A Sound Among The Trees by Susan Meissner

This is the first book I have ever read by Susan Meissner and it will not be the last! I received this book in the mail and could not wait to read it, so on my day off I started it and could not put it down! I read this book in one day.  In a sense it is two books in one! 

 Marielle leaves Phoenix, Arizona and moves to Fredericksburg, Virginia to marry widower Carson and to be stepmother to his two children. Carson and the children live with his grandmother in law Adelaide in her antebellum mansion Holly Oak.

Many people think the house is haunted and Marielle tries to discover the secrets of Holly Oak. This book unfolds beautifully with the reading of  civil war letters by Susannah.

Nothing is as it seems.  I loved this book and the unfolding of the story! It is a refreshing change from other books out there.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

 

Gabby, God's Little Angel By Sheila Walsh; Illistrated by Marina Fedotova

This book is very beautiful! The pictures in here are so cute.  I had just gotten this book in the mail and the first thing my 5 year old daughter said was "That's for me?", (Then of coarse my 8 year old son wanted a book!)

 This book is very much geared toward girls; although the message is for both boys and girls. It is a VERY girly book!  My son didn't want to read it with us at first, although he was curious so he listened anyway. 

 My daughter loved the book, but when I finished she was disappointed that it was so short and she asked me if I had any other "Gabby" books.

Also, this book opened up a discussion between my children and myself.  They wanted to know if angels really do follow them around all the time. So after reading this book we read Psalms 91.

  I like that this book made it seem more real to my children that God sends his angels to watch over them!

On another note, the book is a little hard to read! The words go from big to small, some sentences curve diagnal across the page and some words just plain curve in a circle! I wish they would have just put the words on the page straight.

But other then that I love this book, and my daughter does too! I hope this is going to be a series! 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

 

100 Read and Sing Devotions, 100 Bible Songs

First of all I want to say how nice of a book this is!!! It's beautiful! It's very strong and sturdy for little hands.

 My 5 year old daughter loves the songs that come with this book. Some of the songs we know, but some are new. The songs are sung by children and I caught my daughter singing along. They are mostly "soft" songs and are perfect to play at bedtime.

I like the short little devotion stories, the Bible verse and prayer for each day.

 My 8 year old son read some of them aloud to his little sister. The words are easy enough for a child to understand and read. 

 We also like the pictures and I know we will get a lot of use out of this book.

I would recommend this book to anyone who has young children.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Indelible by Kristen Heitzmann

This book was Amazing!! Indelible started at a fast pace and kept it up throughout the whole novel! I was on the edge of my seat and read long past my bedtime to finish! I did not want to put it down!

The book starts out with Trevor MacDaniel chasing a mountain lion who had a toddler.

This rescue causes media attention, and the attention of a not so admirable person. It also interlaces Trevor's life with the life of the toddler's aunt, Natalie Reeve.

This book has a lot of characters that are identifiable and very human. People who struggle with overcoming their past or their limitations.

Some parts of this book felt like there was a book before this and this was number 2 in a series, but there was not any number on this book so I don't know.

I really enjoyed this book!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.



Contest from CBD.com

Mercy Come Morning by Lisa Tawn Bergren

http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/giveaway?code=730107

Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy. A Righteous Gentile VS. The Third Reich

"Who stands fast? Only the man whose final standard is not his reason, his principles, his conscience, his freedom, or his virtue, but who is ready to sacrifice all this when he is called to obedient and responsible action in faith and in exclusive allegiance to God--the responsible man, who tries to make his whole life an answer to the question and call of God." ~Deitrich Bonhoeffer~

I was surprised when I got this book in the mail as it was huge!! But once I started to read it I could not put it down!!

I enjoyed reading it, this book was quite amazing and interesting! It made me think what would I have done in his situation. It's truly inspiring that Dietrich Bonhoeffer stood up for God in the face of such evil and opistion. And not only did he stand for what was right, he opposed the wrong and tried to do something about it!

You will not regret reading this book, Bonhoeffer is truly inspiring!!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.



"STUMBLING INTO GRACE.....Confessions of a Sometimes Spiritually Clumsy Woman" by Lisa Harper

I loved this book! As the back of the cover says; "Part diary, part devotional, 'Stumbling Into Grace' weaves hilarious and poignant stories from Lisa's own life with intimate and transformational encounters from the life of Christ". 

