.

INSPY Award Shortlist final in Mystery/Thriller (Dead Reckoning)

The Christian Manifesto’s 2010 Lime Award for Excellence in Christian Fiction (Nightshade)

Visit the author's website.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Blown and dismantled, Nightshade is ready to repay the favor.

Former Marine and current Nightshade team member Griffin "Legend" Riddell is comfortable. So comfortable he never sees the set up that lands him in a maximum security prison, charged with murder. How can he prove his innocence behind bars?

Covert operative Kazi Faron is tasked with reassembling Nightshade—the black ops team someone dissected. Breaking Griffin out of a federal penitentiary amid explosive confusion may turn out to be her last assignment. What will it take to convince the fugitive that whoever set him up has also dissected the Nightshade team? As Kazi and Griffin race to rescue the others and discover the traitor, love begins to awaken in their hearts.

Can a covert operative and the felon she's freed overcome their mutual distrust long enough to save Nightshade? Will anything prepare them for who—or what is coming?

Product Details:

List Price: $12.99

Paperback: 352 pages

Publisher: Barbour Books; Discarded Heroes edition (2012)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1602607850

ISBN-13: 978-1602607859

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

To all American military heroes

At home and abroad,

Those who have gone before

and those serving today—

THANK YOU!

Because of you, we are FREE!

RECON CREED

Realizing it is my choice and my choice alone to be a Reconnaissance Marine, I accept all challenges involved with this profession. Forever shall I strive to maintain the tremendous reputation of those who went before me.

Exceeding beyond the limitations set down by others shall be my goal. Sacrificing personal comforts and dedicating myself to the completion of the reconnaissance mission shall be my life. Physical fitness, mental attitude, and high ethics—The title of Recon Marine is my honor.

Conquering all obstacles, both large and small, I shall never quit. To quit, to surrender, to give up is to fail. To be a Recon Marine is to surpass failure; To overcome, to adapt and to do whatever it takes to complete the mission.

On the battlefield, as in all areas of life, I shall stand tall above the competition. Through professional pride, integrity, and teamwork, I shall be the example for all Marines to emulate.

Never shall I forget the principles I accepted to become a Recon Marine. Honor, Perseverance, Spirit, and Heart.

A Recon Marine can speak without saying a word and achieve what others can only imagine.

Swift, Silent, Deadly

Chapter 1

The Shack

“It’s sad, really.” Marshall “The Kid” Vaughn trudged away from the thumping rotors of the helo that had deposited them back at the Shack, his pack almost dragging the ground. “Ya don’t realize how much a person adds until he’s gone.”

“Legend’s not gone.” Max “Frogman” Jacobs hoisted his rucksack into a better group, his mind locked on Sydney and their two sons waiting for him at home. Poor woman had to be going out of her mind with two of his Mini-Me’s running around.

“Yeah.” John “Squirt” Dighton hit the light breaker, then waited for the six-man team to clear the door. “He’s just temporarily detained.”

Lights sizzled and popped to life. Groaning bounced off the grimy windows as he hauled the door closed, locked it, then started toward the showers.

The Kid grunted. “Forty-years-to-life temporary.”

In the locker room, a depressive gloom hung over the team. They’d been on countless missions, hit just about every terrain and environment imaginable, but none had taken the toll the last couple had. And there was one reason—they were down a man. Griffin “Legend” Riddell. If Max could write the playbook, they wouldn’t do another mission without the guy. But with the man in federal prison for murdering a congressman, it’d be a long wait.

It was quiet. Too quiet. Max looked around the Spartan room. Walls of lockers, most unused. A few benches. A giant once-white bin for dirty duds. And the team. Six men, now. All very skilled. Good men. Even the one missing. Every man here knew Legend had been set up—he didn’t murder that congressman. But nobody could prove it. The evidence was damning. Justice—injustice was more like it—came swiftly. Lambert, ever the puppeteer, couldn’t pull the right strings to get Legend off.

“I’m heading up to visit him tomorrow. Anyone game?” Colton “Cowboy” Neeley slumped on a bench and ran a hand over his short, dark hair. His blue eyes probed the group.

