Book Winners

Happy Friday!
Last week's winner failed to contact me, so I drew another name. The winner of Linda Weaver Clarke's Melinda and the Wild West: A Family Saga in Bear Lake, Idaho is Renee! Congrats. I have already sent you an email.

This week's winner of Andrea Boeshaar's Love Finds You in Miracle, Kentucky is adge! Congrats. I have already sent you an email.

Thanks, everyone for your support of these authors. See you all next week.

Blessings,
Cindy

A Lady Like Sarah
By Margaret Brownley
Thomas Nelson, December 2009

About the Book

Sarah Prescott has never known a respectable life; just a hardscrabble childhood and brothers who taught her to shoot straight.

Justin Wells left Boston in disgrace, heading out alone on the dusty trail to Texas. But when the once-respected clergyman encounters a feisty redhead in handcuffs with a dying US Marshall at her side, their journey takes a dramatic turn.

His high society expectations and Sarah’s outlaw habits clash from the start. With a price on her head and a sweet orphan in tow, Justin and Sarah make the difficult journey toward Rocky Creek. There justice will be meted out, hopefully with a portion of grace.

My Review

This story was awesome! It reminded me of Leather and Lace by Diann Mills in that the heroine was an outlaw. However, the similarities ended there. The plot was entirely different. I loved how the hero in the story was a preacher. What a fantastic way to set up a way to show the reader true Christianity.

The inspirational storytelling by Ms. Brownley was superbly written. I was blown away by how powerfully the subtle spiritual messages were brought out in the novel. The entire story rang true to me as nothing seemed forced or inserted to prove a point or to make the book “Christian.” It naturally showed through the plot and characters how real Christian faith is supposed to work. I also loved how the little stories in the Bible came out and how the heroine’s faith grew through the many trials she faced.

There were many, many touching moments in the story. And when it comes to suspense, I don’t think I’ve felt this scared for a fictional character since reading The Mark of the Lion series by Francine Rivers back in the 1990s. My heart went out to the hero and heroine because of their plight and their desire to be together, which seemed impossible, barring a miracle.

Wonderfully written, amazingly romantic, and spiritually sound, this book is making my top fiction list for 2009. It’s fresh and exciting and I read the story in two days. This novel releases at the end of December. Make sure to get a copy and start the next year with a great book! I can’t recommend it highly enough.

Michelle Sutton
http://www.michellesutton.net/
http://edgyinspirationalauthor.blogspot.com/

Interview with Andrea Boeshaar, Day Two

Author, former agent, teacher and encourager, and ACFW co-founder, Andrea Kuhn Boeshaar has been writing stories and poems since she was a little girl; however, it wasn't until 1984 that she started submitting her work for publication. Eight years after that, she was convicted about writing for the Christian market. She read books in her genre (Inspirational Romance & Women's Fiction), studied the market, and worked hard to hone her craft. Andrea has taught workshops at such writers conferences as: Write-To-Publish; American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW); Oregon Christian Writers Conference; Mount Hermon Writers Conference and many local writers conferences. She also speaks at various churches and women's groups.

Don't forget to leave a comment if you'd like to be entered in a drawing to win a copy of her book.

We were talking about your new series, Andrea. Tell us about it.

The new series of 4 books I'm writing is called "Seasons of Redemption." It follows members of the McCabe family who venture into different parts of the country in the mid 1860s and early 1870s. I love American history and the premise in each of my books in this series is redemption -- whether a lost soul is found or a misguided believer is turned around and headed in the right direction again.


What do you want readers to know about you and your world when they’ve read your books?

I want them to know that God is truly able to do exceeding, abundantly, and above all we ask or think! (Ephesians 3:30)


You’ve also been an agent, taught seminars and workshops, and mentored others. What’s your top three pieces of advice you have for other writers?

Don't give up. Don't give up. Don't give up!


Anything else about writing, yourself, or your books you’d care to add?

I've just started writing a new blog called "Everything Writerly: A blog for wordsmiths." In my blog I plan to give advice and tips about...well, everything pertaining to writing, whether fiction or nonfiction. I'll also address my experiences with different publishers and I hope to pull in an editor's opinion or two. I think this will really give other writers a 20-20 perspective on the dream and destiny of publishing novels. Please stop by often and check it out. http://everythingwriterly.blogspot.com//


Thank you so much for your insight and your time, Andrea.

Thank YOU, Lisa!!!!!!!!!!!!

Don't forget: If you US readers would like to be entered in the Friday drawing for Andrea's book, Love Finds You in Miracle, Kentucky, leave a comment or question, along with your name and e-mail (like so: lisa-at-netzero-dot-com).

An Interview with Andrea Boeshaar Day One

Andrea Kuhn Boeshaar, author, former literary agent, and co-founder of American Christian Fiction Writers, has been married for more than 30 years. She and her husband, Daniel, have three adult sons, daughters-in-law, and two precious grandchildren. Andrea's educational background includes the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, where she studied in English, and Alverno College where she studied in Professional Communications and Business Management. Andrea’s first novel, An Unwilling Warrior, was published in 1994. Since then she's written numerous articles and devotionals. Andrea has also published inspiration romance novels, women's fiction, and novellas.

Andrea is giving away a copy of Love Finds You in Miracle, Kentucky, to a reader in the US. If you live in the US and would like to be entered into the Friday drawing, please leave a comment or question for Andrea and your e-mail (like this: lisa-at-netzero-dot-com).





Andrea, welcome to Favorite PASTimes! What can you tell us about yourself and your road to publication in a couple of paragraphs?

It's a struggle. The writing life is a struggle. It takes persistence, perseverance, and patience. And faith. The road to publication must be paved with faith.


