Wednesday Writers–All Your Heart by LeighAnne Clifton

Tags

All Your Heart, Christian romance, excerpt from All Your Heart, LeighAnne Clifton, Sweet romance, Wednesday Writers

Welcome to Wednesday Writers! Today’s guest author is LeighAnne Clifton with an excerpt from her book All Your Heart and the story behind the book. Welcome, LeighAnne!

The idea behind the Together for Good series has simmered in my head and heart for decades. When I heard about or experienced tragic, funny, or unusual events, I stored them away, never realizing I’d one day weave them together, heavily embellish them, and create the story of the first book in the series, All Your Heart.

I believe most authors’ first novels, especially first drafts of first novels, rarely see the light of day in their original form. My original manuscript, written many years ago, was organized differently, abounded in shifting point of view, and contained the word “that” about a thousand times. Much of the writing advice I devoured in those early days recommended scrapping the first novel. I was advised to learn from that failed attempt and try again.

When I considered doing this, though, I felt a stirring in my heart. I truly believe God intends to use the words He’s inspired by my life experiences to help someone. With that in mind, I forged ahead. Polishing. Reorganizing. Polishing some more. I learned how to query a book. And I learned how to accept rejection. Not an easy lesson! God grew me immensely in the birth of this book.

The series, and the pregnancy care home featured in the book, take their name Together for Good from Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose.” (KJV) Recognizing His sovereignty, His undeniable desire to use us in His marvelous plan is a key aspect of the book. I want this truth to resonate with readers, inviting them to consider how He has and will use their lives to His glory.

The next book in the series, Ready to Forgive, is under contract, release date unknown at this time. The story continues to follow Alex in her journey with God toward emotional healing. There’s joy, sorrow, a wedding, a death, and a whole lot of ups and downs along the way!

All Your Heart

by LeighAnne Clifton

Alex is determined to use college on the other coast to escape her small Southern town and workaholic mother. However, a prom-night assault and the resulting pregnancy require a drastic change of plans. Alex flees with every intention of ending her cross-country trek at an abortion clinic. Instead, finding herself stranded and scared after wrecking her car, Miss Matilda welcomes Alex to town with love and open doors. It just happens that Matilda runs a crisis pregnancy home.

When Alex strikes a deal with Chad, the handsome mechanic with secrets of his own, the citizens of Burton discover Alex’s artistry, prompting a business partnership with Matilda’s nephew. Alex soon discovers the life-altering sweetness of trusting Jesus, but her past hurts make it difficult to trust Chad with her heart. Then, secrets within the pages of an old diary discovered at the home threaten to tear families apart. Can the people of Burton learn to heal the hurts of the past by trusting the Lord with all their hearts?

All Your Heart, a Christian romance, presents the love of God, His undeniable Sovereignty, and His love for the unborn, all woven into a story that will leave the reader surprised and wanting more.

Excerpt

Alex has been assaulted by her step-father. Scared and confused, she hasn’t told anyone. Not even her best friend Brittany. However, when she begins to suspect the attack has left her with more to deal with than emotions, she purchases a pregnancy test, eventually confiding in her friend.

Later, as they waited in Alex’s room for the little stick to reveal its answer, Alex told Brittany the whole story, starting with J.T.’s apology for her mother’s absence on prom night. The girls took turns snatching a tissue from the box on the bed whenever a T-shirt sleeve no longer controlled the tears. Being able to talk about the whole ordeal unburdened Alex in a way she’d not expected, and she admitted for the first time how ashamed she felt.

“Alex,” Brittany’s jaw dropped as she shook her head, “you have nothing to be ashamed of. Nothing, do you understand? I can’t believe you haven’t already told somebody about this. Should you go to the police?”

Mortified, Alex answered, “Of course not. Do you know what kind of scandal that would cause? My mother would freak out! And besides, Britt, do you think anyone would believe me?”

Alex launched into her theory about the party being J.T.’s attempt to protect his reputation around Woodvale. She reminded Brittany how attentive J.T. had been to his clients at the party. And why had his clients been invited to a party for Alex anyway? Sure, they all knew Alex through her position in J.T.’s business, but Alex stressed how odd to invite a bunch of adults to an eighteenth birthday party. With each finger Alex raised to count off the reasons her theory was sound, she watched Brittany grow angrier.

…

They sat cross-legged on the bed facing each other. Alex reached into the nightstand drawer, wrapped her hand around the piece of plastic that would determine her life’s path, and pulled it out without looking. She told Brittany to close her eyes, and she did the same. They agreed that on the count of three, Alex would open her hand and they would open their eyes and find out together.

“One, two, three.”

Alex turned her hand palm up and opened her fingers, clearly exposing the plus sign in the test stick window for both girls to see. They stared in disbelief. Brittany hazarded a cautious glance at her friend. But instead of tears or anger, quite the opposite met Britt’s gaze. Stoic and quiet, Alex drew in a deep breath and exhaled through pursed lips.

“Now what?” Brittany whispered. She looked scared, and this wasn’t even her trial to face. Alex knew she had Britt’s unwavering support.

“I don’t know yet, Britt. I’ve got a whole lot of thinking to do. This isn’t how I planned for things to go.”

On this last word, Alex lost her voice and her composure, collapsing in sobs into her friend’s arms. Brittany whispered soothing words and stroked Alex’s long brown hair, giving her the time she needed to process the news.

The two of them had always supported each other during times of boyfriend breakups, test stress, mean girl bullying, or any other normal girl drama. They’d planned their future to include each other. But this current scenario had never even crossed their minds.

Pragmatic almost to a fault but reeling from the shock, Alex dried her tears, blew her nose and issued orders to Brittany.

“My hands are shaking too much to take notes, so I’m going to need some help making a list of the pros and cons of my alternatives. I can search for stuff on the Internet, but if you can write things down, I’d really appreciate it. I know we’ve had a busy day, but do you mind staying up a little bit later?”

“I’m here for you. Just tell me what you need me to do.” Alex knew she’d never forget the depth of sadness in her friend’s voice as she pledged her assistance.

“Okay,” Alex said, taking another deep breath and attempting to regain some control over her circumstances. “Here are my options as I see them.”

