Book Review and Author Interviews

Book Promo of HOME FIELD and Author Interview with Laurie Winter


 “Lyrical, emotional and utterly romantic, Home Field reminds us of what’s most important in life: home, family and most of all, love.”
 ~Karen Rock, award-winning romance author of A League of Her Own
Summary:

One year after her husband is killed in action, Julie Ellis is back in her hometown and focused on raising her young son. Then Reagan Harrison burst into her life–a cocky, charming, linebacker who leaves her off balance.

As a successful, professional athlete, Reagan believes he has it all. But after meeting Julie, he finds every excuse in the book to spend time with her. Despite his best efforts not to fall too hard, Reagan envisions a future with Julie, along with the little boy he’s come to love as his own.

While Reagan’s love begins to mend Julie’s spirit, she can’t suppress her continued deep devotion to her late husband’s memory.  And when a letter arrives from beyond the grave, Reagan resolves to provide her with the answers she desperately needs to heal. Now Julie must choose either to keep her heart closed off or remove the lock and fight for a future with Reagan. Can a second chance at love be just as sweet?

Amazon
Wild Rose Press

Author interview:

Q. Tell us a little about your journey to publication. What were a few of the bumps in the road (if any), and how did you persevere?

A. I’ve had more than a few bumps in the road to publication. During the querying process, I had plenty of rejections. I also entered Home Field in various contests. Some feedback was very helpful, while others stung. In the end, though, they all made for a stronger manuscript. I signed with Jessica Schmeidler from Golden Wheat Lit in the summer of 2015. I was offered a three book deal later that year. I had received my covers and was working on the blurb and edits when out of the blue I received an email from the publisher stating they were shutting down. The entire process almost broke my spirit, but I never lost faith in my writing. My agent, Jessica, acted fast and got my rights back asap. She got in touch with The Wild Rose Press, and they offered a contract for Home Field. I now have three books of the Warriors of the Heart series contracted with them.

Thanks for your transparency. I know I can relate to your story on many levels, and it is an encouragement to hear how your perseverance paid off!  I’m so thrilled with the happy ending you are able to share with us!  

Q. Do you have a special connection with the military that allowed you to have special insight into your characters’ perspective?

A. Both my grandfathers served in WWII. One served in the Army as an airplane mechanic, the other in the Navy. I have relied heavily on reading first hand written accounts from current and former members of the US military. A few I would highly recommend are Lone Survivor by Marcus Luttrell and Lions of Kandahar by Kevin Maurer and Rusty Bradley.

I am sure you are so proud of your family legacy in the military.  And, I love book recommendations!  I will give those a try.  

Q. As an author do you have a special technique that helps you to create believable and realistic characters? Did any of the characters undergo a transformation that surprised you by the end of the writing process?

A.  Authors become both directors and actors during the writing process. When I write a scene, I visualize the space and the characters, and then let them play out the action. It’s good to feel the emotions along with your characters. Cry, laugh, punch a wall (just kidding). If you as the author feel the emotions, so will your readers.

My characters in Home Field stayed pretty much the same during each draft. I did have to work on giving them faults, as well as giving them moments when they weren’t so nice. Real people aren’t always pleasant. Flawed characters help build tension in a story.
I agree that flaws make the characters more interesting and well-rounded.  It is fun to picture you punching a wall (ha ha).

Q. Do you have a particular scene or chapter that you are the most proud of or that was the most difficult to write?

A. My favorite and most difficult scene to write was the dream sequence with Julie and John. I told my family to leave me alone so I could write the emotional scene. I think my exact words were, “Don’t bother me unless someone is bleeding or the house is on fire.”

I can see where that would be very emotional.  Your family sounds very supportive. 

Q. What is a takeaway that you want your reader to have from your book?

A.  I hope readers come away with a belief in second chances. Despite Julie’s pain and fear, she was lucky to find love again with a wonderful man like Reagan.

I am thankful for the second and sometimes third/fourth chances that I have had in life.  It is never too late!


Q. Is this book a part of a series? If so, when is the next title being released?


A. Home Field is the first book in the Warriors of the Heart series. There are a total of five books in the series. Book two, True Horizon, is deep in the editing process right now. I’m hoping for an early 2018 release date. True Horizon is up on Goodreads. Please add the title to your bookshelf!
I will definitely do that!  

