Living the Write Life: May 2010

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Almost Forever

I'm reading as fast as I can! lol

I was scheduled to post a review today of this wonderful author's Almost Forever. My sincere apologies to Deborah and her publisher, her publicist...whomever it is I have failed. I've gotten behind on my reviews and I promise I'm hurrying as fast as I can! My review will be posted within a couple of days.

I will say this...the book is really good!

More to come...

Monday, May 24, 2010

Blog Tour Stops

Someone's going to win those $10 gift certificates to White Rose Publishing at the end of this tour. It might as well be you...hadn't it? Come on over and leave your comments here and there. The more times you drop in and say hello, the more times your name goes in the "hat."

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

http://wwwwritingbetweensundays.blogspot.com/

http://apenforyourthoughts.blogspot.com/

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

http://whiterosesinbloom.blogspot.com/

http://theromancestudio.blogspot.com/
(Guest Blog at The Romance Studio)

http://vickiepricetaylor.blogspot.com/

http://apenforyourthoughts.blogspot.com/

Monday, May 24, 2010

http://ausjenny.blogspot.com

http://fictionwithfaith.blogspot.com

http://www.sharonball.com

http://apenforyourthoughts.blogspot.com

Come on over and chat with us!

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Review: The Bridegrooms

by Allison Pittman

Vada Allenhouse became a mother at eight years old. That’s when her mommy found a new lover, abandoning her husband and four little girls to fend for themselves. Vada, as the oldest, took on the responsibilities her mother left behind, and did her best to raise her three younger siblings. As a physician, it was all too easy for their father, Dr. Allenhouse, to bury himself in his medical practice while his daughters survived with the help of a loyal, if slightly temperamental housekeeper.

Seventeen years later, Vada is still living at home, still mothering her siblings. Dr. Allenhouse continues to hide out most of the time in his basement, caring for patients. But with the arrival of a visiting baseball team, The Bridegrooms, the Allenhouse home is about to be turned upside down.

Four young ladies, hungry for love and aching for romance. A gentle, slightly staid suitor. An injured spectator, hidden away in the Allenhouse home. A handsome Cajun hitter. A flirtatious sportswriter. A lovestruck, guilt-ridden catcher. A series of love letters. All of these elements will combine to make emotional waves the Allenhouse sisters will be hard-pressed to ride out with their integrity and their virtue intact.

The Bridegrooms is a wonderful depiction of sibling devotion, rivalry, and ultimate loyalty. A bevy of emotions, from deep-seated hurt to barely tethered passion to laugh-out-loud humor. Allison Pittman hits a homerun with this riveting historical romance. Definitely one for the keeper shelf.

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Review: Daniella

by JoAnn Carter

Daniella Duncan has lived her entire life in the shadow of an imperfect body. As a result, she’s painfully shy and awkward around people. Her only area of self-confidence is in her outstanding secretarial skills.

Enter Harrison Beckman, the boss’s son. He’s kind, considerate, handsome…and Daniella has a crush on him, which she would never admit in a lifetime. Still, since Harrison’s father pairs the two of them on a project that could make or break the company, Daniella makes a monumental effort to overcome her shyness and enjoy his company.

Harrison admires Daniella, but can’t understand why she’s so skittish. He’s determined to know her better, but plans to proceed with caution. Trouble is, while he’s treading softly to prevent scaring her off, someone else has no qualms about taking advantage of Daniella’s innocence and stealing her away.

When the game becomes dangerous, and Daniella’s integrity is questioned, which of the men in her life will be her champion? And will she ever find her faith, and learn to let God be God?

Many women will readily relate to Daniella’s insecurities and lack of self-esteem. They will become Daniella as her story unfolds. The characters are well-rounded and three-dimensional to the extent that they feel like friends—and enemies— during the brief storyline. A beautiful tale of love and loyalty, innocence and betrayal, healing and redemption.

Daniella is a short read, but packs an incredible punch. Don’t miss it.