Thus, their all-night research, discussion, and planning began. By dawn, Alex felt more informed, even if the uncertain future ahead still terrified her. Now, she just had to put her elaborate plan into action. Still, she felt confident she could pull it off.

Buy Links

Pen It! Publications Amazon Books A Million.com

About the Author:

LeighAnne Clifton and her husband Bill call South Carolina home. After meeting while both earning their degrees in chemical engineering at the University of South Carolina, the pair married and settled in Aiken. They have two grown children, a son-in-law, and a pair of spoiled cats. Before writing All Your Heart, LeighAnne wrote The Little Vessel, a modern-day parable for all who need reminding that God has a unique purpose for their lives.

LeighAnne, like her main character, loves to upcycle old junk into beautiful, one-of-a-kind pieces. She shares her thoughts on Christian living, easy DIY projects, and the latest book news on her blog: A Live-Leigh Journey

Connect with LeighAnne on her Social Media Links Facebook: Twitter: Instagram:  

Musings from a Writer’s Brain–Determining Mr. or Mrs. Right-for-Your-Life by Catherine Castle

Tags

. Love at first sight, A Groom for Mama, Catherine Castle, essay about love, Finding Mr Right, Musings from a Writer's Brain, romance, Sweet romance

from Catherine Castle

How do you know it you’ve met Mr. or Mrs. Right—the one true love of your life?

Now that’s the question of the century. Sometimes you know right away with a “zing” goes the heart strings. Sometimes you don’t know until certain dramatic things happen in your lives. And sometimes true love is revealed only after the loved one is gone. I saw all three of these in the lives of my parents.

Let me tell you a story about my parents, who apparently got it right.

My parents met after WWII, right before Dad was going to enlist in the Foreign Legion. He came to visit Mom’s uncle. Mom peeked at Dad from behind a newspaper during that visit and her interest in him was obvious enough that he asked her on a date. Their courtship was a short one. They met in October and by Thanksgiving the following month they were married. All Dad’s family said, “Don’t marry him. You don’t know what you’re getting into. He drinks. He gambles. He carouses around with his brother.” But ‘Love is blind.’ And Mom didn’t listen to the naysayers. That’s the “zing” goes the heart strings moment.

The dramatic happening for my folks occurred early on in their marriage. True to the warning of his family, Dad did drink and gamble and run around with his brother, leaving Mom at home with two small children. After about two years of this kind of behavior, Mom gave Dad an ultimatum. “It’s me and your daughters or carousing with your brother. You can’t have both. Choose what you love most,” she told him. Dad chose us. He walked away from his old life and built a life around his family.

It took the remainder of their lives together to discover the last expression of love.

Dad was a meat and potatoes kind of guy. Dinner fare for us was always a meat, which ran the gamut from pickled pigs’ feet and cow brains to fried chicken and smoked pork. Some form of potatoes (usually fried) sat next to the meat platter. Then green beans and another vegetable filled out the menu. We’d often have bread, too, from sliced store-bought bread to homemade cornbread or biscuits. Dessert was rare and saved for company. Without fail, meat, potatoes, green beans and a second vegetable appeared on every dinner table.

No matter what combination of those four dishes Mom put on the dinner table, Dad ate it. He wasn’t choosy about what meat Mom served, or how the potatoes were fixed, or what alternate veggie she served beside the green beans. He ate it all, and as I remember it, with gusto. In all the years I sat at the table with them, eating Mom’s down-home meals I never once heard Dad complain about or critique Mom’s cooking. I thought he loved everything she made, even though I always didn’t.

Then, in 1987, Mom died of complications from pneumonia. After the funeral Dad was wandering around the house saying, “You girls should take this, or this. It belonged to your mom and I can’t look at it now that she’s gone.” We obliged him and took the offered items, because, as I’ve since learned, guys can’t deal with looking at stuff that belonged to their deceased wives.

When Dad walked into the pantry where Mom kept all her home-canned goods, he said, “Take all these green beans home with you.”

“I can’t take food off your table, Dad,” I protested.

“I hate green beans,” he replied.

I’m sure my mouth dropped open, because it still does when I think of this story. “But you ate them almost every night,” I said. “If you hate them why did you eat them?”

“Because your mother served them.”

For thirty-seven years and four months, my father ate a hated vegetable every day just because Mom served it. And he ate it without letting anyone at the table know he hated green beans. Now, if that isn’t true love, I don’t know what is.

Ain’t love grand?

Catherine loves to laugh at herself and loves to write comedy. Check out her award-winning romantic comedy, with a touch of drama, A Groom for Mama.

Take your mind off the sound discrepancies between men and women with a copy of Catherine’s award-winning romantic comedy that has a touch of drama. You’ll laugh as Mama searches for a husband for her daughter.

One date for every medical test—that’s the deal. Allison, however, gets more than she bargains for. She gets a Groom for Mama.

Beverly Walters is dying, and before she goes she has one wish—to find a groom for her daughter. To get the deed done, Mama enlists the dating service of Jack Somerset, Allison’s former boyfriend.

The last thing corporate-climbing Allison wants is a husband. Furious with Mama’s meddling, and a bit more interested in Jack than she wants to admit, Allison agrees to the scheme as long as Mama promises to search for a cure for her terminal illness.

A cross-country trip from Nevada to Ohio ensues, with a string of disastrous dates along the way, as the trio hunts for treatment and A Groom For Mama.

Amazon Buy Link

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Multi-award-winning author Catherine Castle has been writing all her life. A former freelance writer, she has over 600 articles and photographs to her credit (under her real name) in the Christian and secular market. Now she writes sweet and inspirational romance. Her debut inspirational romantic suspense, The Nun and the Narc, from Soul Mate Publishing, has garnered multiple contests finals and wins.

Catherine loves writing, reading, traveling, singing, watching movies, and the theatre. In the winter she loves to quilt and has a lot of UFOs (unfinished objects) in her sewing case. In the summer her favorite place to be is in her garden. She’s passionate about gardening and even won a “Best Hillside Garden” award from the local gardening club.

Learn more about Catherine Castle on her website and blog. Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter. Be sure to check out Catherine’s Amazon author page and her Goodreads page.