About the author:
Laurie Winter is a true warrior of the heart. Inspired by her dreams, she creates authentic characters who overcome the odds and find true love. She keeps her life balanced with regular yoga practice and running. When not pounding the pavement or the keyboard, she’s enjoying time with her family, who are scattered between Wisconsin and Michigan. Laurie has three kids and one fantastic husband, all who inspire her to chase her dreams.  
Excerpt:
            “Thanks for understanding me.” Julie softly kissed his cheek. The rough stubble tickled her lips. “Even when I don’t understand myself.” She went to sit in her chair to finish her cup of coffee.
            At that moment, she noticed the kitchen. What an unbelievable mess! Who’d actually cooked breakfast…aclass of rowdy five-year-olds? She gave Reagan a sideways glance, to see him moving the last piece of waffle around his plate, collecting any remaining egg and syrup. “Did you use every bowl I own?”
            He was the messiest cook she’d ever seen. A huge pile of dirty dishes sat on the counter, covered in dried waffle batter and egg. Bits of syrup-laden crumbs dotted the kitchen floor, like a sticky breadcrumb trail.
            His smile held no hint of guilt, and he shrugged. “Nobody’s perfect.”
            No, not perfect—but he was pretty darn close.


The Warriors of the Heart series is a refreshing take on contemporary romance.  Each book highlights the strength of those who have served in the US military, along with the emotional fortitude of those who love them.

Laurie:  Thanks so much for taking the time to share with us a little of your writing journey and inside scoop to this fabulous book.  I wish you all the best!


Book Review and Author Interviews

Review of BLUE TIDE by Jenna Lynne Duncan

Arrgh matey!  This is no ordinary pirate novel.  Yes, there are pirates. But the setting is a future dystopian waterworld, with Middle Eastern elements masterfully woven throughout.  In BLUE TIDE, Jenna-Lynne Duncan combines romance and action in this page-turning novel that you won’t want to put down until you are finished reading it.
Lux and her family have been stranded on an island after the Floods destroyed much of the known world.  Lux longs to get off the island and hopefully return to what once was her homeland.  However, as she ventures out, she is captured by a pirate named Captain Draven.  As a captive, she begins to see into the heart of this young pirate, and understand his complex behavior.  By turning Lux over to the one who is controlling him, he could earn his own freedom, but will he now that the two of them share a romantic attraction? 
      
About the author:
Jenna Duncan likes to write heart-stopping, page-turning, haunting romance in all YA genres.  With a love for travel and a special connection to the Middle East, she explores different cultures and different languages. Her current YA releases are entitled HURRICANE, TEMPEST, AFTERMATH, and now the latest BLUE TIDE.  Jenna graduated with degrees in Middle Eastern Studies, Political Science, and International Studies.  BLUE TIDE was a recent winner of RWA’s Romancing the Lake contest. 
She welcomes those to contact her on TWITTER: @JennaLynneD 
and her website:  Jenna-Lynn’s website

Jenna:  Your book kept me reading until the end, and Captain Draven won my heart!  I was definitely intrigued from the beginning by the futuristic setting that included pirates.  Best wishes!  
P.S.  I love the cover!  

Book Review and Author Interviews

Promotion of A FURROW SO DEEP and Interview with author Penelope Powell


Book Summary:  (From Anaiah Press website)

After thirteen long years, Karen Braden returns home to inherit her grandmother’s bed and breakfast, hoping it will provide the kind of future she wants for herself and her daughter. There’s only one problem—she’ll have to face the past and the one man she’s never stopped loving: Dean Anderson.

In the years following Karen’s hasty and unexplained departure, Dean built a portfolio of auto dealerships, yet he remains unfulfilled. When he sees Karen again, his hurt resurfaces, clashing with the love he’s always had for her. Determined to find out why she left him all those years ago, Dean discovers there’s more at stake than just getting answers.
As the truth begins to unravel, Dean and Karen must decide if they can forgive past transgressions and trust God to help them forge a future, better than either could ever anticipate. (excerpt taken from Anaiah Press blurb)
(My thoughts)
Penelope Powell’s A FURROW SO DEEP is a beautiful story that demonstrates how God can restore and rebuild past mistakes. Through her characters’ lives and choices, she leads the reader to explore heart issues such as extending forgiveness towards others, receiving forgiveness from God, as well as the importance of forgiving yourself in order to find the freedom to live out the beautiful future God wants for you.     
I enjoyed the depth of Penny’s writing.  This book challenged me to consider the consequences of foolish choices, but the restoration and freedom that is available in Christ.  The characters Dean and Karen have a painful past, but with God’s help the furrow is not too deep to overcome.   

Link to buy A FURROW SO DEEP on Amazon


Penelope on Twitter: @penpowell89



I had an opportunity to ask Penelope a few questions.  Here are her responses! 


Q:  What is the process you go through to take a concept and turn it into a novel?

A: Honestly, it varies. I’ve had dreams that have initiated ideas and I’ve heard conversations about real life dilemmas that have made me say “What if” that develops into a story.

Q: Do you find that your story surprises you when it reaches its final product?

