Amish Author Kathleen Fuller & Finding Strength Within

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My guest today is Amish Author Kathleen Fuller who is offering a GIVEAWAY and speaking to us about something we all find necessary to do. Here’s Kathy:

“Finding The Strength Within

In my latest release, Letters to Katie, the heroine, Katherine Yoder, may seem weak on the surface. At times she even considers herself weak, unable to free herself from her attraction to Johnny Mullet, a man who has never returned her affections. Throughout the story, Katherine is faced with several challenges that cause her to examine her faith and identity. Through those trials and by trusting God, she finds the strength she’s always possessed.

To purchase, click cover.

Women all over the world face a variety of challenges and trials that push them to the breaking point. At times these women need outreach, not only to help them become independent, but to discover the God-given strength within.

Zimele is such an outreach program.

Their mission is “To confront the root causes of poverty and remove the barriers to self-sufficiency by working with one woman and one community at a time until we reach all of South Africa, through the empowerment of these women with the skills, resources, and support networks to start businesses and social service projects to sustain not only themselves, but their families and communities.”

The scripture at the core of Zimele is 2 Corinthians 5:17-18—“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.”

According to volunteer Tera Moore, she works with Zimele “because

of my love, appreciation and respect of women. All the women of Zimele want is an opportunity to be self-sufficient and support their community for themselves and future generations. Due to circumstances beyond their control, the ability to do that has been stripped away from them and we have an opportunity to help them get it back.”

Independence. Respect. Strength. These are qualities God has given us, and as Christians we are to support and care for one another. We see examples of that in our society, in Amish culture, and in other world cultures. But there is more work to be done, and we can accomplish it through the power of Christ and our love for others.

For more information about Zimele, visit their website at http://zimelecommunity.org/about-us/

Blessings,”– Kathleen

Website: www.kathleenfuller.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kathleen-Fuller/81836200502?ref=ts&fref=ts

Twitter: @TheKatJam

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/kathyfuller/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/90423-q-a-with-kathleen-fuller

Blog: www.amishliving.com

Thanks, Kahtleen, I had not heard of Zimele before but it sounds like a worthy cause.

To enter the drawing, click the link to Zimele and find out one fact such as what Zimele means and post it here. Also if you scroll down, you’ll see Compassion International that I strongly support.

PS-Melanie Pike and Jane B won Jan Drexler’s Amish book!

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A Celebration of Mothers and Daughters Begins with a Reader Story-An Easter Egg Hunt to Remember

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Girl giving mom flowers.

Every May I encourage readers to send me stories of not only their mothers but women important in their lives. I have received the most touching stories and poems over the past three years. Do you have a poem or story you’d like to share? If so, please click the Contact button above and send it to me. I’ll be happy to post it. Susan Faloon gave me permission to share this email she sent me when thanking me for a book she received through the 2nd Annual Easter Egg Hunt by Love Inspired Historical group on GoodReads.

Here’s Susan:

“I think you may get a smile from what I was allowed to do last night. I’ve been without my father for 30 years but my 81-year-old mother is still quite active. The two of us sat in her living room for about an hour filling over 175 plastic eggs with candies. She had already fill nearly 100 in my sister’s car on her way home from a chemo treatment in her eye for macular degeneration.

Then, by moonlight we spread the eggs

all over my youngest sisters yard for my niece who is 25 and still can’t let Mamie’s Easter tradition go. It was funny to watch my mother sneaking around. This is the first time I’ve been allowed on this secret mission which she usually does for her grandchildren at 3 houses,( my two sisters and I).

 
After I got back home it really hit me what a gift I’ve been given.

I still get to have my mother who has had cancer, polio, survived a bad car accident and much more.  Despite knowing she is going blind she still did all of this for those she loves.  I got to share it with her.
 That was my Easter gift from God this year!
 
Hugs and prayers,” — Susan

Well, do you think that story was worth sharing? Do you have any memories of ways your mother or grandmother or aunt made a holiday special?  Please feel free to share.

REMEMBER: EVERY MAY I DO A WHOLE MONTH DRAWING OF THOSE WHO LEAVE COMMENTS. IN ADDITION TO REGULAR BOOK GIVEAWAYS, THERE WILL BE ONE BIG GIVEAWAY TO ONE PERSON. SO DON’T MISS ONE GREAT INTERVIEW OR STORY THIS MONTH AND BE SURE TO LEAVE A COMMENT.–Lyn

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What to Do When Google Reader is Gone

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I don’t know if any of you noticed

but one othe major RSS feed services, Google Reader will cease to exist in July of this year. So how will you receive your subscription to this blog and any others you follow. Here’s the info.