Wednesday Writers–Reality Show Romance by Shannon Kent

Tags

book excerpt from Reality Show Romance, book giveaway, Korean Dramas, My Korean Crush Series, newletter giveaway, Reality Show Romance, Shannon Kent, Sweet romance, Wednesday Writers

Welcome to Wednesday Writers! Today’s guest is Shannon Kent, co-author of the My Korean Crush Series, Asian American sweet romances/Korean Dramas. I have to admit, I’d never heard of Korean Dramas, and I was intrigued. I found her excerpt to be charming and engaging, so make sure you don’t miss it. Shannon is also giving away a copy of Reality Show Romance (ebook or PB, it’s the reader’s choice) to one lucky commenter. Winner will be announced on the post’s blog comment section at end of day, EST, on Tuesday, August 17. So, without further ado, let’s welcome Shannon so she can tell you about her genre and books. Welcome, Shannon!

Cheers erupted inside the school gymnasium and I smiled. They must be playing the K-pop song again. The first time they showed the colorful, bubblegum sweet music video during morning assembly, the kids watched in confusion as the choreographed artists sang in the unfamiliar Korean language. But now the students applauded when it came on. I had done my job as a music teacher to broaden their minds and expose them to another culture. It’s no wonder South Korea affected not only my day job but also my writing. It ensnared me with its romantic television dramas featuring lots of humor and handsome, Mr. Darcy-like heroes who despise the heroine in the beginning and can’t live without her by the end.

I admit it. I’m a forty-one-year-old fangirl.

Did you have posters on your wall of your favorite actor or boy band when you were growing up? I think many of us may look like adults on the outside, but inside we’re still squealing over our secret passions. It can be for anything: reading, television shows, marathon-running, knitting. The important thing is to have one. Don’t let “real life” beat all the wonder out of you with its schedules and bills and dentist appointments. Spend a little time on something that gives your heart a ticklish feeling. (And if you’re not sure what that is anymore, look me up on Facebook and I’ll suggest a good Korean Drama.)

Reality Show Romance

By Shannon Kent

Letty McDonnell—a hug first and ask questions later kind of gal—stumbles into an unexpected scandal with her favorite K-pop star when she spots him at the airport. Is it bad timing or a blessing in disguise? The international publicity leads to a job offer from the reality show Marry My Stalker, where the two pretend to be man and wife as they complete a variety of crazy couple missions.

Wacky challenges, jealous fangirls, and a language barrier can’t slow Letty down. Especially when she has handsome translator, Ben Park, whispering in her ear. He steers her away from cultural faux pas and offers behind-the-scenes encouragement as she maneuvers the unfamiliar public arena. But is he sincerely interested or just doing his job? The affectionate words her fake husband says for the cameras are always repeated by Ben’s caring voice, and Letty begins to wonder if a romance without spotlights or red carpets is the real path to true love.

Excerpt from Reality Show Romance

“You.” An assistant rushed up to Letty. “Come now.”

He beckoned with both hands for her to follow him as Ji Ah’s ceremony wrapped. She scanned the room for Ben but didn’t see him. Letty rose from her camping chair and followed the unfamiliar man with shaky legs. Her head turned this way and that as she searched for her translator, but he was nowhere in sight.

She took a deep breath and the chilly air tingled in her lungs. She could do this! Letty’s vibrant red heels stepped onto the equally bright carpet, and she waited with trembling fingers clutching her white rose bouquet. She would have preferred something more colorful. Maybe old fashioned orchids or a romantic spray of forget-me-nots. That would have fulfilled the “something blue” tradition. The “something borrowed” was easy. She’d eventually have to give her pop star husband back, no matter how much she longed to keep him.

The lights around the heart shaped arch on the stage illuminated and her breath caught in her throat. A slender silhouette appeared behind the screen and struck the pose that Letty daydreamed about—hands in pockets, one muscular leg bent at the knee, and head tilted at a pensive angle. The screen rose inch by maddening inch, and she saw a pair of black combat boots, followed by white skinny jeans, a white leather jacket with metal studs, and then finally his face. His eyes blinked as he cast a wavering smile in her direction. Poor thing. He was probably worried she would charge down the aisle and attack him.

Letty took a hesitant step forward and paused at a familiar sound. The music played overhead like it was drifting down straight from Heaven.

“Only for you-ooooh-oooooh. Only for you-oooh-ooooh.”

She expected the wedding march that played for every other bride that day. Why was hers different?

“Someone told me this was your favorite.” She heard a cheerful voice in her earpiece. “Sorry I’m a little late. I was asking the sound guy for a favor.”

The familiar lyrics wrapped around her, blocking the cold and pushing every worry from her mind. They bolstered her courage and she walked forward again with her toes sinking into the plush carpet. Her feet carried her down the aisle until she climbed the steps up onto the stage and stood at the side of a very tentative Ki Tae.

“Hello!” Her unnatural tone sounded higher than normal. Letty cleared her throat and tried again. “Hello. I’m Letty McDonnell.”

She shifted her roses to her left hand and slowly held out her right. Letty tried to give him a smile that said “Welcome, friend” and not “I’m going to lock you in my basement and make you sing to me every day for the next twenty years!”

Ki Tae looked from her hand to her face and back again before he stretched out his own and shook hers. “H-hello.”

Letty wanted to squeal at the intoxicating combination of physical contact and adorable accent, but she managed to hold it together.

“Nice to meet you,” she said instead.

“Nice … to meet … you,” Ki Tae repeated.

Letty leaned forward a little, while still holding his hand, and whispered, “It’s not too late for you to back out.”

She could tell he didn’t understand her as his gaze wandered to the side while he listened as Ben translated her words to his earpiece. Ki Tae’s eyes widened and he looked back at her with a blank expression. Letty let go of his hand and held up both of hers near her face in a non-threatening posture.

“I promise. I won’t chase you down the aisle if you decide to make a run for it.”

Ki Tae’s lips twitched after a few seconds when he understood what she said. He replied in Korean and it was Letty’s turn to wait.

“You might not chase me, but my manager would,” Ben translated.

Letty laughed in delight, not a feminine, ladylike hand-over-mouth titter but a full out belly shaking chortle.