The middle surprises me. I usually know where I want a character to end up, spiritually and circumstantially, but sometimes, the journey takes on a life of its own and I realize something needs to happen that surprises me.

Q: How do you develop your characters to make them seem like real people?

A: I think I relate to them through my own fears, failures  insecurities and challenges.

Q: Do you have any unique tricks for this type of character development? 

A: Not really a trick, we all do this. When we hear someone’s story, we develop an empathic lens, asking​ourselves “How would I feel, or react in this situation?”

Q: What do you hope your reader takes away from reading this novel?

A: I hope everyone can see themselves, our frailty, limitations, and need for God’s grace and wisdom.

Q:  What advice do you have for unpublished authors?
A:  I’m going to pass on what Colleen Coble said to me at one of her book signings, “Keep writing!”


About Penelope: (in her own words) 
I may live in Indiana, but I am completely Southern. My roots are buried deep in the hills of Middle Tennessee. That said, I’ve lived in many places here and abroad. Because of that I’ve been exposed to various cultures and my perspective has widened a bit.

Since I have degrees in Political Science and Multinational Commerce, I can’t explain how I ended up writing Christian Romance, except for God.

Like the things we experience, I believe good fiction can inspire and change someone’s perspective.  It’s my prayer that my words will show others a Savior who loves them.




Note to Penelope:  I am so thrilled for you with the publication of your second book, and I am so glad we are friends!  I wish you all the best with this book and many more to come in the future.  Thanks for the interview 🙂
  
Book Review and Author Interviews

The Sparrow and the Tortoise

It is my honor to review a new picture book by Randal Gilmore entitled The Sparrow and the Tortoise.  It is a “thoughtful tale of a sparrow’s journey to discover what is real and what is just a reflection.”

From the beginning of the story, the reader is aware that there is a deeper meaning behind the tale and is challenged to think about his/her perception of reality and personal belief system.  Contrasting the giant Buddha statue in Kamakura and the God of Christianity, readers are invited to pause and think about what they believe and why they believe it.  

Having traveled to Japan, I loved all of the culture embedded into the pages of the book.  Japanese poetry, landmarks, and elements of nature give the book a unique flavor.  I think it will make an excellent discussion starter for ESL classes, or a springboard for discussing world views and spiritual beliefs.

You can purchase the book on Amazon:  The Sparrow and the Tortoise

About the author:
Randal Gilmore is the Pacific Rim Regional Director of Word of Life International and Field Director of Word of Life Japan.  Previously, Randal served as a Senior Pastor for 35 years.  Randal holds a M.A. in Organizational Communication from Western Michigan University.  He is on track to complete a D.R.E. from Trinity Seminary, Newburgh, Indiana, in the summer of 2016.  Randal is the author of numerous books, magazine articles and blog posts, and serves as a frequent conference speaker.  Randal and his wife, Dale, are blessed to be the parents of five sons and two daughters-in-law, and grandparents of eight.

If you are interested in teaching ESL to Japanese people from a Christian perspective, check out this free resource that will transform your approach:  http://funneling.life

You can follow Randal Gilmore’s blog at:  Randal Gilmore’s blog

Author life

THE HOPE OF HEAVEN by Alan Hallene Jr. with Erin Keeley Marshall

In 2008, Alan Hallene Jr. discovered the lifeless body of his 22-year-old son.  Alex had committed suicide. While Al waited for the authorities to arrive, he had ten minutes alone with his young son.  During that wrenching time, God sent him eight visions of heaven, where the father and he son would someday reunite. Al recounts those life-changing visions in The Hope of Heaven, released on 
March 10, 2015

The Hope of Heaven is a very different kind of “heaven book.” Rather than an argument for the existence of heaven or the account of an out-of-body experience, Al gives readers a glimpse of life beyond the tragedies we endure.

“I did not go to heaven.  I was the one left behind and the one who received clear messages from God in the aftermath of my son’s death.” Al Hallene Jr.

“The story points to Jesus as Savior–and not just a general Savior but one whom we each need to acknowledge our personal need for.”  Erin Keeley Marshall

Alan M. Hallene Jr., PhD. is the father of three grown sons, one whom he anticipates reuniting with someday in heaven.  While working on The Hope of Heaven, Al was on leave from his teaching position at St. Ambrose University in Davenport, IA.  He has also taught at the University of Illinois and the University of Iowa, and is President of NorthHill Consulting, LLC.

Erin Keeley Marshall is the author of Navigating Route 20-Something and The Daily God Book.  She spent the early years of her career as an editor for Tyndale House Publishers and has edited and written for several publishing companies throughout the United States.  She lives in Arkansas with her husband, Steve, and their two children.

Hope of Heaven website

Erin Keeley Marshall website