Sunday, May 16, 2010

An Interview with Brock & Hannah

Come meet Brock Ellis and Hannah Johns, the hero and heroine of Yesterday's Promise, in a sit-down chat at Gina Conroy's blog!

Review: Two Brides Too Many

by Mona Hodgson

1895

Mail-order brides. Not something Kat and Nell had in mind for themselves. But circumstances change their comfortable lifestyle in an instant, forcing the Sinclair sisters to place ads seeking husbands in Colorado.

But when the brides arrive in Cripple Creek, neither potential husband waits to welcome them. The proper, refined sisters are on their own in the Wild West, where they share the streets with women of the night, drunks, gamblers, and generally undesirable company.

In the town’s one boardinghouse, the sisters are taken under the wing of its owner, Hattie Adams. Kat soon finds her intended, and—for the best of reasons—ends the engagement with dramatic flair. Nell continues to await her missing bridegroom, while around them the town falls prey to fiery devastation. The sisters pitch in to help, and soon find themselves caring for the orphaned child of a local saloon girl, and watched over by the most unlikely of protectors.

Enter Dr. Morgan Cutshaw, and the fireworks begin. Kat finds him rude and insufferable, while everyone else in town seems quite enchanted by the good doctor’s charms. Even loyal Nell can’t agree with her sister on this one, and Kat is appalled to realize Nell and Hattie have become partners in matchmaking crime.

When Nell’s intended finally makes his rather prickly entrance, the wheels are in motion for good and proper. Can love find a way into the sisters’ hurting hearts? Will God create beauty out of the chaos of their new lives?

Two Brides Too Many is a fun, touching, wonderfully warm look at life in the Old West. Mona Hodgson knows how to keep a reader turning pages. The story includes elements of history, romance, human mistakes and blundering attempts to fix them…and a subtly woven thread of God’s hand skillfully creating a masterpiece on the unsightly canvas.

Absolutely enchanting!

Monday, May 10, 2010

Review: Highland Blessings

by Jennifer Hudson Taylor

Scotland 1473

Akira MacKenzie’s wedding day has turned into a nightmare. First, she shows up for the ceremony, but her bridegroom doesn’t bother. Then, even as she stands heartbroken by the abandonment, she’s kidnapped by Bryce MacPhearson, a Highland warrior from an enemy clan. She’s hurt and angry, but her allegiance to a forgiving God dictates that she also forgive the man who took her from her family. But it isn’t an easy thing to do, especially when she’s forced into an unwanted marriage with her kidnapper.

Bryce MacPhearson is determined to honor a promise he made to his dying father. He has no intention of harming Akira, but neither has he any plan to set her free. She will be a MacPhearson bride. As his new wife’s life becomes a witness to him of her faith and an indomitable spirit, he finds himself falling in love with her and drawn to her God.

But when a series of murders points to Akira’s disloyalty, will Bryce trust her enough to protect her from a hidden threat? Can they find the murderer … before that murderer seeks revenge on the new MacPhearson bride?

A young lad’s promise. A bride’s broken dreams. A woman’s faith. Can God use them all to unite two feuding clans and bless two hurting Highland hearts?

Highland Blessings is an engaging look at Scottish history, with its customs and traditions—some familiar, others not-so-much. It offers a captivating storyline with a wonderfully three-dimensional cast of characters—some to love and some to…well, only to love because God would. The heroine is endearing, with an admirable show of pluck for a female during the century in question. This young woman’s courage and stamina at a time when women were expected to have neither is itself a Highland blessing!

Definitely well worth the read.

Yesterday's Promise Blog Tour Starts Today!

I hope you'll follow along with me as I visit all the bloggers who've agreed to host me on my virtual tour. Remember to comment each time you visit a new blog - each comment equals one more entry into the drawing. At the end of the tour, I'll be giving away TWO $10 gift certificates to White Rose Publishing - and there could be an extra prize or two scattered along the way. You'll find the tour schedule and links to each stop here. I'll be watching for you! :)

Monday, May 3, 2010

Review of Yesterday's Promise

My first "official" review, from Associated Content's Sarah Coiner:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/731779/sarah_coiner.html

The Wave Study Bible

Have you heard of this new Bible study app for the iPhone and iPod Touch?