Ki Tae took a step back at the mirthful explosion but he smiled anyway at his soon-to-be-bride. Taking a step closer, he held out his arm like a courtly prince and said something.

“Are you ready to get married?” Ben asked.

Letty rested her hand in the crook of Ki Tae’s elbow and smiled. She knew she should say something witty and charming but only one word came to mind so she said it over and over.

“Yes! Yes! Yes!”

You can ease into the unfamiliar world of dramas through Shannon’s novella Flower Boy Tour Guide. Shannon’s giving it away as a gift to anyone who signs up for her newsletter. Newsletter sign-up link:

And if you’d like to read about another fangirl who finds romance in South Korea, check out the sequel Reality Show Romance available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

About the Author:

Shannon Kent is the pen name of Shannon Sue Dunlap. (You are correct if you assume the last name is a Superman reference.) Her penchant for happy endings began early, and she was thrilled to find more of these in the fun and flirty world of Korean Dramas. Her trip to their beautiful homeland offered many colorful experiences that she included in her two stories for the My Korean Crush Series, Flower Boy Tour Guide and Reality Show Romance. She likes to share her opinions with fellow fans under the pen name Dramarookie at the Dramas with a Side of Kimchi blog. Shannon has also released her first inspirational romantic suspense novel Decoy Valentine. 

Connect with Shannon on her Website; Goodreads;  Facebook 

Tasty Tuesdays–Sweet Summer Time Desserts from Jennifer Hallmark

Tags

Chocolate Cobbler, food blog, Homemade Ice Cream, Jennifer Hallmark, Jesse's Hope, Recipes, Summer Desserts, Sweet romance, Tasty Tuesdays

Summer time growing up was full of memories, especially ones of the sweet variety. My Mom shared a birthday with our country on July 4^th and mine followed in August. A favorite we both loved to enjoy on our special day was homemade ice cream.

Nothing too fancy. Vanilla was good for me. And to spoon it atop Granny’s (Mom) chocolate cobbler made it a treat no one in the family could resist.

Both recipes are simple to make with a minimum of ingredients. They would be a recipe that I know Martha, the grandmother from my novel, Jessie’s Hope, would have made for her family, especially when the cousins and aunts and uncles were all over for a visit.

Check out Jessie’s Hope for a summertime Southern read, then invite the family over for cobbler and ice cream.

I believe you’ll enjoy the book and the sweets…

Vanilla Homemade Ice Cream

1 can of evaporated milk

1 can of sweetened condensed milk

1 ½ cups of sugar

2 Tablespoons vanilla

Whole milk

I mix the first four ingredients in my ice cream freezer tub, then add milk until I reach the fill line. A simple recipe for delicious ice cream.

Granny’s Chocolate Cobbler

¾ cup margarine

1 cup self-rising flour

¾ cup sugar

1 ½ tablespoons cocoa

½ cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

Melt margarine, pour into 13 x 9-inch baking dish. In a medium bowl, mix flour, sugar, cocoa, milk, and vanilla together, then spoon over margarine.

Then take 1 cup sugar and ¼ cup cocoa and mix well. Sprinkle that mixture over batter. Pour 1 ½ cups of boiling water over it all. Don’t stir. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

While the cobbler’s baking and the ice cream making, check out Jennifer’s book…

Jesse’s Hope

By Jennifer Hallmark

Years ago, an accident robbed Jessie Smith’s mobility. It also stole her mom and alienated her from her father. When Jessie’s high school sweetheart Matt Jansen proposes, her parents’ absence intensifies her worry that she cannot hold on to those she loves.

With a wedding fast approaching, Jessie’s grandfather Homer Smith, has a goal to find the perfect dress for “his Jessie,” one that would allow her to forget, even if for a moment, the boundaries of her wheelchair. But financial setbacks and unexpected sabotage hinder his plans.

Determined to heal from her past, Jessie initiates a search for her father. Can a sliver of hope lead to everlasting love when additional obstacles–including a spurned woman and unpredictable weather–highjack Jessie’s dream wedding?

All Day Today (August 10^th) Jessie’s Hope is only 99 cents.

Jessie’s Hope on Amazon

About the Author:

Jennifer Hallmark writes Southern fiction with a twist and her website and monthly newsletter focus on her books, love of the South, and favorite fiction.  

Jessie’s Hope, her first novel published by Firefly Southern Fiction, was a Selah Award nominee for First Novel.

You can subscribe to her newsletter here and visit her on Facebook and Instagram.

Tasty Tuesdays–Quick Oven Quesadillas

Tags

books, Catherine Castle, entrees, food blog, Mexican food, Oven Quesadillas, Recipes, Tasty Tuesdays, The Nun and the Narc

The other day I wanted a quick easy meal, so I peeked into the pantry to see what I had on hand. I found cans of chicken, green chiles, corn, black beans and cream of chicken soup, and some tortillas, so I set out to create something. Here’s what I came up with. We liked it, and I hope you will too.

Quick Oven Quesadilla

Ingredients: 

• 2 12.5-oz canned chicken, drained and broken up
• 1 4-oz can diced green chilies
• 1 2.5-oz can sliced black olives, drained
• 1 15-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1-11-oz can whole kernel corn, drained
• 1/2 can cream of chicken soup
• 1/4 or less cup water (start with a smaller amount. You only need enough water to allow the condensed soup to mix with the other ingredients )
• 1 cup finely shredded Mexican style cheese.
• 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoon taco seasoning, or to taste if you like it spicier.
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 high-fiber large tortillas (or corn tortillas) or  enough to fit a straight sided cake pan, or 2 high-fiber street tacos to make individual servings in a smaller pan

Directions:

• In a skillet over medium high heat brown the tortillas on both sides.
• While tortillas are browning, mix chicken, corn, beans, chilies, olives, soup, cheddar cheese and water. Heat the mix in a large saucepan stirring until well mixed and beginning to bubble.
• Lightly spray the bottom of a cake pan or baking sheet. Lay one tortilla in the pan, top with about 3/4 cup mix (for a large tortilla, less for smaller tortillas) onto top of browned tortilla, spreading mix almost to the edge. Top with 1/4 cup of finely shredded Mexican cheese.  Repeat with other tortilla and 3/4 cup mix. (You will have mix left over for another day’s use, or you can double the tortillas and make a bigger meal the first time)
• Bake in 350 degree oven about 10-15 minutes or until cheese on top has melted and you can see filling bubbling. (I’ve also baked this for a shorter time at a higher temp when was in a hurry.) Turn off oven and switch to the high broil setting on the oven and broil until cheese on top begins to brown.
• Remove from oven. Cut and serve with shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, onions, guacamole, salsa or other Mexican side toppings.

