Book Review: “Summer of Promise” By Amanda Cabot
January 29, 2012 at 11:22 pm | Posted in Books | Leave a commentTags: Amanda Cabot, Book Review, Christian Fiction, Romance Fiction
Amanda Cabot in her new book, “
Summer of Promise” Book One in the Westward Winds series published by Revell takes us to Fort Laramie, Wyoming in 1885.
From the Back Cover: Though she had planned to spend the summer in Vermont, Abigail Harding cannot dismiss her concerns over her older sister. Charlotte’s letters have been uncharacteristically melancholy, and her claims that nothing is wrong ring false, so Abigail heads west to Fort Laramie, Wyoming. When her stagecoach is attacked, Wyoming promises to be anything but boring. Luckily, the heroics of another passenger, Lieutenant Ethan Bowles, save the day.
Abigail plans to marry when she returns to Vermont, just as soon as she attends to her sister. As the summer passes, she finds herself drawn to this rugged land and to a certain soldier determined to persuade her to stay. When summer ends, will she go back East, or will she find her heart’s true home?.
Drama, Betrayal, Love, Laughter, Fear and faith are all skillfully woven together in “Summer of Promise”. And what characters Ms. Cabot has created. Ethan Bowles, a Lieutenant serving in the Army at Fort Laramie because of growing up with his grandfather believes that true love is just a fairy tale and is a very lonely man. Then he meets Abigail Harding, who is visiting her sister, and he loses his heart to her. Now he has to deal with this new relationship while dealing with stagecoach robberies and someone stealing from the fort. This book will keep you guessing and turning pages leaving chores unattended and it is so worth it. Ms. Cabot is an excellent writer and makes all her characters believable and you care deeply for them as she deftly unfolds the plot before us. Ms. Cabot has given us a nice beginning to a new series and I am already looking forward to the next one.
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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Revell Publishers. 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 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Available January 2012 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
Book Review: “The Sound of Red Returning” by Sue Duffy
January 28, 2012 at 5:25 pm | Posted in Books | 1 CommentTags: Book Review, Christian Fiction, Romance Fiction, Thriller
Sue Duffy in her new book “
The Sound of Red Returning” Book One in the Red Returning Trilogy series published by Kregel Publications gives us a contemporary thriller
To me “The Sound of Red Returning” is reminiscent of the James Stewart version of “The Man Who Knew Too Much”. In that movie Stewart and Doris Day have their lives threatened because it is believed that they know information that will stop an assassination and they have no idea of what is going on. In “The Sound of Red Returning” Liesel Bower has the same problem. Someone thinks she knows vital information and she has no idea of what is going on but they are going to kill her if she doesn’t find out quickly. Sue Duffy has given us a unique thriller that will keep you on the edge of your chair as you read and flip pages as fast as possible. I recommend this book highly and look forward to the next book in the series!
Win a Kindle Fire from @SueDuffy2 and @KregelBooks in the “Red Returning” Giveaway!
Sue Duffy and her publisher, Kregel Publications, are celebrating the release of The Sound of Red Returning by giving away a Kindle Fire prize package worth over $200 to one lucky winner!!!! (1/23-2/11)
Enter the Sue Duffy’s Giveaway today and you could win:
* A brand new Kindle Fire with Wi-Fi
* The Sound of Red Returning (Book One in the Red Returning series) by Sue Duffy
To enter click one of the icons below. But, hurry! The giveway ends on 2/11. Sue will be announcing the winner of the “Red Returning” Giveaway on February 13th on the Litfuse website!
If you would like to listen to interviews with other authors and professionals please go to www.kingdomhighlights.org where they are available On Demand.
To listen to 24 hours non-stop Christian music please visit our internet radio station http://www.kingdomairwaves.org
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group.. 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 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Interview With Denise Hunter On “The Accidental Bride”
January 28, 2012 at 10:43 am | Posted in Books | Leave a commentTags: Author Interview
Author Denise Hunter explores the flaw in seeking favor with others
Do the opinions of those around us really matter? Should we live our lives based on what others might think? In her latest release, 
The Accidental Bride (Thomas Nelson), award-winning author Denise Hunter explores these questions as she deftly leads her readers to discover the One whose favor should always be sought. Skillfully creating a love story that beautifully reflects God’s grace, Hunter uses the pages of The Accidental Bride to bring to light preoccupation with caring what others think. Using complex characters, an enticing backdrop and an almost palpable range of emotion and conflict, Hunter draws her readers to a new awareness of how much more simple life becomes when we aim to please God instead of man.
