Drop by Friday for something a bit special for my readers. Here’s a hint!
Any guesses?
Book Monday-Author Gail Gaymer Martin & Bride in Training
About the Book:
Perfectionist Martin Davis’s life is in turmoil. The lonely businessman’s search for companionship led him to adopt a dog—a rather rambunctious terrier. And now Martin’s at his wits’ end. When dog trainer Emily Ireland offers to help, Martin is grateful—and intrigued. But he’s wary of getting too close to the sweet, pretty Emily, especially when he learns of her scandalous past. Can Martin ever open his heart to the possibility that Emily just may be his perfect bride?
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Good decision? Bad?
Martin Davis gripped his steering wheel as he eyed the shelter’s Time For Paws neon sign glowing in the dusk. He’d never thought he would darken the doors of a dog shelter, but here he was. Now the question hung in his mind. Was it a good decision or bad one? He’d become lonely without Suzette, his Bouvier, but he hadn’t been able to handle her. Sometimes he wondered what he could handle. Not dogs or women, apparently.
So if he couldn’t deal with Suzette, why come here to look for another dog? He released his grip on the steering wheel, fell back against the seat, and rubbed his temples. Because he couldn’t bear coming home to an empty house any longer. He’d been a failure as a husband. Cats were too aloof. Dogs? He had hopes.
Martin ran his fingers through his hair. He’d been alone for eight years since his wife walked out on him. The loneliness had faded, he thought, but since his brother, Nick, married, he had stopped popping by for visits. That was the whole of it. Being alone wasn’t for Martin anymore.
He turned the thought over in his mind. He recalled Steph and Nick talking about the unconditional love a dog provided. He’d never been one to worry about love or the lack of it, but unconditional love meant someone would be excited to greet him when he came home. A dog’s happy yips and wagging tail filled the bill, and a dog wouldn’t care if he were preoccupied with his business or even a little edgy at times.
Unconditional love. He shook his head. He sounded like a poet or a psychiatrist. The thought rallied an uneasy grin. Martin turned off the ignition and pushed open the door. If nothing more, he could take a look.
He slipped out of his car and gazed at the gray concrete building, once his friend Brent Runyan’s unoccupied factory until Molly wheedled away his building and his heart. They’d married, too. Everyone had gotten tangled in that web of “two by two.” He wondered if Noah had any idea what he started when he filled that ark.
Drawing up his shoulders, he headed for the door. The bell jingled as he stepped inside, and in the distance he heard dogs making a ruckus. He glanced at his watch. Dinner time, he guessed. His own stomach gave a rumble.
No one stood behind the desk. He waited, his impatience growing each second. He tapped his foot, staring at the doorway. Maybe this was a dumb decision. It could be God’s way of telling him to go home. But maybe not. It might just be bad customer service. Or his impatience. If he asked Nick, that’s what his brother would tell him. He had no patience.
Frustrated, he returned to the entrance and swung the door open and closed. The small bell jingled again. With no response, he walked deeper into the room and aimed his gaze at the door standing ajar. Through the opening, he could see a young woman at the far end of a long aisle, but before he could call to her, she turned and headed his way. Her dark hair brushed against her shoulders, her arms swinging past her trim hips as if she had nothing better to do. But he did.
Finally she noticed him and picked up her stride. When she came through the door, the woman paused, a look of curiosity on her face. “Sorry, I hope I didn’t keep you waiting too long.”
About five minutes came to mind, but Martin didn’t offer one of his biting comments. Instead he wondered why she gave him that questioning look.
She stepped closer. “What can I do for you?”
He motioned to the door. “You might change that bell to a siren.”
Don’t you love that last line? Sounds like another winner from Author Gail Gaymer Martin!
Lyn Reviews Author Kim Vogel Sawyer’s Latest
A Hopeful Heart by Kim Vogel Sawyer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Kim Vogel Sawyer’s classic mail order bride story takes wing and flies on its own! A delightful heroine and a mystery thrown in. A good summer afternoon by the pool read.
Have any of you read any of Kim Vogel Sawyer’s books? Remember leaving a comment and you’re automatically entered into this month’s drawing for an autographed copy of Her Abundant Joy.
First Page-Chesapeake Weddings-Author Cecelia Dowdy
Chesapeake Weddings by Cecelia Dowdy
The loud banging at Monica Crawford’s front door awakened her. Forcing herself out of bed, she glanced at the clock and saw it was two in the morning.