If you want to make several stacks at a time lay the base tortillas on a baking sheet and assemble as many as your ingredients allow. Number will depend on the size of your tortillas.

If you only make one stack, or 2 smaller individual servings, the first time you can use the remainder of the filling for a second quesadilla meal or as filling for enchiladas. It will make about 4-6 enchiladas depending on the size of your tortilla. Warm your ingredients before assembling the stacks or enchiladas to cut down on heating time in oven. Make a cheese sauce, or other Mexican sauce to cover the enchiladas and top with shredded cheese. Heat in a 350 degree oven until cheese has melted and is beginning to brown. 

While your dinner is cooking, check out Catherine’s multi-award-winning Inspirational Romantic Suspense The Nun and the Narc. Partially set in Mexico, the heroine, Sister Margaret Mary, an adventurous novice, dines on some unusual marketplace snacks.

The Nun and the Narc

by Catherine Castle

Where novice Sister Margaret Mary goes, trouble follows. When she barges into a drug deal the local Mexican drug lord captures her. To escape she must depend on undercover DEA agent Jed Bond. Jed’s attitude toward her is exasperating, but when she finds herself inexplicable attracted to him he becomes more dangerous than the men who have captured them, because he is making her doubt her decision to take her final vows. Escape back to the nunnery is imperative, but life at the convent, if she can still take her final vows, will never be the same.

Nuns shouldn’t look, talk, act, or kiss like Sister Margaret Mary O’Connor—at least that’s what Jed Bond thinks. She hampers his escape plans with her compulsiveness and compassion and in the process makes Jed question his own beliefs. After years of walling up his emotions in an attempt to become the best agent possible, Sister Margaret is crumbling Jed’s defenses and opening his heart. To lure her away from the church would be unforgivable—to lose her unbearable.

Buy Links Amazon and Barnes and Noble

About the Author:

Multi-award winning author Catherine Castle loves writing. Before beginning her career as a romance writer she worked part-time as a freelance writer. She has over 600 articles and photographs to her credit, under her real name, in the Christian and secular market. She also lays claim to over 300 internet articles written on a variety of subjects and several hundred poems. In addition to writing she loves reading, traveling, singing, theatre, quilting and gardening. She’s a passionate gardener whose garden won a “Best Hillside Garden” award from the local gardening club. She writes sweet and inspirational romances. You can find her award-winning Soul Mate books The Nun and the Narc and A Groom for Mama, on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Follow her on Twitter @AuthorCCastle, FB or her blog.

 

Musings from a Writer’s Brain –The Danger of “Inspiration” by Christina Sinsi

Tags

Christian Author, Christina Sinsi, essay, Inspiration, Musings from a Writer's Brain, suspense, Sweet Summer Romance, Writer's ideas, writing tips

First, let me thank Catherine for hosting me on her blog. I appreciate this opportunity! Second, also allow me to say that I still myself as a new author even though I have published three books. I feel like there is so much I have yet to learn!

At the same time, I feel called to discuss the danger of “inspiration.” As a Christian author, I understand that we should be careful when taking bible verses out of context. For example, on my drive to visit a friend today, I heard the lyrics of a contemporary Christian song include Philippians 4:13 NSV “I can do all things through him who gives me strength.” I hope the writers of the song realize that, in context, Paul wrote about being content in all circumstances. He was in prison! He certainly couldn’t do just anything he dared to dream—break the chains (even though that did happen at one point) or just walk out of prison (even though that happened at another time) unless God so wills. We need to remember that we can do all things that glorify God and not just any old thing.

So, now, I get to the topic of writing and inspiration.  In many interviews, I am asked where do I get my inspiration? My go-to answer is everywhere—the newspaper, dreams, other people’s lives and stories, things that happened to me, and nudges from previous stories I’ve written. I have been listening to songs on the radio and the lyrics trigger an idea. Other authors have told me of ideas coming out of nowhere while they are driving, watching television shows, reading other books, you name it. There have been times when I have an issue I need to deal with in my life and a story arises to let me get the hurt out of my system.

I have stacks of folders with ideas just sitting on the shelf. Those folders may contain my notes, magazine or newspaper clippings, and other snippets that are the seeds of a book.

If you’re having writer’s block, I hope and pray that I may have just given you an idea as to where to get an idea.

My point is the next step, however. If you have all those ideas just lying around, how do you choose which one to turn into a short story or book, which one to allow to consume your life for maybe months?

First, you pray. Sorry I didn’t mention that earlier, but of course prayer can and should happen at any and every stage of your calling.

Second, which story is haunting you? Which one comes back to bug you when you’re taking a walk around your neighborhood, when you soak in the tub, or as you’re trying to go to sleep at night? By the way, bed, bath, and bus are famous in psychology as places to stir those creative juices.

Third, which one can you hold up to the light and see how the story might glorify God? This is where I may be different than others in my advice.  Just because a story haunts you, just because it seems like something that could sell, just because you feel the need to write this particular story, doesn’t mean you should. This is the truth I want to leave you with, if I may. Be careful that inspiration doesn’t dictate your writing choices.

In so many areas of our lives, we are tempted. Our temptation sticks around and can be very strong. So, don’t think a particular story idea can’t take the form of temptation.

In conclusion, I think inspiration of any kind can be dangerous if we don’t hold it up to the light and see if it shines.

About the Author:

 A member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, Christina Sinisi writes stories about families, both the broken and blessed. Her works include a semi-finalist in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Contest and the American Title IV Contest in which she appeared in the top ten in the Romantic Times magazine. Her published books include The Christmas Confusion and Sweet Summer, the first two books in the Summer Creek Series, as well as the Christmas On Ocracoke and the upcoming Why They Call it Falling. By day, She is a psychology professor and lives in the Lowcountry of South Carolina with her husband, two grown children and Hemingway cat, Chessie.