One user of the Wave stated, "Other study Bibles are like libraries. They are full of a lot of reference works, and are real good at putting you in touch with what other people have seen in the Bible. Wave Study Bible is like a magnifying glass and is real good at putting you in touch with what you see in the Bible. It is not full of the results of other people's study, it fills you with the results of your study."

If you've used this app program, why not leave a comment with your feedback. I'd love to know how real people, real users of the application, feel about it. I'm sure others would, as well. This system promises, "Use it for two weeks and it will become your favorite way to study the Bible!"

Comes with four Bible versions (Greek New Testament, King James Version, New English Translation, God's Word Translation). Using the in-application store you can add any of the standard translations to your Wave Study Bible® (NASB, NKJV, NIV, NIrV, Message, ESV [coming], NLT [coming]).

And it's FREE...

Sounds interesting, doesn't it? Check it out for yourself at http://wavestudybible.com/wave-study-bible-iphone.html

A little update: Want your own copy, free? The first two people to try the Wave Bible Study app and post a brief review back here under "comments" gets their choice of version FREE.

Note: I do not make any personal guarantees or endorsements about this Bible Study application, as I have not tried it myself. I was interested, and thought you might be too. This post is a simple expression of interest: Have YOU tried it, and if so, did you like it?

Saturday, May 1, 2010

Review: The Narrow Path

by Gail Sattler

All she did was accept an invitation. Miranda Klassen, dedicated daughter of a Seattle Mennonite minister, is a talented musician. A noted songwriter. She’s excited to have been offered the challenge of helping an Old Order Mennonite church prepare and publicize a Christmas musical that will draw new people and new life to its staid congregation.

A completely modern Mennonite, Miranda loves red, her computer, and her cell phone. What awaits her in Minnesota is like something out of Little House on the Prairie. The women cook and sew and dress like they stepped out of the last century. The men open doors for the ladies, wear old-fashioned but strangely appealing hats, and sit on the opposite side of the church from their wives. What on earth has she gotten herself into?

Ted Wiebe wonders the same thing. No matter how talented Miranda Klassen might be, it was a mistake to bring this modern woman to his community—and especially to his church. She wears pants. Her lips are red, along with her boots and much of her clothing—which does not include a proper prayer kapp. She’s attached to her laptop by some kind of invisible cord…and she reads her Bible on a red cell phone!

Two people from different worlds, with opposing points of view on just about everything. They have committed to getting through an important project. But after meeting one another, neither of them is thrilled about the prospect, especially since they’ll be forced to spend a lot of time together.

But God works in mysterious ways….

Gail Sattler brings a warm and endearing look at a closely knit, wonderfully loving Mennonite community. She explores the difficulty many of us have in accepting that our way may not be the only right way. Miranda’s impact on Ted’s life and the lives of his Mennonite “family”—and their influence on her—touches, amuses, and entertains. The Narrow Path is a well-written, informative, revealing look at a way of life most of us can only imagine, and an enjoyable exploration of what happens when two worlds collide. Enjoyable reading.

Win books from Vintage!

Vintage Romance Publishing (the publisher of my Goldeneyes) is giving away books! All it costs to enter the drawing is a comment...

Leave comment here.

Review: They Almost Always Come Home

by Cynthia Ruchti

When Libby’s husband Greg doesn’t return home from a trip to the Canadian wilderness, she's not sure whether to be sad or glad. In fact, if he did show up, she just might divorce him. Their marriage has been a farce since their 12-year-old daughter’s death, for which Libby holds her husband responsible.