“Nah, man. I’ve got a date,” the Kid said.

Squirt beaned him with a towel. “What girl would go out with you, mate?”

The Kid snapped the terry cloth back at the former Navy SEAL. “Your sister.”

Squirt froze. His jaw went slack. Then his eyes darkened.

Laughing, Canyon “Midas” Metcalfe rose to his feet from the corner. “You just proved his point by thinking your sister would actually go out with him.”

Squirt swallowed, his face drained of color. “I introduced them at a New Year’s party.”

Midas laughed harder. “Your mistake, mate.”

Shuffling closer, Squirt pointed a finger at the Kid. “I swear, you touch her, I’ll shove a fist full of witchety grubs down your gullet.”

“Give me credit, dude.” The Kid raised his hands. “I’m a gentleman.”

Max grunted. “Right.” As he strode around the lockers to the shower well, he heard more threats and much more laughter from the Kid. Max shook his head. Would the Kid ever grow up, learn when to leave things alone?

As he tossed his oily, grimy duds on the bench, Max paused, thinking maybe he should send his report to Lambert now so he wouldn’t have to mess with it tomorrow. The mission had been simple enough, a snatch-n-grab of an Iranian doctor. It’d been nice and clean, in and out. The report wouldn’t take long. Then he could shower, bug out, and know he had the whole weekend with Syd and the boys.

Max jogged up the iron stairs, which creaked and groaned beneath his weight. Down the hall to the right. He punched in the code and entered the secure hub, the door hissing shut behind him. The most high-tech part of this dump-of-a-warehouse.

Shouts drew his attention to the blinds. He jabbed two fingers between a couple and spread them to peeked down into the main area. Squirt and the Kid raced into the bay and back the way they came. Squirt looked ready to kill. The Kid’s face revealed his fear. Max shook his head again. Man, he wanted Griffin back. The guy seemed to bring balance to the team. Badly needed balance.

Max powered up the computer. Hand propped on the warped wood, he waited for the system to boot.

More shouts. Loud thuds.

He pinched the bridge of his nose. Would they never—?

Tat-a-tat! Tat-tat-a-tat!

Instinct drove Max to his knee at the sound of gunfire. He scrambled to the window. Through the slanted blinds, he peered down into the slab of cement. His brain wouldn’t assemble what he saw. Gunmen. A dozen or more. Rushing into the Shack from the parking bay. Moving swiftly, as if. . .

They know the layout.

Max darted to the door and jerked it open. He sprinted down the hall toward the stairs. As his boot hit steel, he froze. A shadow emerged. Floated into the hall.

Too late.

Max jerked back. Pressed his spine against the wall.

By the showers, the Kid looked up. Max signaled to him. Then made his best and loudest Nightshade whistle, hoping it would penetrate the building, give the men warning to take cover.

The Kid threw himself back into the locker room.

Men swarmed the corner. One looked to his left, one right. His weapon slowly rose as he traced the stairs with his M16.

Max leapt backward into the darkness and into office. He closed the door. As the lock clicked, darkness dropped like an anchor over the entire building. Behind him, a glow screamed his location. The monitor!

Max spun. Lunged across the desk. Stabbed the power button. And paused with his hand still near the monitor. If someone was coming after them. . .accessing this computer. . .

On his knees, Max yanked the cords free. With the box, he moved to the window and reassessed the parking bay. Another van with a half-dozen men with AK-47s. They streamed into the warehouse.

Max’s gut wound into a dozen knots. They were screwed.

Think! Hand on the door, he considered going back downstairs. But that would get him captured. Killed. Yet he’d rather be with his guys than running like a chicken.

No, not running. Considering options, gaining the advantage. Planning. The invasion force was armed to the teeth. They knew who they were coming after. They’d brought weapons. And those guys moved with precision. Swift, deadly precision.

Though Nightshade had a stellar ops record, perhaps they had finally met their match. Still. . .two to one? Nightshade had faced worse.

A large black Suburban screeched to a halt in the middle of the parking bay. Two men emerged, both wearing trench coats.