“I’m coming!”
She ran to the door. Looking through the peephole, Monica saw her little sister Gina smiling at her.
Her heart pounded as she opened the door, gripping the knob. “What are you doing here?” Playing an internal game of tug-of-war, she wondered if she should hug her sister or slam the door in her face. Humid heat rushed into the air-conditioned living room. She stared at Gina, still awaiting her response.
“It’s nice to see you too, sister.” Gina pursed her full, red-painted lips and motioned at the child standing beside her. “Go on in, Scotty.”
Gina had brought her seven-year-old son with her. Dark shades hid his sightless eyes. “Aunt Monica!” he called.
Monica released a small cry as she dropped to her knees and embraced him. “I’m here, Scotty.” Tears slid down her cheeks as she hugged the child. Since Gina had cut herself off from immediate family for the last two years, Monica had wondered when she would see Scotty again. “You remember me?” Her heart continued to pound as she stared at her nephew. His light, coffee-colored skin glowed.
“Yeah, I remember you. When Mom said I was going to live here, I wanted to come so we could go to the beach in Ocean City.”
Shocked, Monica stared at Gina, who was rummaging through her purse. Gina pulled out a cigarette and lighter. Seconds later she was puffing away, gazing into the living room. “You got an ashtray?”
Monica silently prayed, hoping she wouldn’t lose her temper. “Gina, you know I don’t allow smoking in this house.”
Gina shrugged. After a bit of coaxing, she dropped the cigarette on the top step and ground it beneath the heel of her shoe. “I need to talk to you about something.”
Scotty entered the house and wandered through the room, ignoring the adults as he touched objects with his fingers. After Monica fed Scotty a snack and let him fall asleep in the guest bedroom, she confronted Gina.
“Where have you been for the past two years?”
Gina strutted around the living room in her tight jeans, her high heels
making small imprints in the plush carpet. “I’ve been around. I was mad because Mom and Dad tried to get custody of Scotty, tried to take me to court and say I was an unfit mother.”
Groaning, Monica plopped onto the couch, holding her head in her hands. “That’s why you haven’t been speaking to me or Mom and Dad for two years?” When Gina sat beside her, Monica took her sister’s chin in her hand and looked into her eyes. “You know you were wrong. Mom and Dad tried to find you. They were worried about Scotty.”
Jerking away, Gina placed a few inches between herself and Monica. “They might have cared about Scotty, but they didn’t care about me.” Gina swore under her breath and dug through her purse. Removing a mint, she popped it into her mouth.”
Here’s my website and purchase links:
Western Author Stephen Bly Speaks About Western Women
My guest today is Author Stephen Bly, a longtime Western author. Here’s Stephen:
“A WESTERN WOMAN’S CHARM
For cowboys, sticking up for a woman’s honor…no debate. They don’t blink. And they don’t hesitate to offer help for a damsel in distress. But most cowboys admire strong women. That’s why I write about them. Gals like. . .wayward, banished Grace Denison in The Senator’s Other Daughter. Lixie Miller and her fight for peace and purpose (The General’s Notorious Widow). Determined Oliole Fontenot’s attempt to succeed or fail on her own merit (Miss Fontenot). Isabel Leon’s struggle with heartache and revenge in The Marquesa. Alena Louisa as a confident entrepreneur in a man’s world in Red Dove of Monterey. Christina Swan of Proud Quail of the San Joaquin, who strikes out on her own to oversee newly acquired family property that is barren, hot, and almost impossible to cultivate. Carolina Cantrell (Sweet Carolina), who is used to running her family’s import business, but finds a very difficult challenge to her business sense in the untamed Montana Territory.
But my favorite heroine is gutsy Martina Swan, the Last Swan in Sacramento. In a land and a time where reputations were gained and lost in a matter of weeks, Martina Swan discovers whether she has the faith and courage to survive. They were supposed to live happily ever after. Instead, Martina Swan, daughter of the legendary Wilson and Alena Merced, grappled to find peace in a marriage that is falling apart. Her husband is in Virginia City, Nevada, trying his luck at mining the Comstock Lode. A promise to come home a wealthy man “in three weeks” was given a year before. Meanwhile, Martina struggled to keep the family store solvent in Sacramento. And the pressures mount as she seeks to raise their child, the bank tries to close the store, and armed outlaws insist she possesses their stolen treasure.