 

March 19, 2013 · by Paul Chaney

“Google announced last week that it is retiring Google Reader, its longstanding RSS feed reader application, citing a decrease in use. The announcement created a furor across the Internet.

The article goes on to give 6 Alternatives to Google Reader

http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/3952-6-Alternatives-to-Google-Reader

Of these suggestions, I chose Rolio

and have successfully signed up to receive this blog and about 4 others that I follow. I didn’t find it difficult to do. I just needed to enter the URL’s or web addresses (links) of the blogs I wanted to continue following.

I’d like to offer you another way to continue to follow this blog. Would you like to receive it as an email? If so,………..

please type your email into the top left slot where it says:

Subscribe to Receive Blog Updates by Email

Also notice the Send to Kindle button below. If you’d rather read my blog on your kindle, just click that button. BUT that won’t send it to you automatically. You must come each time to make the switch.

Also I’m just starting an occasional enewsletter. Look to the top right in the banner. In the red frame, just type in your email address and I’ll add you to my subscription list. I don’t send out a lot of e-newsletters, just when I have something my readers would like to know–such as a new book coming out or any special offers.

I’ve noted a drop off of comments and I think the end of Google Reader has already separated me from some of my readers. So I hope this helps us keep in touch. !–Lyn

 

 

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Debut Amish Author Jan Drexler & Grandma was a Fighter

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My guest today is a brand new Love Inspired author Jan Drexler who has begun her career with an historical Amish story set in the Depression. Sounds interesting? Does to me. She’s also offering two copies of her book so be sure to add a comment at the end. Here’s Jan who is sharing the story of her grandmother, what a woman:

Grandma was a fighter.

The oldest of five girls, Grandma was the one who bore the brunt of the farm chores in 1918 when both parents became ill with the Spanish Flu.

Grandma was the one who kept the girls working when their mother became so crippled with rheumatoid arthritis that getting out of bed in the morning was an agony.

Grandma was the one whose dream to marry her college sweetheart and work beside him as a missionary in Nigeria was shattered when he went away to seminary and the relationship cooled.

Grandma was the one who left college to marry a troubled young man who lost his mother at an early age and had grown up in a home for the orphan poor.

Grandma faced the Great Depression

They set up housekeeping on a rented farm. The year was 1928. Their oldest son was born in May, 1929, and by fall of that year, the economic collapse leading to the Great Depression had begun.

But Grandma was a fighter.

That troubled young man loved the Lord, the church, and his family. Together they raised five children before his early death in 1951, leaving her with three young teenagers still at home.

She went back to college, earned her teaching certificate, and began supporting her family. She made a life for herself for twenty-five years – widowed, alone, and always finding ways to serve others.

Second Chance for love

And then one day she received a letter. It was her college sweetheart. He had married a wonderful woman, gone to Nigeria as a missionary, and had returned to make a life for himself and his family in California. But he was now a widower, and had learned she was also alone. Would she like to correspond?

Grandma was a fighter, but she also knew how to wait on the Lord, accepting the gifts He provided for her from His hand. She said yes, and romance blossomed once more.

Grandma married her college sweetheart at age 74, in a small ceremony attended by their families. Her two sons – both ordained ministers – officiated. They lived in California for ten years before spending the rest of their lives in her home town of Goshen, Indiana.

Grandma was a fighter and a storyteller, and I grew up listening to her stories.

In The Prodigal Son Returns, I took a snippet from Grandma’s life, and it became the story of Ellie Miller. Ellie is a young woman, widowed at an early age. In the middle of the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl years, she fights impossible odds to achieve the dream her husband had for their children – a home of their own. A farm to last for generations.

And like Grandma, Ellie discovers romance where she least expects it – but does she trust God enough to reach out to take the gift He’s giving her?”–Jan


To purchase, click here. The Prodigal Son Returns (Love Inspired Historical)

 This is what I love about inviting authors to guest on my blog. I hear such great stories. 

Question: Do you have any family stories about the Depression or WWI or the Spanish flu?

My great aunt Carrie died in that 1918 pandemic. Leave a comment to enter the drawing for one of the two books Jan is offering.”–Lyn

Website: www.JanDrexler.com

Fun blog: yankeebellecafe.blogspot.com (I post there on Mondays)

Twitter: @JanDrexler

Facebook: Jan Drexler (author)

Our latest winners!

Katie J. won Connie Mann’s book Angels Falls.

Shirley Blanchard won Merrillee Whren’s book A Place Called Home.