Connect with Christina on her Website/Blog:   Please sign up here for my newsletter! Facebook:  Instagram: @csinisi123 Goodreads:  

Sweet Summer

By Christina Sinsi

 

Shelby Marano is the youngest of three sisters and was always Daddy’s baby girl–until her father was murdered. Ever since, she’s been running from anyone or anything that could truly hurt her. Instead, she seeks calculated thrills that leave her exhilarated, but when she’s caught outside during a summer storm, she quickly realizes not all adventures are within her control.

Tyler Burgess offers her both refuge from the rain and a safe place to land.

Time spent with Tyler proves him to be much more than just a nerd in a history museum, but what she finds out about him is a deal breaker for her. As Shelby’s perfect little world is threatened by family health issues and an unknown stalker, she learns the hard lesson that no one can hide from the dangers of life. Can Shelby let her sisters, Tyler, and even more importantly, God, show her in one Sweet Summer, that love is worth taking the risk?

BUY LINKS: Find Sweet Summer on Amazon and Anaiah Press

Musings from a Writer’s Brain–Are We Normal Yet? By Catherine Castle

Tags

A Groom for Mama, award-winning romance, scam calls, Sweet romantic comedy

photo Courtesy of Pixabay

While Ohio is mostly opened up from Pandemic status, I hear lots of newscasters asking “When will we get back to normal again?”

This question now is mostly related to the economy, workers going back to work, restaurants having their normal hours and normal menus back, schools and businesses being fully opened again, hospitals, airlines and nursing homes going maskless, and whether a new wave from a variant virus will set us back to 2020 shutdown status again.

There is, however, one thing that has come back to normal in record speed—Scamming and Phishing!

I’ve talked about phone scamming and phishing in the past, but I received a couple of calls that I think bear repeating. This past week or so our phone has gone nuts with scam calls. I received a call from a local hospital where my sister had been admitted a while ago. Not thinking about scamming, but wondering instead if she was in the hospital, I answered the call. It was a Medicare scammer. I bawled him out and hung up with a threat to report him to the FCC.

I had another interesting and doozy of a call the other day from Beverly Hill, California. I didn’t answer, but they left a voice-mail message. Our voice-mail system forces us to listen to the messages in order to clear them. Most of the time they are truncated messages that don’t give us much of a clue as to what the caller wants. As I punched the replay button that day, a computer-generated voice said. “Sorry. You did not reveal yourself to be human.”

If that’s not the pot calling the kettle black, I’ll eat my garden hat! It’s too bad all the other scam phone calls don’t recognize my computer-generated message isn’t worth their time as well. That would solve my constant ringing phone issue.

I’d love to hear your craziest scam phone call message.

There are no scam phone calls in Catherine Castle’s award-winning comedy with a touch of drama, A Groom for Mama, but there are plenty of scammy dates.  Follow the antics of Alison Walters and her mother Beverly as the pair works at cross purposes why gallivanting  across the country—one wants a wedding and one doesn’t. 

A Groom for Mama

By Catherine Castle

Beverly Walters is dying, and before she goes she has one wish—to find a groom for her daughter. To get the deed done, Mama enlists the dating service of Jack Somerset, Allison’s former boyfriend.

The last thing corporate-climbing Allison wants is a husband. Furious with Mama’s meddling, and a bit more interested in Jack than she wants to admit, Allison agrees to the scheme as long as Mama promises to search for a cure for her terminal illness.

A cross-country trip from Nevada to Ohio ensues, with a string of disastrous dates along the way, as the trio hunts for treatment and A Groom For Mama.

About the Author:

Multi-award winning author Catherine Castle loves writing. Before beginning her career as a romance writer she worked part-time as a freelance writer. She has over 600 articles and photographs to her credit, under her real name, in the Christian and secular market. She also lays claim to over 300 internet articles written on a variety of subjects and several hundred poems. In addition to writing she loves reading, traveling, singing, theatre, quilting and gardening. She’s a passionate gardener whose garden won a “Best Hillside Garden” award from the local gardening club. She writes sweet and inspirational romances. You can find her award-winning Soul Mate books The Nun and the Narc and A Groom for Mama, on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Follow her on Twitter @AuthorCCastle, FB or her blog.

Wednesday Writers–June Foster and her Award-Winning Book The Inn at Cranberry Cove

Tags

Award-winning Romantic Suspense, book excerpt from The Inn at Cranberry Cove, June Foster, Selah Awards, The Inn at Cranberry Cover, The Story Behind the Story, Wednesday Writers

Welcome to Wednesday Writers! Today’s guest author is June Foster with the Story Behind the Story of her Award-winning book The Inn at Cranberry Cove plus a book excerpt. Welcome, June!

Thanks, Catherine.

Twenty years ago, my husband and I lived in Washington State – in Olympia, the capitol. I love the Pacific Northwest and frequently set my stories there. In fact, the first five or so were inspired by the forests of Douglas fir, majestic mountains, and lakes and streams that are perfect for fishing.

One weekend during our time in Washington, we decided to travel west as far as we could go until we reached the ocean. Our trip brought us to a delightful B&B in Ilwaco on the south end of Long Beach Peninsula in the southwest corner of the state, between the Pacific Ocean and the Columbia River. I hadn’t realized that a sleepy, historic fishing town nestled there.

The B&B was once an old place of worship, and today boasts of guest rooms, lush gardens, and a large meeting room where the sanctuary used to stand. At the time we were there, I hadn’t written my first book, but years later, upon thinking back to the lovely inn, my imagination began to percolate and The Inn at Cranberry Cove was born.

Today the B&B is owned by a sweet couple by the name of Leanna and Kevin Moos and is now called the Inn at Harbor Village. The picture on the cover of my book is the real inn that the Moos graciously allowed me to use.

I’m so proud to announce that The Inn at Cranberry Cove won first place in the romantic suspense category of the 2021 Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writer’s conference Selah awards.

And now here’s a peek at the award-winning book.

