Wednesday Writers–A Home for Fritz by June Foster

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A Home for Fritz, Catherine Castle's Wednesday Writers blog series, contemporary inspirational romance, June Foster, romance, Wednesday Writers

 

Welcome to Wednesday Writers. My guest today is June Foster, and after reading her post, I have to admit I’m a bit envious. A summer spent in an RV park in Wyoming sounds lovely. I’ve always wanted to see the west and live in a RV. June got a bonus—a story idea with built in research. What better gift could a writer have? Welcome, June!

 

Research on a Dude Ranch

By June Foster

Last summer, my husband and I worked at a wonderful RV park in Shell, Wyoming, at the base of the Big Horn Mountains.

lawn at the RV park

 

The owners of the park had a precious golden doodle named Fritz.

About that time, my editor gave a “callout” for stories in which the hero and heroine met because of a dog. Not more than a few miles from the RV park, an elegant dude ranch, the Hideout, offered a horse-riding experience for guests who could afford the high cost. Thus the perfect ingredients for a story.

 

I interviewed wranglers, toured the entire property, and talked to local ranchers, as well as snapping photos the surrounding area.

 

Thus A Home for Fritz was born.

 

 

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A Home for Fritz

by June Foster

All Brooke Cantrell wants is two weeks to live a Cinderella life at Sunlight Peaks Guest Ranch. When she falls in love with a handsome wrangler, will he discover the truth?

Garrett Bowman has finally found peace under Wyoming skies. Never again will he return to corporate life in Seattle. But will the guests recognize him from the incriminating newspaper and magazine articles eighteen months ago?

When Garrett’s dog, Fritz, is in grave danger, an intriguing guest helps him rescue his pup. As Fritz heals, he whines until he can lay his head in Brooke’s comfortable lap. Fritz has fallen in love, but so has Garrett.

If Garrett discovers Brook’s secret, will he walk away from her?

If Brooke learns Garrett’s true identify, will she turn from him like all the others?

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I hope you enjoy the real life pictures of what I saw as I did research for the project.

 

I loved June’s pictures, especially the one with the mountain in the background. If you’d like to read more about A Home for Fritz you can find the book here.

 

About the Author:

An award-winning author, June Foster is a retired teacher with a BA in education and MA in counseling. Her characters find themselves in tough situations but overcome through God’s power and the Word. She writes edgy topics wrapped in a good story. To date, she’s seen seventeen contemporary romances and several short stories published. Find June online at junefoster.com

 

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Wednesday Writers–Ancient Treasures with Gail Kittleson

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Ancient Treasures, Catherine Castle's Wednesday Writers blog series, first Engliswoman to write a book, Gail Kittleson, Julian of Norwich, Women of the Heartland series

Welcome to Wednesday Writers!

Today I’m hosting Gail Kittleson on Wednesday Writers. Gail is a historical romance author, who writes about WWII. Her Women of the Heartland, World War II series, highlights women of The Greatest Generation. Today she’s taking us on a side trip to talk about the first English woman to write a book. You’ll want keep reading, because it’s not who you think it is. Welcome, Gail!

 

 

Ancient Treasures

By Gail Kittleson

Preparing for a recent fortieth anniversary trip to England, I re-discovered Julian of Norwich, who died in 1417. Before that, if you’d asked me to name the first English woman who wrote a book, I might have said Jane Austen. But long before Jane left her mark, Julian of Norwich left hers.

Julian became well known in England, and people flocked to her cell for spiritual advice. She was called “Renewer of the Church.” Her meditations, The Revelations of Divine Love, set forth eternal, all-embracing divine love.

Well known in England during this era of widespread epidemics, people looked to Julian for reassurance. Many monks taught that disease signified God’s angry punishment, while Julian wrote of a loving, even motherly God intent on creation’s good.

She viewed the Creator of all with a tiny object in his hand, like a small brown nut, so fragile and insignificant that she wondered why it even held together. The nut stood for the entire created universe, yet Julian heard this message with her vision: “God made it, God loves it, and God keeps it.”

She wrestled with the difficult moral decisions humans face. Sometimes we feel that no matter what, we act from impure motives, and can defend no decision. Finally, Julian concluded: “It is enough to be sure of the deed. Our courteous Lord will deign to redeem the motive.”

 I’d guess the monks of Julian’s day weren’t exactly delighted with her theology—human nature conjures images of the Divine patterned after our own shortcomings. Negativity surely fits that label, as does a tendency to feel hopelessly incapable of acting with wisdom in this world.