 Jodie won Suzanne Young’s Murder by Mishap.

 

 

 

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Lyn Interview Mystery Author Suzanne Young

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Something I really enjoy about my kindle is being able to surf books that are bargains. And to me a bargain is not something cheap, but something of value for an enticing price. In this case, 99 cents. I discovered Suzanne Young’s books after reading Sarah Shaber’s Simon Shaw mystery series. Amazon suggested I would like Suzanne Young’s EDNA DAVIS MYSTERY series. And Amazon was right! I found Suzanne on GoodReads and invited her to be my guest and I’m reading and reviewing her mysteries. Here’s the interview:

(BE SURE TO LEAVE A COMMENT TO BE ENTERED INTO THE BOOK GIVEAWAY!

Share one fun or interesting fact about your life or books.

Suzanne: Occasionally, my protagonist will help me out when I’m writing a story. For example, in “Murder by Yew,” Edna was at her daughter’s condo in Boston when she spotted something in one of the photographs on Starling’s wall. I didn’t see it coming–it was a complete surprise when the words just seemed to type themselves. Edna, however, was unwavering. Her discovery led the story in an entirely different direction from my original plot, and, in my opinion, created a more satisfactory conclusion.

Why do you write?
I write for the pleasure of it. I’ve been an avid reader from the time I could hold a book, and I enjoy “word play.” As I approached mid-life and began to think about what I would do when I retired, I thought it would be fun to try my hand at fiction. I’d written non-fiction articles and technical manuals for various jobs I’d held over the years, but fiction was what I read. When I discovered my first Agatha Christie novel, I became hooked on mysteries. Being a life-long games enthusiast and after thirty-some-odd years working as a computer programmer analyst, my mind was geared to writing in a genre in which “what if” and following clues are main driving forces. Additionally, I’ve always been interested in “what makes people tick,” a trait that I feel helps me to create believable characters. Basically, I write for myself, but if my stories bring pleasure to others, that’s an added bonus.

In what ways does your heroine show strength? And where does she draw this strength?

I believe Edna has strength of character (if you’ll pardon the pun). She shows her strong points through caring and concern for others. When a family member or friend is in trouble or has been hurt, Edna steps forward, seeking truth and justice.”–Suzanne

Website: SuzanneYoungBooks.com

To purchase, click here. Murder by Mishap (Edna Davies mysteries)

Blurb for “Murder by Mishap”:
Edna Davies is heading for the Providence Art Club when she spots a brooch in the newly-tilled soil of a friend’s yard. Her discovery solves a 50-year-old mystery but precipitates a murder. As she tries to make sense of the killing, Edna matches wits with someone who may be hiding behind a false identity. She must determine who is friend and who is foe before another person dies.

So far I’ve read Murder by Yew and Murder by Proxy, books 1 and 2 in the series and right now I’m reading Murder by Mishap. I’ve already posted my review of Murder by Yew. And I will be posting my reviews of 2 and 3 soon.

To purchase click covers.

PLEASE LEAVE COMMENT TO BE ENTERED INTO BOOK DRAWING–EITHER PRINT OR EBOOK YOUR CHOICE. 

QUESTION: WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE COVERS OVER SUZANNE’S BOOKS? WHICH DO YOU LIKE BEST?

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Author Merrillee Whren & A Place to Call Home

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My guest today is a friend Merrillee Whren and she has a story to tell, a new book to share and one to give away! So don’t forget to leave a comment. Here’s Merrillee:

Three Strong Women

“There are any number of strong women in our family. I’d like to mention three today with an emphasis on my mother-in-law, Mary Whren, who passed away this past December. She was strong for her family and herself, as she fought against many health issues in her last days.

I believe my two daughters inherited their strength, in part, from their Grandma Whren. My older daughter battles Crohn’s disease, but she doesn’t let the disease keep her from leading a busy and fulfilling life. My younger daughter juggles family and work while she travels away from home for her job. My daughters loved their grandmother, as did all who knew her.

A Poem about a Grandma by a Granddaughter

Here is a glimpse into my mother-in-law’s life in a poem written by my younger daughter.

“Whether you knew Mary as sister, mother, aunt, Gram or friend

It certainly didn’t matter as her love knew no end.

There are so many stores and loving memories to be shared

It will never be a wonder of just how much she cared.

From bridge, to poker, to rummy of any kind

There wasn’t a card game that Mary wouldn’t find.

Always the life of the party

A laugh so fun and hearty

The love and light of her sons, granddaughters and family

She loved us all so lavishly

Mary will never be forgotten, just like her Irish roots

Now, reunited in heaven, May you Rest in Peace, Goots.”