 I really related to this book because we all stumble in our spiritual lives and that is okay because God picks us back up, dusts us off and forgives us.  I like how she weaves real life experiences that she has had with passages in the bible. Lisa is very funny, she had me laughing in one chapter and crying in the next.

I really like the names of some of the chapters, such as: "Ewe Scared?";  "No Fangs Allowed"; "The Bride Who Tripped Down The Aisle"; and "Carrying Home A Giant" to name just a few!

I also like how the book is laid out, there are 15 chapters, and each chapter is perfect to turn into a daily or weekly devotion. Also, at the end of each chapter there are "Personal Reflection" and "Group Discussion Questions".

There was only one thing I did not like about this book and that was that she used 6 different versions of the Bible. I would have liked to see just one version used! But other then that I liked this book and  

it was really helpful to me.  I am very glad I read it and I can't wait to read one of her other books.

~Joanna~

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Lady In The Mist by Laurie Alice Eakes

I have just finished reading 'Lady In The Mist' by Laurie Alice Eakes and I did not want this book to end! I loved the mystery of this book! It kept me reading another chapter when I should have gone to bed! 

 Tabitha Eckles is a midwife in 1809 Virginia, and as such she knows secrets that the townspeople would rather her not. Add to that the young men on the coastal towns are disappearing. And then there is Dominick Cherrett, the town mayor's new indentured servant. The intrigue kept me on the edge, and I twice wrongly guessed who the "villain" was! :) I loved this book!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I bought this book!!! :)

Lady In The Mist by Laurie Alice Eakes

"Love Finds You in Groom Texas" interview with author Janice Hanna Thompson

Love Finds You in Groom Texas Interview

Let’s chat with novelist Janice Hanna Thompson, author of Love Finds You in Groom, Texas (Summerside/Guideposts, June 2011).


Janice Hanna (also published as Janice Thompson) has published more than seventy novels and non-fiction books. She has also published more than fifty magazine articles and several musical comedies for the stage. Janice makes her home in the Houston area near her children and grandchildren.

Please tell us three random things we might not know about you.
My dad was the president of the University of Houston Cougar Cagers Club, so my birthdays, holidays, etc. were spent at basketball games. Our family traveled to Mexico with the U of H Cougars to watch them compete, which was great fun. When I was eleven, I got to play (for fun, of course) with the Harlem Globetrotters, who came to Houston for a visit. To this day, I love a good basketball game.

I once lied to a fellow camper at church camp, telling her that my dad (Billy Hanna) was William Hanna of Hanna/Barbara (Flintstones) fame. That lie still haunts me, though, to his credit, my dad did eventually work as a movie producer on our co-authored movie, Liar’s Moon. (Yes, it’s true. I got to meet and work with Matt Dillon. Eat your heart out, girls!)

I occasionally bake wedding cakes. In 2009 I baked a lovely four-tiered white cake with strawberry filling and cream cheese frosting that toppled less than an hour before the wedding. I managed to piece together two very messy/ugly layers. Thankfully, the bride did not murder me. It made for a great scene in a later book. (Nothing ever gets wasted, not even a mashed piece of cake.)

Please tell us a bit more about the plot of Love Finds You in Groom, Texas.
Always the groomsman, never the groom… It’s 1914, and Jake O’Farrell has gained an unusual reputation among the locals: He’s played the roles of groomsman and best man in all four of his older brothers’ weddings, but he’s never been able to find the woman to capture his heart. And now with the upcoming wedding of his best friend, Jake will become the last single man in the town of Groom.

Anne Denning has made the difficult decision to move with her sisters to Texas, but a train derailment forces them to seek shelter in Groom, near Amarillo. Mrs. O’Farrell, hopeful that Anne will catch her youngest son’s eye, invites the girls to stay at her home until the train is repaired and ready to pull out. Anne has no idea of the blissful chaos that lies ahead!

Why did you decide to write this story?
My editor at Summerside approached me with the name of the town because she knows I write a lot of wedding-themed stories. She wanted something lightweight/fun, and she knew me well enough to know I would enjoy a fun story. The only real question we had in the beginning stage was: “Should this be a historical or a contemporary?” We went with historical because I felt sure the story idea was better suited to the turn of the century.