The police investigation seems haphazard at best, as they’ve pretty much decided Greg used his annual trip to Canada as a way out of a failing marriage and a career he despised. Despite her own doubts as to her husband's disappearance, Libby finds herself unable to let it rest. With her father-in-law and her best friend Jenika in tow, she sets out on a wilderness trip of her own, hoping to find clues or find Greg.

The trip sheds a light on far more than a missing man's motives. With her own trust in God lying in tatters, Libby is buoyed by Jenika’s steadfast faith and her father-in-law’s unswerving confidence in his son’s integrity. By the time they reach the end of their journey, she is forced to reconsider her harsh judgment and consequential treatment of a husband whose love was unfailing. In doing so, she finds things hidden away in her heart that force a reassessment of her own spiritual, mental and moral being.

Is it too late for them? Will she ever find Greg … dead or alive?

They Almost Always Come Home is a touching account of one woman’s journey back to love and faith. A wonderful thread of humor keeps Libby’s painful odyssey from being too much to bear. I enjoyed the authors' subtle yet unmistakable message of faith. Because it took me a chapter or two to get into the story, I was surprised when I discovered that I was completely lost in it. I had to know what happened to Greg and whether or not his and Libby’s marriage would be salvageable if he were found.

This is a well-written, memorable and touching story I’m pleased to recommend.

Yesterday's Promise Blog Tour

I've scheduled a blog tour to promote Yesterday's Promise, which released March 12. I'm so excited about this re-release of my debut novel, originally titled Almost Like a Song! Bloggers and readers, see information below:

For bloggers:

Be a part of the
YESTERDAY’S PROMISE
blog tour, hitting the Cyber Road
on May 10!

Delia Latham’s inspirational romance (formerly Almost Like a Song) re-released in electronic format on March 12 through White Rose Publishing.

GET YOUR FREE PDF COPY!

Just send an e-mail to delia at delialatham dot net with your agreement to post a review and/or interview to your blog or website between May 10 and May 28. Be sure to include your web address and the date you plan to post. (All comments to the blog tour posts will be entered into a drawing. Two winners will receive $10 gift certificates to White Rose Publishing.)

Further information availabe at my website on the "Blog Tour" page.

For readers:

Be sure to follow the tour, and leave your comments at each blog. I will be giving away two $10 gift certificates to White Rose Publishing at the end of the tour. Winners will be drawn from all the comments received during the tour.

About the book:

A whirlwind romance amidst the natural splendor of Yosemite National Park. A spur-of-the-moment wedding. A young bride who awakens the morning after to find her new husband gone with the mountain wind.

Songbird Hannah Johns supports the child born of that ill-fated union by singing in a dinner lounge. Her dream of someday owning the elite establishment and turning it into a venue more suited to her Christian values is shattered when an unexpected transaction places it in the hands of Brock Ellis, the handsome biker who abandoned her in their honeymoon suite.

Ensuing sparks fly high, revealing buried secrets and forgotten pasts. Seeking to find peace with her painful past, Hannah returns to Yosemite, only to have Brock show up hard on her heels. Back where it all began, she finds herself in danger of losing her heart yet again to the man who shattered it the first time around.

Below is a list of blogs/bloggers scheduled to participate so far. I will be adding to this list as new blog stops are scheduled. Hope to see you at each stop!

May 10, 2010 Jeanne Campbell the character therapist

May 10, 2010 Lisa Lickel Living Our Faith Out Loud

May 10, 2010 Margaret Daley Margaret Daley

May 11 Bill Wetterman The Heart of a Novelist

May 12, 2010 Tracy Ruckman/Phee Paradise Pix 'N Pens

May 12, 2010 Roxanne Rustand All Creatures Great and Small…

May 13, 2010 Lisa Lickel Living Our Faith Out Loud

May 13, 2010 Lisa Lickel Review & Interview Blog Page

May 13, 2010 Lisa Lickel Christian Fiction Reviews Group

May 14, 2010 Margaret Daley Margaret Daley

May 14, 2010 Gina Conroy Portrait of a Writer…Interrupted

May 17, 2010 Clare Revell The World Can Wait