In case you are wondering about that last word, Goots was Mary’s nickname—a strong name for a strong woman.

Merrillee’s New Book: 


To purchase, click here. A Place to Call Home

BLURB:

Molly Finnerty, the heroine of my latest book, A Place to Call Home, also has Irish roots. She is strong as she works to help abused women, but she grows stronger when she finally learns to forgive herself.

QUESTION: Do you ever find it hard to forgive yourself for something you’ve done? Why?”–Merrillee

Website: http://www.merrilleewhren.com/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/MerrilleeWhren.Author

BOOK GIVEAWAY

Don’t forget to leave a comment. Merrillee has asked you a question.

Forgiveness is something we discuss often here. WHY DO YOU THINK THAT IS–WHAT MAKES FORGIVENESS SO IMPORTANT?”–Lyn

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Lyn Reviews Author Valerie Hansen’s Shadow of Turning

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Shadow Of Turning (Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense #57)Shadow Of Turning by Valerie Hansen

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

First of all, Valerie Hansen is a very good friend, just so you know that up front. HOWEVER, even if this book had been written by a stranger, I would have enjoyed it. I gave it four stars as a compromise. Shadow of Turning is a five star romance but a three star mystery IMHO. That said, I really enjoyed this story of a small town in Missouri. The heroine Chancy is charming and quirky and her hero Nate is her perfect foil, all science and efficiency. I recommend this to anyone who likes a small town romance with a lot of charm.

View all my reviews

To purchase, click here. Shadow of Turning

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New Author Connie Mann & Second Chances

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My guest today is new author Connie Mann whom I met back in 2002 at a Florida Writing Conference. Imagine my delight when she popped up talking about her new book! BTW, she will be giving away a print copy of her book within the US so be sure to leave a comment! Here’s Connie:

“Second Chances by Connie Mann

I have always admired strong women. Whether famous or not, my heroes are women who roll up their sleeves and do what needs to be done, without worrying about the cost to themselves. They ignore the naysayers and the timid and take action, often heading into uncharted territory armed with nothing but courage and determination.

My grandmother, Emma Guddat, was a lady like that. During WWII, she managed to keep her four children alive in East Prussia during the Red Army’s advance and the Third Reich’s retaliation. My grandfather, who served as a cook in the German army, had been taken prisoner and spent time in a POW camp in Africa. But circumstances had forced Omi (grandma, in German) to move the family several times while he was gone. She worried that Emil wouldn’t be able to find them again. So she set out to find him herself.

It was like a scene from an Indiana Jones movie. Picture a diminutive lady of 5’2”, crouched in a train station in the dead of night, counting every heartbeat as she waited for the searchlights to pass over her so she could sneak on a train to Berlin. She made it and thanks for the efforts of the Red Cross, the family was reunited. Later, they immigrated to America, grateful to have found a new start.

To purchase, click here. Angel Falls

The heroine of my new novel, Angel Falls, is another strong lady. Regina grew up on the streets of Porto Alegre, in Southern Brazil, where she and her best friend did whatever they had to do to survive. As teenagers, they were rescued from the streets and given a home, an education and a fresh start. Now Regina and her friend run an orphanage in Porto Alegre, rescuing as many of the street children as they can—just as they were rescued.

But when Regina’s best friend Irene is killed, Regina vows to protect her friend’s baby—no matter what. Even if that means she has to deal with Brooks—a big, scary former Army Ranger she’s not sure she can trust. As they flee a madman bent on killing the baby, Brooks and Regina must learn to trust each other to stay alive. Will that be enough to save them?

Tough ladies like these often have battle scars, some outward and obvious; others hidden deep in their hearts. But our God is a God of healing and He delights in giving second chances to His children. My grandmother got her fresh start in America and my story heroine, Regina, got her new beginning in Angel Falls.

When it’s dark and scary all around you and you’re not sure what to do next, keep taking one more step. God walks beside you, ready to offer hope and healing.

And a second chance.”–Connie

Bio:

Connie Mann loves stories of suspense, adventure and second chances. She offers encouragement to busy women on her blog: www.BusyWomenBigDreams.com and is an active member of Romance Writers of America and American Christian Fiction Writers. She’s also a USCG-licensed boat captain, so when she’s not writing, she’s usually on Central Florida’s waterways with local school children or her fabulous family. Please visit her online at: www.conniemann.com.