The Inn at Cranberry Cove

By June Foster

Ashton Price arrives in Cranberry Cove, Washington, her pride wounded by her former boss. James Atwood endures punishing guilt after the death of his wife and son. Together, they must discover the mystery that haunts the Inn at Cranberry Cove.

James Atwood leaned over his desk at Pacific Cranberry, Incorporated. Nothing appeared to be amiss with the company’s delivery schedule. Everything seemed to be working, but he couldn’t dismiss the latest of several complaints of non-delivery and invoices received for items not obtained.

He scratched his head and then rubbed his eyes.

His office door opened. “It’s after five, James.” His secretary, Leslie Cunningham, followed her daily routine of checking to see if he needed one last thing before she left. “I’m good, Leslie. Thanks.”

She smiled and started to close the door.

“Wait. Is Robert still in his office?”

Leslie’s smirk told him all he needed to know. His cousin had probably left the office five minutes after returning from lunch. James would have to talk to him tomorrow. If they could remain in each other’s company for more than five minutes, perhaps they’d be able to figure out the breakdown in the company’s delivery system.

“See you in the morning.” Leslie closed the door.

James turned off his computer, grabbed his keys from the desk, and exited his office.

“Son.” Dad stopped him in the hall. “Leaving so soon.”

His father used the tired joke as a way to tell James he worked too hard. Dad had always been able to leave his job behind. Before, James hadn’t been able to … and he couldn’t now after all that had happened.

James tried to make his smile genuine. He wasn’t sure if he could succeed at that any longer. “Yeah. I figured I’d bug out a little early and get some gardening in.”

Dad studied James for a long second. “I admire your work ethic, but you haven’t stopped one minute since—”

James held up his hand, pleading silently for his father to drop what he was going to say. “I did stop, Dad. I stopped to sell the estate, to donate Bethany’s clothes to charity, and to move …” He swallowed the lump in his throat. “To move myself into the cabin. That was enough of a break, don’t you think?”

Dad patted his shoulder. “Sometimes a man needs to stop in order to let his emotions catch up to him. If he doesn’t, they may come out when he least expects it.”

Dad didn’t know, hadn’t visited James when he was alone in the cabin, the door to one room closed, impossible for him to open because of the grief that was stored inside. That’s why the gardening, away from home, the respite he’d been afforded meant so much to him. And he needed to get there … and now. “You have a good evening, Dad. I’ll see you in the morning.”

About the Author:

An award-winning author, June Foster is also a retired teacher with a BA in Education and a MA in counseling. She is the mother of two and grandmother of ten. June began writing Christian romance in 2010. She penned her first novel on her Toshiba laptop as she and her husband traveled the US in their RV. Her adventures provide a rich source of information for her novels. She brags about visiting a location before it becomes the setting in her next book.

To date, June has written over twenty contemporary romance and romantic suspense novels and novellas. She loves to compose stories about characters who overcome the circumstances in their lives by the power of God and His Word. June uses her training in counseling and her Christian beliefs in creating characters who find freedom to live godly lives. She’s published with Winged Publications. Visit June at www.junefoster.com to see a complete list of her books.

Tasty Tuesdays-Down on the Farm, Grandma’s Shucky Beans from Catherine Castle

Tags

A Groom for Mama, Catherine Castle's Food blog Tasty Tuesdays, Farm living, food, old-fashined bean preservation, recipe, Tasty Tuesdays

Shucky beans from my freezer

Some of my fondest childhood memories are of visiting my grandparents down on their farm.

Mom and Dad would pack us up in the car after Dad got home from work and we’d drive down into the hills of Kentucky for the weekend.

The house would always be dark when we arrived. Grandma and Grandpa didn’t have a phone, so they were never expecting us on our weekend trips. It was probably only nine or ten p.m. when we arrived, but my grandparents were farmers who went to bed with the chickens the minute it got dark outside.

The moment Daddy pounded on the door, my grandparents awoke and the lights came on. After hugs and kisses, we were hustled into the kitchen for hand pies, cornbread, leftover shucky beans, and meat. It never failed to amaze me how much food Grandma had on hand, especially since it was only her and Grandpa there. The hand pies were half-moon pastries made from dried apples Grandma had preserved. The meat varied, depending on whether she’d killed a chicken or they had purchased beef from someone. The shucky beans were the item my mouth always watered for—and still does today. It’s been years since I’ve eaten them, but I remember the salty, silky texture of the once-dried bean.

You say you don’t know what shucky beans are?

Shucky beans are green beans that have been dried in the shell. Shucky beans were always on the table at Grandma’s house. In fact, I don’t remember ever eating any other kind of green bean when we visited her.

Mom and Grandma always used white half-runner beans, although I do remember Mom using other green beans when she couldn’t get half-runners. Every summer we would visit Grandma and help her preserve the veggies from her garden. Getting the shucky beans ready was something I could do as a child, because Grandma preserved her beans the old-fashioned way. She strung them on cotton thread and hung them on the back porches until they dried.

The process was time consuming, but I don’t remember minding it at all. While the black-eyed Susans nodded in the breeze at the front of the yard, I strung my pan of beans sitting on the white porch swing, listening to the chains creaking softly above me and Mom and Grandma talk. There was something satisfying about watching the green column of beans grow on the thread, knowing I was going to enjoy the taste of them in the fall and winter. Grandma always shared some of the crop with us.

Below are the quick instructions for making Shucky Beans as given to me by my mother. My additional clarification comments are in parenthesis. Notice there are no amounts given for beans: Grandma and Mom just strung them until they were all picked from the garden. From my research I’ve discovered a bushel of fresh beans makes about 1 gallon of Shucky Beans.

Grandma and Mom’s Shucky Bean Recipe

Pick white, half-runner beans when they have a bean in them. Do not wash beans. Break ends and remove the string from the beans. Using a sturdy needle and white cotton string, knotted on one end, string the beans. (Pierce the bean pod and not the bean with the needle.) When the string is almost full, tie the ends and place in a warm place to dry: an attic, porch, or in the direct sun.