Tell us something interesting about the town of Groom:
Groom boasts a nineteen-story high cross. More than 100 welders worked together to erect it in 1995. Now you can see why I toyed with the idea of writing a contemporary novel! I wanted to include the cross. Because I went with historical, I decided to give the heroine a small cross necklace to wear, one that symbolizes her faith (and alludes to the “bigger” cross to come).

What is your favorite memory of the Texas panhandle region?
Just one? I love, love, love Palo Duro Canyon, which is not terribly far from Groom. This breathtaking canyon always surprises visitors because you don’t see it coming! Look to your right and see nothing. Then, a few yards up the road, look to your right again and you see a crevice forming. That crevice deepens, then deepens some more until. . .lo and behold! You’re looking at one of God’s most magnificent “sweeps of a fingertip.” Truly glorious. One of my favorite memories was taking my daughters to see the play “Texas” in Palo Duro Canyon when they were little. We camped overnight in the state park, ate BBQ and saw the show. Amazing!

Groom is a wedding-themed book. Why do you write so many stories with a strong wedding theme?
I have four grown daughters—Randi, Megan, Courtney Rae and Courtney Elizabeth. Yes, I really have two daughters named Courtney. (Long story!) All four of my girls got married within four years of each other. We’re told to write what we know. I know weddings, trust me! I helped coordinate all four weddings and even worked as a wedding coordinator at my church for a season. I was also tickled to be the “Wedding Planner Examiner” for the city of Houston for a spell. What fun! You’ll see me writing about weddings for years to come, so hang on for the ride!

What is it about your lead character that will make your readers care about her?
Readers will care about Anne because she’s been through so much and still chooses to move forward. They will also love her relationship with her younger sisters. She’s the only remaining parental figure and takes that position very seriously.

Why will readers enjoy your novel?
In spite of the lead character’s tough situation, the story is filled with comedic elements. Anne’s two younger sisters are a hoot. So is Maggie (the hero’s mother). She’s an Irish spitfire! I think readers will appreciate the romance between Anne and Jake. It’s filled with all sorts of sweet and comic moments.

Why do you like writing comedies with strong take-aways?
Comedy is a great outlet. We comedians can get away with a lot more than authors who play it straight. Want the reader to walk away with a little nugget of truth? Couch it in something humorous. I’ve found that light-hearted writing not only suits my personality, it’s the perfect vehicle for sharing the gospel.

If you were the casting director for the film version of your novel, who would play your heroine?

Because Anne (a one-time socialite from Denver) has dark hair and pale skin, I envision her looking a little bit like the character of Diana Barry in Anne of Green Gables. Diana was played by Schuyler Grant.
Tell us a little about your hero? Is he true hero material?
Jake is a hunka-hunka Texas man! He’s a railroad man who loves his job, loves his family and loves the heroine. He’s got a great sense of humor, which is perfect for this story, because the heroine’s little sisters are loaded with antics! Jake has a lot to deal with: he’s the town’s last single man, which has made him the brunt of many a joke. His older brothers (all married with children) taunt and tease. Jake can never catch a break. Unless he’s with Anne, of course. Then he catches far more than a break. . .he catches the woman of his dreams!

Give us one sentence that shows/tells us something about your heroine as a child.
Papa used to say the only ‘buts’ were the ones left behind when a man finished a good cigar.
What about your sub-characters? Call you tell us about any of them?
I love writing stories with fun sub-characters! Those who read my “Weddings by Bella” series know that I spend a lot of time creating my cast! Love Finds You in Groom, Texas is no different. Some of my favorite sub-characters are Emily and Kate (Anne’s younger sisters). Emily was patterned after Margaret O’Brien’s character in “Meet me in St. Louis.” Lots of fun! Another fun-loving character is Maggie, Jake’s mother. She knows just how to get what she wants! Even sour old Uncle Bertrand turns out to be a fun guy. . .in the end.

Are any of your characters patterned after real people?
The characters are patterned more after characters than real people. I wanted the overall “feel” of the book to be a bit like that in “Anne of Green Gables.” If the reader is paying attention, he/she will notice a few Avonlea-esque images, including my heroine’s name. There are also a few nods to “Meet Me in St. Louis” in this story, as well.