Always living in the shadow of her mother’s beauty and her father’s valor, Martina finds that her one true source of joy is her daughter. But when a stranger shows up with a message from her husband, Martina determines to go and bring her man home. A shocking and toughening experience awaits her as she fights the most difficult battle of her life—learning to forgive and love again as she faces a deep lesson about herself, the nature of love, and God’s unwavering concern for her entire family.
My newest release, Cowboy For A Rainy Afternoon, features not a female protagonist, but a 10-year-old boy in 1954 who suffers a first crush on his own damsel in distress. . .a woman who reminds him of a movie star like Clara Bow, Betty Grable, Marilyn Monroe.
It was Grace Kelly in High Noon that stole my own ten-year-old heart. I figured she wasn’t too smart, ‘cause she couldn’t understand why Will had to turn back and try to save the town. Shoot, that’s in a cowboy’s bones. . .and in the grit of a strong woman. But, my oh my, she surely was purdy. “–Stephen Bly. Christy Award Winner for Westerns”
Thanks, Stephen, that was quite a list of strong women. How many of you enjoy a good Western?
If you want more, drop by
Book Monday-Author Robin Lee Hatcher & A Matter of Character
A MATTER OF CHARACTER
by Robin Lee Hatcher
Historical Romance
June 2010
Who says a woman can’t keep a secret?
It’s 1918, and Daphne McKinley, heiress to a small fortune, has found contentment in the town of Bethlehem Springs. But Daphne has a secret.
A series of dime novels loosely based on local lore and featuring a nefarious villain known as Rawhide Rick has enjoyed modest popularity among readers. Nobody in Bethlehem Springs knows the man behind the stories … except Daphne.
When newspaperman Joshua Crawford comes to town searching for the man who sullied the good name of his grandfather, Daphne finds herself at a crossroads, reassessing the power of her words, re-thinking how best to honor her gifts, and reconsidering what she wants out of life.
View the book trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84yGMuj21Uo
About the Author:
The author of over 60 books, best-selling novelist Robin Lee Hatcher is known for her heartwarming and emotionally charged stories of faith, courage, and love. She makes her home in Idaho where she enjoys spending time with her family and her high-maintenance Papillon, Poppet. She invites you to drop by her web site and her Facebook Page to learn more about her and her books.
Web site: http://www.robinleehatcher.com
Author Lena Nelson Dooley & Strength when Needed
My guest today is Author Lena Nelson Dooley recounts a crisis in her life and how it impacted her writing. Here’e Lena:
“In April of 2009, I had a speaking engagement in Madisonville, Texas. My husband drove me down there. Because I have a problem with one leg, it’s hard for me to drive a long distance.
When we awakened the next morning, James’s face was swollen and a large lump hung below his chin. I tried to get him to go to the hospital across the street from the Bed & Breakfast, but he wouldn’t. Then I told him I would call the writing group and tell them we were heading home. He didn’t want me to.
After I spoke, he had trouble driving, so I had him pull off the highway and let me drive. God was with me. I was able to drive the long distance without pain or cramping in my legs. Halfway home, He told me to take James straight to the hospital instead of going home or to the doctor’s office. Of course, I obeyed. The doctor told me James would have been dead if I hadn’t gotten him there when I did. James had a life-threatening infection and spent a week in the hospital. After that, I had to give him three IV antibiotics per day for three weeks.
His recovery was long and slow. His spark finally returned in the middle of January this year. During that time, I finished writing my Summerside Press novel. Perhaps the strength I needed to care for James also poured strength into the story. I just did what was needed to save my husband, no matter how hard it seemed.
In Love Finds You in Golden, New Mexico, Madeline Mercer had to make hard choices, too. Fearing for the safety of some of her loved ones, she ventured farther from home than she’d ever imagined she would. She had to face many obstacles in her new life, but she continued to trust that God knew what was best for her. That’s what we all need to do as we go through our lives.”
I’m so glad this story had such a happy ending. If you want to find Lena on the web, you’ll find her. Here are her stomping grounds:
http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com – Author interviews/Free books
www.bustlesandspurs.com – Regular Blogger
First Page-In Harm’s Way-Author Irene Hannon
IN HARM’S WAY by Irene Hannon
Book 3—Heroes of Quantico
Prologue
In a matter of minutes, the baby would be hers.