In the interview below, Denise Hunter shares more about her latest release.
Q: In TheAccidental Bride, your main character, Shay is continually concerned with what others might think. Worrying about the opinions of others is a common malady in today’s society. What made you decide to write about it?
As you say, it’s so common to be worried about what others think of us. I love that quote by Eleanor Roosevelt, “You wouldn’t worry so much about what others think of you if you realized how seldom they do.” So true! Shay needed to realize that it’s God’s opinion that really matters. When we focus on pleasing people, we tend to make poor decisions.
Q: This isn’t your first novel based on the cowboy lifestyle. What drew you to this particular lifestyle as the backdrop for your writing?
I’m drawn to the rugged appeal of the cowboy lifestyle. Even though I live in a city, I’m a country girl at heart, and I especially love the mountains; that’s why I was drawn to Montana for this series. There’s something simple and beautiful about living off the land that I think appeals to readers right now. Things are tough for so many people—and though the cowboy lifestyle is a hard one—it’s also very organic, a back to our roots kind of thing.
Q: The premise of The Accidental Bride is both interesting and unique. What inspired your decision to involve your hero and heroine in an “accidental” marriage?
I was watching a TV movie in which the actors were getting married, and I wondered, “What if the actor playing the preacher was an ordained minister? Would the couple be legally married?” Turns out, it’s not quite that simple to become accidentally married. There’s the matter of a marriage license that the pastor has to sign and mail to the proper government agency. So the good news is, it’s not likely to happen to you or anyone you know. But it sure was fun instigating such an event in a novel!
Q: Before she could forgive him, Travis had to rebuild Shay’s trust. Is this a necessary step, or do you believe we should forgive even those who may never be trustworthy again?
Trust and forgiveness are two different things. Forgiveness is something God commands us to do—regardless of circumstances like whether or not the offender is apologetic or has changed, etc.
Trust is different; it’s earned. And unfortunately, it takes a long time to build trust and only one bad decision to wreck it. We forgive the offender, but if he or she doesn’t change, we aren’t required to trust the person again. It’s the offender’s responsibility—if he or she wants to be trusted again—to earn back that trust.
Q: As an award-winning romance novelist you are, no-doubt, a role model for many would-be writers. What advice would you give to those who dream of one day being published? What’s an absolute must for a great romance?
- First of all, I recommend aspiring writers to study and practice. Writing is a craft to be honed, and no matter how much natural talent you have, it takes both of those things to become a good writer.
- Also, write the book you want to read. If you want to read that kind of book, there will be others who want to read it too.
- Study the market, not so that you can jump on every trend, but so that you know how your story fits into the market.
- Join a writers group so you can meet other writers—iron sharpens iron.
- Once you have a marketable manuscript, go to conferences. The American Christian Writers Conference is the best out there in my opinion (www.acfw.com). At conferences, you will learn from some of the best in the industry and get a chance to pitch your work to agents and editors.
- E-publishing is becoming huge, but don’t put a sub-par manuscript out there where it will only flounder. Hone the craft, write the best story you can, and learn to re-write. Then hire an editor. Every published author has one for a reason!
- Getting published can be a long, uphill climb, but persistence pays off.
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About The Author, 
Denise Hunter
Denise Hunter is the award-winning author of eighteen romance novels, including The Convenient Groom, Surrender Bay, Driftwood Lane and the first book in the Big Sky Series, A Cowboy’s Touch. Struck by the brevity of life following her grandfather’s passing, Denise began writing in 1996. As a young stay-at-home mom she used the brief time while her children were napping each day to pursue her dream of being a writer. Two years later her first novel was published. She then continued her naptime writing schedule to complete four more novels. Today she encourages other young mothers to pursue their writing dreams, pointing out that writing only one page a day for a year will result in a completed manuscript. Since beginning her career, Hunter’s work has earned her the Holt Medallion Award, the Reader’s Choice Award and the Foreword Book of the Year Award. She has also been a RITA finalist. Hunter lives in Indiana with her husband and their three teenaged sons. Along with writing and spending time with her family, she enjoys reading, traveling and playing drums for her church’s worship team.
If you would like to listen to interviews with other authors and professionalsplease go to www.kingdomhighlights.org where they are available On Demand.
To listen to 24 hours non-stop Christian music please visit our internet radio station www.kingdomairwaves.org
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