 As writers, we can certainly identify. But common people resonated to Julian’s perspective from the cell where she confined herself after undergoing a burial rite to signify her death to this world.

How wonderful to come to a point where with her, we say, “It is enough to do something (i.e., to write), led by my best instincts and thinking process. If I err, I fall upon the courtesy of our Lord.”

About the Author:

Gail taught college writing before becoming a late-blooming novelist, and now has four published novels celebrating WWII women, and a memoir.

When Gail’s not steeped in research, drafting scenes, or editing, she facilitates writing workshops and retreats in Iowa and Arizona, where winters find her enjoying the gorgeous Mogollon Rim. Favorites: grandchildren, exploring WWII sites with her husband, walking, reading, meeting new people, and hearing from readers who fall in love with her characters.

You can find Gail’s books on Amazon

You can connect with Gail at

http://www.gailkittleson.com/

www.facebook.com/GailKittlesonAuthor

www.twitter.com/GailGkittleson @GailGkittleson

 

 

 

 

 

Wednesday Writers—Love’s Harvest: Adventures in Research by Linda Shenton Matchett

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adventures in research, book excerpt from Love’s Harvest, Catherine Castle's Wednesday Writers blog series, historical romance, Linda Shenton Matchett, Love's Harvest, retelling of biblical story of Ruth

Today’s guest on Wednesday Writers is Linda Shenton Matchett, author of the historical romance Love’s Harvest. Linda will be talking about the research required to write this book. I think you’ll find it interesting—I know I did. Welcome, Linda!

 

 

 

 

 

Love’s Harvest: Adventures in Research

 

I’m of an age that when I was in school research was conducted with encyclopedias and trips to the library to question the reference librarian and search among the shelves for sources. Now I use the internet where I can check my library’s “card catalog” online, send an email to anyone in the world with my questions, look at maps and photos, watch YouTube interviews (thanks to oral history projects, these a great resource for primary source material), access museum and university information, read archived newspapers, and chase any number of rabbits.

You heard me…chase rabbits. That’s the blessing and the curse of using the internet for doing research. As mentioned, the blessing is the plethora of information available. The curse is the ability to follow link after link after link…! Eventually, a writer needs to stop researching and put pen to paper (or fingers to the keyboard)!

My novella, Love’s Harvest is a retelling of the biblical book of Ruth set between 1923 and 1946. In order to “translate” the story to the new time period, quite a bit of research was necessary. In Ruth, there is a famine that sends the family to Moab, the loss of Naomi’s husband and sons, Ruth’s rights to glean the fields after she and Naomi return to Israel, marriage laws and customs, and several incidents that shed light on Ruth’s and Boaz’s character.

Let the adventure begin!

Because I wanted to set the majority of the book in England during WWII, I had to find a famine that occurred twenty or so years prior to that time. Figuring that I’d be looking for a needle in the proverbial haystack because “famines don’t happen anymore,” I was stunned to find numerous incidents during which large segments of a population faced crop failure, drought, and hunger. The event that fit with my story was the 1921-23 famine that nearly devastated the Volga River area of Russia.

Research about the region told me about Catherine the Great’s efforts to colonize Russia by inviting Europeans to immigrate and become Russian citizens but keep their language and culture. A large number of Germans took her up on the offer. That fact allowed me to make the Ruth character German which would give me the tension I needed when I sent her and the Naomi character home to England.

One link I followed helped me discover that many of these Volga Russian-Germans immigrated to Kansas, the Dakotas, and California during the 19^th and early 20^th century. During the famine years, these people set up the American Volga Relief Society to collect and send relief and supplies to the Volga region. I was able to weave this information in the story.

Further research allowed me to find wedding customs, the British Women’s Land Army, Lord Woolton and his Ministry of Food, and the craft of basket weaving. I was surprised that it took me about two months to conduct all my research. Are you?

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Love’s Harvest

By Linda Shenton Matchett

Noreen Hirsch loses everything including her husband and two sons. Then her adopted country goes to war with her homeland. Has God abandoned her?

Rosa Hirsch barely adjusts to being a bride before she is widowed. She gives up her citizenship to accompany her mother-in-law to her home country. Can Rosa find acceptance among strangers who hate her belligerent nation?

Basil Quincey is rich beyond his wildest dreams, but loneliness stalks him. Can he find a woman who loves him and not his money?