Blog: www.BusyWomenBigDreams.com

Website: www.conniemann.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ConnieMannAuthor?ref=hl#!/ConnieMannAuthor

Twitter: @CaptConnieMann

Book Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=II8IWqaxakI

Another interesting family story. Connie’s grandmother brought to mind that while St Paul termed women as weaker vessels, what’s in those vessels can face anything!  Now for the question to enter the drawing– QUESTION: Has spring arrived where you are? Where are you? I know I usually ask heavier questions but as I look out on the fresh snow–spring is uppermost on my mind!–Lyn

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Author Angela Breidenbach & the Strength of No!

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My guest today is Author Angela Breidenbach. Her publisher is offering a giveaway of her new release A Healing Heart: Quilts of Love series. So be sure to leave a comment. Angela shares something that I think plagues most women–how to handle the load of responsibilities we carry. Here’s Angela’s take:

Strength is in “No!”

 As a workaholic, I’ve struggled most of my adult life to balance family and work.

Recently the Fourth Commandment convicted me. Take a Sabbath? But I have so much to do! The Holy Spirit went to work. Could I follow nine of the ten? Ouch! I took it to prayer, “I am so sorry, Lord! Help me to honor all of your commands and write them on my heart.”

I found out a really good reason for my struggles after taking a test from the book, Strengths Finder 2.0 online.

God hardwired me with a combination of talents, experiences, and personality traits that create the perfect storm for workaholism—if they’re distorted. We humans distort every good thing God meant for our good, don’t we?

 The book helped me to understand my top five strengths and how they can also be a weakness. Not in any order: Achiever, Learner, Context, Futuristic, and Strategic. Looking at those words, can you already make some assumptions?

Getting educated, not only my strengths but how they can be misused, helped me understand how to better balance my life.

Because I love to learn new things and am an over-achiever and have a strategic brain, I often struggle with turning it all off. I’m constantly energized by new ideas I want to research and then strategically put into action—right now. A lot of people see this as a wish list, the level of productivity. But like Mara Keegan in my new release, A Healing Heart, I have to be intentional about time with friends and family. She gets such a sense of satisfaction related to her sense of achievement that it interferes with her personal relationships. Can you tell I wrote that part of me into her?

Have I beat workaholism? Not completely.

I’m a work in progress, pun intended. Anything can be misused, even a gift from God, according to 1 Corinthians 6: 12 (NIV), “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything…” Think about some of our cultures super stars. Some guidelines help me appreciate the strengths God wired me with and protect me from misusing those gifts and traits.

 What do you do if you have these strengths that easily slip into sinful workaholism?

Here’s what I’m working on:

1. Learn to say, “No!”

2. Schedule time in your calendar for relationships. Really. Grab your day timer.

3. Focus on how what you do affect others.

4. When the underside of a trait becomes evident take it immediately to prayer.

5. Give a friend permission to speak the truth in love.

6. Be transparent. Don’t hide your struggle.

7. Share God’s blessings by sharing work. Don’t steal a blessing from someone else.”–Angela

 Thanks, Angela for sharing so openly. With this amount of commitment, I’m sure with God’s help you will conquer your workaholism.”–Lyn

 

About Angela’s Book:

To puchase, click here. A Healing Heart: Quilts of Love Series

Mara Keegan is an uber-successful mother and a widow of three years. She’s been chasing success and all the “good things in life” for her family to make up for the cruel whim God played on them by taking her husband. In an effort to be the perfect mom, she decides to make a photo memory quilt, a graduation present for her daughter, Cadence. She’s not yet finished when she experiences a heart attack. While Mara recuperates, she revisits the choices she’s made that led to this physically and spiritually broken heart. The memory quilt must be finished in time for Cadence’s big day, but Mara struggles with her burgeoning feelings for the man who must keep Mara’s business going during her recovery, Joel Ryan. Can Joel find his way into Mara’s heart and onto Cadence’s quilt?

BIO:   Angela Breidenbach is a speaker, coach, and author of A Healing Heart, April 2013 from Abingdon Press in the Quilts of Love series. She is certified in mentor/peer counseling as a CTA life coach, as a Stephen Minister, and a weight loss/nutrition coach. Angela serves as an assisting minister (worship/prayer leader) for her congregation in Missoula, MT. http://www.AngelaBreidenbach.com

Twitter: @AngBreidenbach

Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/AngelaBreidenbachInspirationalSpeakerAuthor

To puchase, click book cover.

QUESTION: Are you overwhelmed with commitments and need to begin to balance your life? Or do you struggle to get started with everything that faces you?

BTW, Marianne was the winner of Maureen Lang’s book!

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