You’ve been in the publishing world for a while. What do you think are the biggest changes you’ve seen, both from the writing and reading perspectives?

I think Christian fiction has come a long way from when my first novel was published in 1994. I think issues like addiction and incest are not longer taboo for most publishers in the CBA. This, I think, broadens the CBA readership.


You’ve written mostly contemporary romances and devotionals, with a few historical pieces sprinkled in. What do you like about writing for the historical market?

I am very much enjoying writing with a historical literary voice. It's more formal -- more polite. I'm reading Mary Chestnut's diary and Sarah Morgan's diary, just get the feel for the lingo of that time period. My current writing project is called "An Unwilling Warrior" and will be published by Strang/Realms Fiction in May 2010. I actually have the privilege of rewriting my very first novel and I've been able to remember why I even wanted to write in the first place!
Research and attention to detail make or break the historical novel. Share with us your best strategies for research and fact-checking. Have you caught yourself up on any unusual details or fantastic sources material that you’d like to share?

Well, as I said, I'm reading pieces that were written in time of America's Civil War. I've also found a ton of web sites (although you can't always rely on the web for accurate info). Tracie and Jim Peterson suggested to me that I find 3 sources that say largely the same thing before I write it as fact. On the other hand, my story IS fiction.

Did you learn anything about the era you’ve researched that surprised you?

Yes, I was surprised to learn that not everyone in New Orleans supported The Cause which is probably why the city was captured without being totally destroyed fairly early in the War -- in April of 1862. I also learned that not everyone in the South who had servants owned slaves. Many hired their help and many more did the work themselves (contrary to the movie "Gone With The Wind.)


You’re writing a series of historical novels now. Can you share anything about the stories, or how you’re coming up with the idea behind your new work?




Come back tomorrow to learn Andrea’s answer.

Don't forget to leave a comment or question for Andrea. And if you'd like to be entered into the drawing for Love Finds You in Miracle, Kentucky, leave your e-mail.

Monday's News

Happy Monday. I have some odds and ends for you today.

• History, formerly known (for some reason) as The History Channel launched a series on WWII yesterday in color in HD. Did you see it? "...the new five night, 10 hour History documentary event, WWII in HD, gives viewers a riveting, never before seen showcase of World War II though the lives of eleven soldiers and one nurse from cleaned and digitally restored footage from all over the world." Learn more here.

• Here's a review of a book called New Literary History in America.

  "As rich as its title is dry, this chronological collection of essays starts with the first appearance of the name "America" on a map in 1507 and concludes with the election of Barack Obama in 2008. Along the way it stops in on Phillis Wheatley (her first book of poems was published in 1773), Ralph Waldo Emerson (his "American Scholar" lecture in 1837 and his Harvard Divinity School address in 1838), Tarzan (the swinger's first print appearance in 1912), Billie Holiday (the haunting "Strange Fruit," 1939), New York graffiti (the hip-hop movie Wild Style, 1982), Philip Roth (American Pastoral, 1995) and Hurricane Katrina (2005).

  All that and more than 200 other people, places, dates, events, artworks and milestones that reflect the country's intellectual and creative soul." Read more here.

• For you Civil War buffs, here's a new book:

Read a review here.

• Re-writing history? Critics think new textbook guidelines in Texas are too liberal and paint America as "bad." Here is part of the argument:

For example, the introduction of “hip-hop” music in the curriculum, he said, would guarantee some schools will allow students to study violent and degrading “gangsta rap.”

U.S. acquisition of Cuba, the Philippines, Guam and Hawaii in the late 1800s would be characterized as “American imperialism” instead of “expansionism,” although Soviet aggression toward the Iron Curtain countries is called “expansionism,” said Ames, who calls himself “a warrior in an ongoing cultural battle in our country.”

Read all about it here.

• Historical Fiction Book Reviewers Wanted.

• Here's a cool site that lists historical novels by time period and setting.

• Newt Gingrich together with historian William Forstchen have written a new historical novel on George Washington called To Try Men's Souls. Check out the site: www.totrymenssouls.com

That's all I have for now. Have a good week, everyone!

Cindy

This Week's Winner

This week the lucky winner of Linda Weaver Clarke's Melinda and the Wild West: A Family Saga in Bear Lake, Idaho is Barb! I have already sent you an email. Congratulations! Thanks to everyone who stopped by this week. Have a great weekend, and see you next week!

Cindy

Fit to Be Tied
By Robin Lee Hatcher
Zondervan, November 2009

About the Book

It’s 1916, and Idaho rancher Cleo Arlington knows everything about horses but nothing about men. So when charged with transforming English aristocrat Sherwood Statham from playboy into cowboy, she’s totally disconcerted. So is Statham, who’s never encountered a woman succeeding in a “man’s world.” Their bumpy trot into romance is frustrating, exhilarating, and ultimately heartwarming.

My Review

Fit to be Tied was an enjoyable historical romance. The writing was stellar, and the story itself shone like a well-polished gem. You can tell the author is experienced in the development of romantic relationships on the page. The characters were very well done, and the way they viewed things was believable to me. I loved how mismatched they were at first and the natural fears that went along with having to give up part of yourself for someone else.

The romantic tension was delightful, and the incredibly heroic response and growth of the hero who started out like a privileged jerk was something to see. The softening of a tough and very independent woman like Cleo was beautiful as well.

I really adored this love story and how the author resolved things with an ending that rang true. For romance lovers who enjoy a story with a western theme and a bit of arisocratic flavor from the early 1900s, this book is sure to please. It’s not your run-of-the-mill prairie romance . . . that’s for sure. It’s unique in many ways, including the absence of the prairie theme. I loved that.

Michelle Sutton
http://www.michellesutton.net/
http://edgyinspirationalauthor.blogspot.com/