Three people. One God who can raise hope from the ashes of despair.

 

Book Excerpt:

Volga Region, Russia, 1923

Noreen yanked the zipper closed on her over-stuffed canvas satchel. Always resourceful, Edmund had attached straps to the moss-green bag so she could wear it on her back. She would also carry a suitcase in each hand. The journey promised to be arduous.

Sighing, she wiped a weary hand across her dry eyes. Even if she had any tears remaining, crying was useless. It would not make their situation less dire.

Muted voices and the occasional bump filtered through the ceiling from the boys’ bedroom above. Noreen shivered and hunched into her threadbare, ruby-red sweater. An impulse purchase made during her honeymoon, the garment held more memories than warmth. Edmund insisted it brought out the roses in her cheeks.

She tossed the bulging satchel to the floor and turned her attention to the yawning luggage on the bed. Two steel pots and a fry pan nestled in the bottom of one boxy, brown suitcase between faded blue towels that had been a belated wedding present from her mother and father.

Hopefully, Edmund would find somewhere they could live in his home country with enough food to actually cook. Here, along the Volga River in Russia, the crops had failed again, and the famine was entering its second year. The decision whether to eat or plant their seed wheat had caused many families to die of starvation.

Shuffling footsteps sounded behind her. She turned as Edmund enveloped her in his arms. Nestling against his too-thin chest, she breathed in his musky scent. He bent and kissed her forehead, his black beard scraping her skin.

“You work too hard.” He tucked a stray strand of her nutmeg-colored hair behind her ear.

She leaned into his touch. “Isn’t that why you married me?”

“No, Schatzi, it is most certainly not.” He grinned. “You stole my heart. I had to marry you, or I would die a broken man.”

“Don’t joke about that. Our friends are dying every day.” She frowned. “Who knew this famine would last so long? If it weren’t for the bit of help arriving from America’s Volga Relief Society, matters would be much worse.”

“They are sending more assistance than we are receiving. Jakob told me there is proof the government is confiscating some of the packages and keeping the money to construct new buildings and conduct repairs. As always, development of the country is valued above the lives of the people.”

“Shhh!” She pressed the work-worn fingers of her right hand against his lips. “You could get in trouble for saying that. Then where would we be?”

Edmund hugged her. “There is no one to hear us, but I understand your fear. Many unexplained disappearances make for extreme caution.” He released her and gestured toward the pile of clothes on their bed. “Enough depressing talk. What can I do to help?”

“Do you have our passports? With the government ratcheting up the price, we have no more savings to purchase new ones.”

“Now who’s speaking out against the authorities.”

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Want to read more? You can find Love’s Harvest at Amazon

 

About the Author:

Linda Shenton Matchett is an author, journalist, and history geek. A native of Baltimore, Maryland, she was born a stone’s throw from Fort McHenry and has lived in historic places most of her life. A member of ACFW, RWA, and Sisters In Crime, Linda is a volunteer docent at the Wright Museum of World War II, and a trustee for her local public library. Receive a free book Devotions from a Writer when you sign up for her newsletter. 

Social Media links:  Website: Facebook: Pinterest:

Wednesday Writers–Carrie Daws and The Embers Series

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Book excerpt from The Embers Series, Carrie Daws, Catherine Castle's Wednesday Writers blog series, Inspirational Suspense, The Ember Series

 

 

Today’s guest author on Wednesday Writers is Carrie Daws. She’ll be talking about the Inspirational Suspense book she didn’t want to write. Sometimes we just gotta do what we gotta do. Right, Carrie?

 

The Story Behind the Story: The Embers Series

 

What do you do when a friend wants you to write a book about her? Assuming you have a good relationship and enough courage to be completely honest, you say, “No!”

This is what happened to me. We actually weren’t that close at the time, this friend and I. We volunteered together at church and knew each other well enough to give more than the most basic answer when we inquired about each other’s lives. I certainly didn’t know her well enough to create a character around her.

But every few weeks, she’d ask again. Yeah, my answer was still no.

Then, after one particularly rough day, she told me about a horrible inspection with an obstinate owner who didn’t want to do anything the law says that business owners must do. My brain started working, quietly in my subconscious.

A few weeks later, she told me another story about firemen tackling a homeowner who wouldn’t let them into his house to put out the fire. And about an inspection where a manager ordered her out of a restaurant because they didn’t like her. I laughed as I pictured it all.

And that’s when I knew. I had to write this book.