What sorts of transformations take place in this book?
How much time do you have? (Ha!) Seriously, there are so many! The heroine, Anne, has been through tremendous losses and struggles with her faith from the get-go. By the end of the story, she is a woman transformed. Likewise, the hero has been through far too much taunting and teasing. He, too, has faced losses. With Anne’s hand in his, transformation comes. Even precocious Emily, Anne’s younger sister, goes through a bit of a metamorphosis as the story progresses. The biggest change of all, however, is in Uncle Bertrand. I don’t want to give away too much. You’ll have to read the story to see for yourself!

You always seem to add animal to your stories. Any animals in this one?
Yes! Most of my readers know that I’m an animal lover. My two miniature dachshunds, Sasha and Copper, are my ever-faithful companions. They’ve made appearances in several of my books. Love Finds You in Groom, Texas, is set on a ranch in North Texas, so I couldn’t possibly write it without adding animals! The cattle are a part of the story, naturally, but so is the family’s collie, Ginger. My favorite animal/character is Frances, the hero’s mare. He’s so enamored with his mare (and so comfortable talking to her) that he ends up practicing his “love speech” on the mare while working up courage to deliver it to Anne.

What are readers saying about this book? Have you had any feedback so far?
So far the book has all five-star reviews on amazon (which makes me smile, of course). Here’s a review I found that really got me excited:

5.0 out of 5 stars: A Delightful Read
This delightful tale of romance which emerges out of tragic circumstances is set in a wonderful town called Groom in the panhandle of the great state of Texas. It is a story of tragedy, love, and God’s divine hand of providence that enters a situation just at the right time and changes everything. Young Anne finds herself on a train heading to Dallas with her two younger sisters after the loss of their father. When fate intervenes, the trail derails and their future is forever altered. And then there is Jake, the last available young man in Groom who finds himself to be the recipient of many jokes about his situation, especially from his brothers. Jake’s mother, Maggie, embodies everything wonderful that Anne remembers about her own mother before she died. Throw in the mixture of the antics of Aunt Bets and the perceived sternness of Uncle Bertrand, and you have a story of new revelations and delightful outcomes.
How absolutely wonderful, in this day and age when problems seem to loom on every side and people have lost faith and hope, to read a story that is all about faith and hope. It is refreshing to read a story set in an era when one’s words meant something, when prayer was the first course of action, when faith ruled our very existence, when people looked out for one another even during hard times. Perhaps after reading this book, your faith will be renewed, as well. – Cherri Taylor

You’ve written other Love Finds You books in the past. Do you enjoy writing for this series? Why or why not?
I can’t say enough about this line of books. From the moment the first book released, I fell in love—with the authors, the covers, the stories, the settings. Most of all, I love the concept. Through these stories, the reader can travel all over the country, bouncing from town to town, city to city. Want a serious historical? You’ll find it in the Love Finds You series. Want a humorous contemporary? You’ll find that, too. Want a book set in a quirky, fun town? Yep. You’ll find it in the Love Finds You series. Want a story set in a remote, faraway place, filled with intrigue? You’ll find that, too.

What is the last book you read that you would recommend?
I was completely blown away by Judy Christy’s book Wreath, about a teen girl who lives on her own. I can’t tell you the last time a character impacted me like Wreath did. I read the book for endorsement. I’m pretty sure it releases in a month or two. Can’t wait to see what readers think!
What are you working on now?
I just turned in Love Finds You in Daisy, Oklahoma, a fun historical about a single woman in her late 30’s who moves from the Gulf Coast to the landlocked state of Oklahoma to become the director at an orphanage. It’s a love story, of course! She falls in love with the town sheriff, who has adopted two of the unruliest boys from the orphanage. I’m currently writing Wedding Belles, the first book in the Belles and Whistles series for Summerside/Guideposts.

Are you a full-time freelancer?
I’ve been writing full-time since 2005. I write novels, non-fiction books, magazine articles and a variety of other things. I’m so fascinated with the world of freelancing that I decided to create an online writing course to teach others how to do what I’m doing.