(Depending on how you plan to dry them, either tie the ends together to make a circle, or make a loop in one end, so they can be hung on a nail. You could also just knot the other end and drape over a clothes line.  I know Grandma hung hers on the back porches, but I’ve read about other cooks drying their beans on sheets laid on patio tables, car hoods, and even spread in the back window of a vehicle. If you don’t want to do this the old fashioned way, you can use a food dehydrator. I actually dried a few of them last year on a rack on the kitchen table. I stored them in a glass jar. I haven’t cooked them yet. I just like to open the pantry door and look at them. I t reminds me of Grandma and those lazy summers as a child.)

Once the beans have dried, they can be stored in the freezer in plastic freezer bags. Just be sure they are really dry before you store them. (When you can run your fingers through a batch and hear a rattling sound, reminiscent of the sound dried corn shucks make, beans should be dry enough to store.)

To Cook: Place the beans, strings and all, in a pot and boil for 30 minutes. Drain the water and rinse the beans. Take them off the strings and place in a clean pot with more water and seasonings. (A cottage ham or slab of bacon works well as seasoning). Cook until tender. (About 2-2 ½ more hours.)

Some recipes call for the beans to be washed before stringing.  Grandma didn’t use pesticides, so she didn’t have to worry about chemicals. If you wash the beans before stringing, make sure they are hung where the air can reach all sides to prevent spoilage. Other recipes also suggest removing the beans from the string before boiling. I’m not sure which method works best, since I can’t recall what I did the one time I cooked the beans.

Have you ever eaten Shucky Beans? How did you like them?

While your beans are cooking, check out Catherine’s Romantic comedy with a touch of drama, A Groom for Mama available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

A Groom for Mama

By Catherine Castle

Beverly Walters is dying, and before she goes she has one wish—to find a groom for her daughter. To get the deed done, Mama enlists the dating service of Jack Somerset, Allison’s former boyfriend.

The last thing corporate-climbing Allison wants is a husband. Furious with Mama’s meddling, and a bit more interested in Jack than she wants to admit, Allison agrees to the scheme as long as Mama promises to search for a cure for her terminal illness.

A cross-country trip from Nevada to Ohio ensues, with a string of disastrous dates along the way, as the trio hunts for treatment and A Groom For Mama.

About the Author:

Multi-award winning author Catherine Castle loves writing. Before beginning her career as a romance writer she worked part-time as a freelance writer. She has over 600 articles and photographs to her credit, under her real name, in the Christian and secular market. She also lays claim to over 300 internet articles written on a variety of subjects and several hundred poems. In addition to writing she loves reading, traveling, singing, theatre, quilting and gardening. She’s a passionate gardener whose garden won a “Best Hillside Garden” award from the local gardening club. She writes sweet and inspirational romances. You can find her award-winning Soul Mate books The Nun and the Narc and A Groom for Mama, on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Follow her on Twitter @AuthorCCastle, FB or her blog.

A Writer’s Garden : Gardening – A Family Legacy by Liz Tolsma

Tags

A Writer’s Garden, Christian Suspense Romance, family gardening, flowers, Garden blog, garden legacy, Liz Tolsma, perennial garden

Welcome to A Writer’s Garden where writers who are gardeners or just love gardens will be sharing their garden and flower stories, as well as a bit about their writing. Today’s writer/gardener guest is Liz Tolsma, who will be sharing the family legacy of her garden. Welcome, Liz!

blazing star

My husband and I had just purchased our first house, and we stood in a backyard and stared at the overgrown, falling apart dog kennel behind the garage. Because we were on a corner lot, the house faces one street, and the garage faced another. That meant we could see this hideous sight from our kitchen window and our patio.

Something needed to be done.

My father was an avid perennial gardener. His yard was beautiful. So when he had a day off, I invited him over and showed him our mess of a yard. To his credit, he wasn’t daunted by the task before him. He suggested we start in the front. Okay, so he didn’t want to tackle the back! Our bushes were out of control, and he helped me trim them.

Underneath the leftover winter debris under these buses, he discovered hostas. I had never heard of such a thing, but he was excited. He even knew the variety they were – Royal Standard. He told me they were great shade plants and that they would bloom white later in the summer. To this day, he gushes about the amazing find we made that day.

We then went to a local nursery and purchased some moonbeam coreopsis. He thought they would do well in our shady yard. I got quite the education in perennials that day.

And it didn’t stop. Once my husband and I tore out the dog kennel, my father gave us some plants from his yard. He patiently told us the name of each one (usually the scientific name) and how to care for it. Before long, our yard was filled with color.

• 

• 

• 

Apparently, it runs in the blood. My great-grandfather was a gardener. My grandfather started his own landscaping company once he retired from dairy farming. I have cousins who are avid gardeners. I guess you could say we have dirt in our veins.

My dad can no longer garden, but each time I walk to my yard, I can hear him waxing about each plant. It’s a legacy he’s passed to me, and one I hope to pass to my children one of these days. Along with some of the plants now growing in my yard that came from my dad’s.

About the Writer/Gardener:

Liz Tolsma is the author of several WWII novels, romantic suspense novels, prairie romance novellas, and an Amish romance. She is a popular speaker and an editor and resides next to a Wisconsin farm field with her husband and their youngest daughter. Her son is a U.S. Marine, and her oldest daughter is a college student. When she’s not writing, you’ll likely find her working in her large perennial garden, her happy place. To her, there’s nothing better than a little dirt underneath your fingernails and a bouquet on your table. Please visit her website at www.liztolsma.com and follow her on Facebook and Instagram. She is also the host of the Christian Historical Fiction Talk podcast.

The Silver Shadow

By Liz Tolsma 

Denver of 1900 is still a dangerous place to be following the silver crash of 1893. And of out of the dark comes a shadow intent on harming women. Ambitious young Denver newspaper reporter Polly Blythe is searching for the big story that’s going to launch her career. On Friday evening, August 24, 1900, she gets her break when two women are cracked over the head within a two-minute walk of each other. But policeman Edwin Timmer thwarts Polly’s ideas of a serial criminal. . .until the shadowy figure strikes again. Will the reporter and the policeman team up to find the culprit before he strikes too close for comfort?

Want to read more? You can find The Silver Shadow, a Christian Suspense Romance on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Christianbook.com