A couple of waivers later, I sat beside her in her government-issued white Chevy Tahoe, a vehicle big enough to carry all her necessary equipment and handle the occasionally rough terrain she needed to transgress. I shadowed her on inspections and begged to be called out to a fire with her. I tramped around a kids’ camp and walked a secure warehouse at her side. Of course, all the business owners and managers only showed her the utmost respect and courtesy in my presence. They didn’t know who I was or what power I had over them. Wouldn’t they be surprised!

I talked to firemen and paramedics, gleaning more stories and the critical fire information I would need. I searched the web, reading more about fire safety. Slowly, a plot formed.

The fun part for me is that much within these books is based on my town, although names of fire departments, neighborhoods, and other identifying places have been changed. Similarly, inspections and fires I talk about are loosely based on true stories from my friend, others in the fire safety field, and news reports from around the world.

I changed key details about my friend, to simplify the story and protect her identity—at least, outside her circle of family and friends to whom she loudly proclaimed that I was writing a book about her.

The result was a fun story where the main character must decide if God is trustworthy. If He truly can protect her and her family when the circumstances turn dangerous.

It’s a story I’m glad she persisted in asking me to write.

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The Embers Series

By Carrie Daws

Inspector Cassandra McCarthy never thought she’d be raising her two daughters alone, but her husband’s unexpected death forced her to find a career. Now working beside a retired Special Operations soldier and veteran fireman, she serves her small North Carolina town, protecting them from hazards they don’t understand. She loves what she does and trusts God to provide—until a hurricane and a series of unexplained fires hits too close to home. What will it cost Cassandra to protect the citizens of Silver Heights?

Excerpt:

My God will meet all your needs

according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

~ Philippians 4:19

 

Friday, October 9th

White billows replaced the dark, ominous clouds that still drifted over the tops of the loblolly pine trees along the North Carolina roadside. Inspector Cassandra McCarthy released her breath, knowing the color change meant the firefighters had water on the blaze. Those who were returning to nearby homes at the end of the workday should be safe.

Her phone on the console beside her buzzed with an incoming text message. “On the scene yet?”

Showing her identification card from the Silver Heights Fire Marshal’s office, Cassandra pulled her white Chevy Tahoe around the sheriff’s barricade shutting down the country road to all non-emergency traffic. Stopping in the grass near the last tanker truck, she grabbed her phone and responded to the text. “Just arrived. Beaver Creek and Black Branch Fire Departments both on scene. Flames still visible.”

She knew her boss wouldn’t be satisfied with that answer, but before she could give him more details, she had to get her mind on her job. Her heart ached with memories of today, of the anniversary she should be celebrating. Releasing her seat belt, she grabbed the camera from the passenger seat. She could at least start taking pictures for the report she’d have to file later.

Her phone buzzed again. “Contained? Any woods burning?”

Swallowing her nostalgia, she walked around Black Branch’s engine while throwing the camera strap over her head and looking for someone she knew that would have a moment to talk to her. Being careful to avoid the area the firemen were working, she finally saw Beaver Creek’s chief, Scottie, in recovery behind the ambulance parked across the street.

“Hey, Scottie. You good?”

Most of his fireman turnout gear in a pile beside him, Scottie drained the last of the water in his bottle. His reddish brown hair looked dark in the fading sunlight. “I dinna know, lassie. But I’m getting a bad feeling about this.”

“What do you mean?”

The emergency medical technician handed Scottie another bottle of water.

“Thanks, Kelan.” Scottie twisted the lid to break the seal but didn’t remove it. “In August and September, we reported to sixty-three fires. All of those were easily explained except for two that happened in the early evening on abandoned buildings during weather that nae should be a contributing factor. This one here—it makes three.”

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Want to read more? You can find Carrie’s book in print and eBook at Amazon

 

About the Author:

God rewrote Carrie’s dreams to include being an author. With a background in weekly devotions, a mentor encouraged her to try fiction. The writing monster that she now barely keeps contained was born. To learn more, click here. (LINK: http://carriedaws.com/my-books/)

Connect with Carrie at:

Website: http://carriedaws.com/  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CarrieDaws/  

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/carriedaws/boards/

 

 

 

 

Carrie Daws, inspirational suspense, The Ember Series, Book excerpt from The Embers Series, Catherine Castle’s Wednesday Writers blog series

Wednesday Writers–Lady Jane’s Tryst by Emma Lane

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Catherine Castle's Wednesday Writers blog series, Emma Lane, excerpt from Lady Jane's Tryst, Lady Jane's Tryst, Regency Romance

Today’s Wednesday Writers’ guest is Emma Lane. Emma has been a guest before and I’m delighted to welcome her back as she talks about her Regency Romance Lady Jane’s Tryst. Welcome, Emma!