What are your favorite things to do (besides writing)?
Honestly? I love hanging out with my grandbabies. They grow up so quickly and I don’t want to miss a thing! Maddy is four now. She’s the oldest. Avery is three. Peyton is three. Ethan is two. Boston is one and a half and baby Brooke turned one this week. I love them so very much. They keep me young (and give me plenty of fodder for books).

I know that you enjoy teaching. Can you tell us about your online courses?
Thanks for asking. I enjoy teaching almost as much as I enjoy writing! For many years I taught creative writing at a school of the arts. These days I teach through my online courses. They’re audio/video driven, which is great fun. I get to go into a recording studio to record them! My courses are, as follows:
Becoming a Successful Freelance Author
Fiction Writing Master Course
Navigating the Business of Freelance Writing
Magazine Article Writing Master Course
Creative Writing
U.N.I.Q.U.E. – Finding Your Unique Place in the Writing Industry
Non-Fiction Book Writing (coming in August, 2011)

I heard through the grapevine that you direct theater productions on the side. Why theater?
I grew up doing musical theater and have always loved it. A good friend of mine (Brenda White) is a brilliant musician, probably the most talented I’ve ever known. She writes some amazing pieces. We co-direct at a local theater. I write the plays (mostly) and she does the music. We hold auditions and then rehearse for about two months. Our most recent production was Zaney Muldaney, on the Road to Kingdom Come. To check out the pictures on facebook, go here.

I notice you write under two names (Janice Hanna and Janice Thompson). Why?
Those who’ve been reading my romances over the past several years know me as Janice A. Thompson. My joy is mixed with a smidgeon of sorrow as I explain the change in my last name for some of my current releases. In 2006 I lost my father to bone marrow cancer. His last name (Hanna) is my maiden name—and it’s a name that means even more to me now that he is gone. In memory of my father, I use the Hanna name in my historicals. My Revell books will still release under Janice Thompson. I hope you my readers will stick with me, no matter which name I use!

I understand you have a new VIP bookclub. Can you tell us about that?
Yes, I’m so excited about this, too! I came up with this idea several months ago: Why not create a “club” where members can get each new Janice Thompson/Janice Hanna book as it releases for a set price of $11, shipping included. Books are autographed and mailed out to club members before they ever hit the stores. I also encourage my VIP club members to leave reviews, as they are able, on amazon, christianbook.com and www.barnesandnoble.com. If people are interested in joining the club, all they have to do is shoot me an email at booksbyjanice@aol.com with the words “VIP bookclub” in the subject line and their address in the body of the email.

Can you tell our readers about your recent road trip? Where did you go, and why?
In May of 2011 I went on a cross-country road trip to twelve different states. The goal, (as it relates to books, anyway) was to hit several key spots where I could speak to writers and teach on the subject of our God-given uniqueness. I also researched several locales for my new “Belles and Whistles” series while on the road. I took my mom along for the ride, and what a ride it was! We spent twenty-three days on the road, traveling from Texas to Oklahoma to Kansas to Colorado to Wyoming to Montana to Washington to Idaho to Utah to Arizona to New Mexico, then back to Texas. We met some amazing writers and readers along the way, and even got to spend a little time with my daughter, son-in-law and grandbabies in Montana. What a blast!
Anything else you want our readers to know?
Yes, I’m very passionate about my faith, which is why I write Christian books. I could no more leave out the faith elements than I could stop eating chocolate. They are integral…to my stories and my life. I’m a huge believer in stirring up the gifts that God has placed inside of us, which is what I hope to do through my teaching.

Any suggestions for writers who are trying to get published?
Learn the craft. Take courses. Go to conferences. Do the work. But don’t ever let what you’ve learned rob you of your natural, God-given voice. There’s only one you, after all.

Where else can readers find you online?
I love to connect with my readers at the following places:
www.janicehannathompson.com
www.freelancewritingcourses.com
www.facebook.com/jhannathompson

Where can I get the book?
Love Finds You in Groom, Texas can be purchased at any number of online stores, as well as my website: www.janicehannathompson.com (front page). Readers can always join my VIP bookclub and get the locked in price of $11 (no shipping) by contacting me directly at booksbyjanice@aol.com.
Thanks for spending time with me! I had a blast!