Forever.
Debra flexed her fingers inside the snug latex gloves, tightened her grip on the loop of wire in her hand, and melted deeper into the shadows at the back of the dim, gothic-style church. As the final organ notes reverberated through the deserted sanctuary, their hollow echo fading into the murky alcoves along the perimeter, the woman behind the keyboard tilted a bottle of water against her lips, emptying it in two long swallows.
The hint of a smile touched the corners of Debra’s lips. Rebecca O’Neil was nothing if not predictable.
Standing, Rebecca leaned over the pew behind her and rearranged the blanket on the infant in a pumpkin seat. She cooed a few words Debra couldn’t distinguish, smiling as the child gurgled gibberish in response.
The mother bent close to press a gentle kiss to the tiny forehead, and Debra’s fingers twitched on the wire, itching to pick up the baby, to cuddle her close, to breathe her fresh scent. To experience all the sweet joys of motherhood that had been denied her. But they would be denied her no more.
Today she would rectify that wrong.
www.irenehannon.com
Author Roseanna White & Abigail
Today’s guest is Author Roseanna White who is a fresh new face in Christian Fiction. She writes about her heroine Abigail. Here’s Roseanna:
“Abigail was seven when she lost her father. Eight when her mother died, after being forced to remarry. She found herself alone in a family not her own and sold before her mother was even buried. Sold to the enemy of her people–a Roman soldier.
Still, Jehovah would not abandon her, even if she secretly wished he would. He wanted her to be a slave? So be it. She would serve her new master and mistress well and even love the kind couple who treated her as a daughter. She would be good. She would be humble.
She knew her place.
Her place changed when her master’s son returned from Rome.
Abigail was fourteen by then, and content with her lot. Why did Jason have to shake everything up? He was her master, she had no right to refuse his advances. She could go to no one–her fellow slaves may try to defend her, but it would mean trouble for them. She could not reveal such shame to her mistress . . . what was she to do but submit?
For A Stray Drop of Blood, I spent a lot of time familiarizing myself with the culture of Jesus’ day and plopped a heroine into it that was a mix of its best and its worst. She was a slave, so had humility forced upon her. But within her was a spirit that refused to bow and bend . . . which nearly made her break.
It’s hard for us today to remember what it would have been like for women two-thousand years ago. They were eligible for marriage as soon as they hit puberty. They had huge responsibilities for the house and children, yet none of it was theirs if their husband died. They were under the complete authority of whatever man was over them, be it father, husband, or master . . . yet within that system they could find such love and freedom!
Abigail was more learned than most, especially for a slave. She could quote Aristotle, recite Homer, debate Plato, and knew the Law of Moses. But when it came to applying it to her own life, she relied on the faith of her mistress. That’s something that transcends the time barrier, isn’t it? Taking faith from academic to personal requires more than strength. Abigail wonders at one point in the story how anyone can know the truth, especially as concerns the stories of Jesus she’s been hearing.
Then she sees him on the day he is crucified, a stray drop of his blood lands on her, and Abigail’s place changes again. She feels the fire in his blood, and it burns away the chaff in her soul. What it leaves behind is the knowledge that matters most, the conviction that she needs and has found a savior.
In that moment, she becomes mistress and teacher rather than slave and pupil. Through Jesus, she finds a freedom of the soul–and learns that true submission to the Lord is not clinging to the place you’ve been put, but seeking the place he wants you to have.”
Roseanna M. White is wife, mommy, writer, reviewer, and lover of all
things literature-related. She has one book published, A STRAY DROP OF
BLOOD (WhiteFire Publishing, 2009), and another due out summer 2011. She is
the editor and senior reviewer of the Christian Review of Books, and a
member of ACFW, HisWriters, and HEWN Marketing. She makes her home in the
mountains of Western Maryland with her husband, two kids, and the colony of
dust bunnies under her couch.
Blog link: http://roseannamwhite.blogspot.com
I wonder if any of Roseanna’s dust bunnies are related to mine!–Lyn
Another Chance to Win a Copy of Her Abundant Joy
If you’d like to try for another giveaway, drop by Casey Herringshaw’s blog today.
Thanks, Casey!
Words of hope to strengthen your Biblical worldview
Personal: Writing for Christ
Author/ Reader: Operation Encourage an Author
Group: The Writer’s Alley