Max cursed his luck to be up here, away from his gear, his weapons. Up here, without firepower. Thus, powerless.

Okay, enough. He was going down there. He eased the door open and slid across the hall. Bathed in darkness, he crouched at edge of the landing, using the wall for cover. A dozen men so far, rushing here and there. Quick, quiet chatter between the men.

A smirk slid into Max’s face. His team had taken cover and these goons couldn’t find them. If he could just get a weapon. . .

“Can’t find them.”

“They’re here. I saw them go in,” the man nearest the SUV shouted. “Find them! Lights!”

Light rushed through the building as headlamps from the vehicles stabbed the dusty, damp building. Max yanked back, out of sight. He needed to get down there, defend his men. His boot hit the landing.

Shouts erupted. A shot bounced off the steel rafters, taunting as it echoed through the Shack. Stilled, Max waited. More shouts. The sound of a scuffle. The half-dozen men waiting by the SUV lifted their weapons to the ready.

The locker room door swung open. A man walked backward, his AK-47 aimed at a large form filling the doorway. Cowboy. Arms raised, dressed only in his jeans, he stalked forward. Someone shoved him from behind, which barely moved the big lug.

Spine pressed against the wood, Max peered down into the bay.

“You move one wrong muscle,” the one in front of Cowboy growled, “and so help me God, I’ll kill you.”

“No you won’t.” Cowboy lowered his hands. “If you wanted me dead, I wouldn’t be out here.”

Ride ’em, Cowboy.

From the side entrance to the showers, three men dragged a shouting, cursing Kid into the bay. Max smirked that it took three tangos to wrangle the Kid.

Hand clenched, Max’s mind went into overdrive. What could he do? God. . .I need. . .something. What could he pray for? Intercepting the team was impossible. Twelve, fifteen armed tangos against one unarmed man?

He latched on to the hope that they’d only found Cowboy and the Kid. No Midas, Squirt, or Aladdin. Good. Maybe they could regroup and—

A man flew through the bay door from the showers and landed with a thud a yard from the others. Midas flipped over, scissored his legs, and swept the thug off his feet. The Kid seized the confusion to attack the men guarding him. And impressively. With a hard right, he dropped the first and used that weapon to disable the second.

Cowboy took a step back and rammed his elbow into the gut of the nearest guard. The gunman bent forward—straight into Cowboy’s meaty fist. The big guy pivoted, slapped the interior of the gunman’s wrist, effectively seizing the weapon and flipping the muzzle around. He fired at the guy.

Crack!

In the split second it took for Max to realize the sonic boom that rent the air wasn’t the report of Cowboy’s .45 MEU but of a rifle, Max saw the man in the black trench coat drop to the ground. A circle spread out like a dark halo.

“Sniper!” someone shouted.

The dead guy had fallen backward. Most likely shot from the front. Which meant. . . Max’s gaze rose to the rafters. With no light, it’d be the perfect hiding spot. But. . .who? Squirt? Aladdin?

Crack!

The man guarding Colton stumbled forward, then went to his knees before hitting the cement.

The man in the black trench coat nearest the SUV dropped. A pool of blood spilled out.

“There!” One guard swung and fired his fully automatic at the ceiling. Four others followed suit, firing at the bank of grimy windows on the southeast wall of the building.

Max followed their direction and watched. Waited, his breath caught at the back of his throat. Cracks and shattering glass blended with the staccato punches of the guns to create a wild cacophony of noise. Max tuned it out, praying whoever—Aladdin or Squirt—wouldn’t be hit.

But then he saw it. A shift of a shadow. Like someone rolling. . .

The gunfire petered out as a body plummeted the eight feet to the ground.

The thud seemed to have supernatural powers as it pounded Max’s chest and pushed him back. Away from the window but not far enough that he lost line of sight.

Silence dropped on the Shack.

“Where’s Max Jacobs?”

As the question streaked through the warehouse, Max registered a red glow in the far corner. Even as he noticed it, he heard a beep. Another. His gaze darted to the source of the noise. Two men were walking the perimeter, their M16s dangling as they raised their arms and pressed something against the supports. Arms lowered and the men stepped back revealing gray bricks with wires.

Explosives.

Gotta stop this. Do something. His gaze collided with Cowboy’s. The big lug gave an almost imperceptible shake of his head.

Max’s nostrils flared as he wrestled with what to do.

“Where’s Dighton?”

How do they know our names?

“Dead,” someone answered.

Pulled back into the shadows, Max clenched his eyes and bit down on his tongue. Dighton was dead. What about Aladdin—had he survived the fall?

Sirens wailed in the distance.

“Load ’em up.”

“What about Jacobs?”

“Outta time.” The leader left as the gunmen dragged the team out of the building.

Stealthily, Max held on to the box and sprinted the length of the hall to the side of the Shack. In the conference room, he plunged toward the window. Craned his neck to peek out. Three vehicles—twin white vans and a black town car.

The guys were loaded into the van and one into the car.

The leader shifted, held something out, then it wavered.

Detonator.

Max spun around, searching for an out. Doors. Only one way down—the stairs. But they led to the bay, which would be engulfed.

Windows. Overlooked the dock. The canal. It was January. The water would be brutal cold. His split-second assessment told him no matter what route he took, it’d be deadly. Despite his training, if he didn’t find shelter out of the water once he broke surface, he’d die an ice cube. If he stayed, he’d die a fireball.

Good thing SEALs are insulated against cold water.

Max vaulted toward the window, hurtling the computer through the window. The glass shattered as a violent force blasted through the air. It lifted him. Up. . .up. . . Flipped him. Searing pain sliced through his arm. Heat stroked his back and legs. Fire chased him out of the building. Into the night.

Boom!

Another wave slammed into him. Threw him backward. Toward the water.

Something punched his gut. Knocked the breath from his lungs.

Bright white lit the night. Blinded him. Then—almost instantaneously—black. Pure black. And he was falling. . .down. . .down. . .

MY REVIEW:

Anyone who’s read anything by Ronie Kendig knows that she can deliver “rapid-fire fiction”, and she does not disappoint in Firethorn, the grand finale for the Discarded Heroes series! Open this book and instantly you will be sucked into the latest adventure for the Nightshade team. Except, instead of being sent on a mission…they are the mission—to regroup back together and hunt down whoever tried to permanently dismantle the Nightshade team.

What I found most intriguing about Firethorn is that it wasn’t just about Griffin (Legend) and Kazi—though they are very central characters—but touches on each one of the members of the Nightshade team. Including their wives. Getting to see the men and their families from previous books—Max and Sydney, Colton and Piper, Canyon and Dani—fight for their livelihood was the most gripping part of the book. After growing so attached to all of them in Nightshade, Digitalis, and Wolfsbane, I was nearly out of my mind with worry when the Nightshade was targeted and the members scattered.

Bringing in Kazi—an assassin who’s always worked alone—was a really neat twist in contrast to the tight teamwork that Griffin is used to with the Nightshade team. This book almost rivaled Wolfsbane’s position as my favorite out of the series. Almost. I admit I was a little depressed on finishing this book—one ending just completely took me by surprise. And while I don’t hate the book—by any means!—it still...really saddened me. (No spoilers in this review, so that’s all I’m saying!)

Ronie Kendig is at the top of her game with Firethorn. The writing grips you, the characters (once again) spring from the pages, and the action is non-stop! It’s so hard to believe the Discarded Heroes series has come to an end. The characters have become so special and personal to me! But I know whatever book/series she comes out with next, I am going to love—It’s Ronie Kendig we’re talkin’ about here, a lady who writes my kind of suspense...how can I not??

MORE INFORMATION:

Ro n i e K e n d i g

Firethorn

Discarded Heroes # 4

OTHER BOOKS BY RONIE KENDIG

Nightshade (Discarded Heroes #1)

Digitalis (Discarded Heroes #2)

Wolfsbane (Discarded Heroes #3)

ISBN 978-1-60260-0785-9

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any similarity to actual people, organizations, and/or events is purely coincidental.

For more information about Ronie Kendig, please access the author’s Web site at the following Internet address: www.roniekendig.com

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