 

Thanks, Catherine.

I have long suspected writers love research. Our curiosity level seems improbably high as we happily delve deeper and deeper into a chosen subject. The most serious problem is pulling out of the descent to get on with the business of finishing the book. I confess I wanted to learn more about Brighton, UK, a city on the coast made famous by King George IV when he was only a royal nicknamed ‘Prinny.’

Even today Brighton is a vacation site where the amazing castle created by the soon-to-be-king is a museum. I dropped a boarding school for young ladies just to the right in the city, where Poor Lady Jane resided without a single day’s absence for five long years. Her peculiar father occasionally visited, but never invited her home, not once. It’s not to be wondered that she made a habit of wandering around in the evening hours when everyone in the school house was asleep. She kept boredom at bay creating her own amusement, but never expected the meet with a mysterious English pirate; no he was a spy, since he wore his coal-black hair long with a kerchief tied around. She could be forgiven for mistaking him as a dangerous man. Only after he kissed her was she perturbed by his presence, such was her longing for adventure. Lady Jane and her pirate/spy began an association with long and enduring consequences. Author Emma Lane enjoyed every minute as she followed her heroine throughout the city of Brighton. Join her as Lady Jane makes her way daily gaining independence, facing life on her own in the English Regency World during the early 1800’s.

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Lady Jane’s Tryst

By Emma Lane

Ripe for adventure, Lady Jane welcomes the charming pirate who offers her the excitement she craves.

Five years at Miss Agatha’s Finishing School for Young Ladies in Brighton, without a single day away, leaves Lady Jane longing for any respite to liven her deadened senses. An accidental meeting with a handsome stranger initiates a journey of danger, excitement, affection and eventually love, even as Lady Jane wonders if a person could be considered an orphan while still possessing a parent.

 Excerpt:

“Shhhh, Marianne. We are in danger of being discovered if you keep jumping about like that and talking. Do contain yourself!” She whirled around to grip her friend by the arm.

“I am frightened, Jane. Let’s go back. What will they do to us if we are discovered?” Marianne’s voice was strained and high pitched. She clenched Jane’s shawl and almost pulled it off her shoulders.

“Behead us, most likely.” She turned and stared at her friend directly. “I can see you are not best suited for this adventure. Do you wish to go back?” she added gently.

“Noo, yes! I apologize for my weakness. May we return to school now?” Tears ran down the chubby cheeks of the sixteen year old as she stood, hands clasped, in the semi-darkness of the doorway.

“Do you know the way back? I’d like to stay a bit longer. Turn toward that shop and you’ll find the Old Ship hotel. Take the walkway to the mews and you’ll come out right at the fence we climbed over. Can you go by yourself?” Marianne nodded and turned away almost skipping in her haste to leave.

Jane suppressed a pang of guilt at deserting her cowardly friend, but her desire to observe one of the famous suppers at the Prince Regent’s pavilion in Brighton was stronger. She moved cautiously forward, clutching her borrowed shawl tightly around her coarse muslin gown. The maid at Miss Agatha Nighting’s Finishing School for Young Ladies was first aghast and then amused when Jane talked her into the loan.

Her idea was a good one. She’d simply present at the back door as a newly hired kitchen maid. Once granted entry, she could find her way into the dining room and observe to her heart’s content. Those dinners were famous and lasted into the wee hours of the morning. To a bored school girl almost never allowed outside the walls enclosing the school building, the adventure was irresistible.

With her head on the descriptions she’d heard about the Regent’s famous Brighton pavilion, she failed to notice a movement to her left, until a hand was placed firmly over her mouth and a strong arm encircled her waist. A rough bearded face scraped her own smooth cheek and a deep voice whispered directly into her startled ear.

“Quiet now,” he commanded and shook her a bit for emphasis. “I won’t hurt you, but you must keep quiet. No, don’t try to get away. I need you to be still!” He walked backward holding and almost dragging her until they were hidden behind a pillar. The torch burning nearby flickered elongated shadows exposing three men moving clandestinely across their line of vision. Her capturer pulled her even closer, tightening his grip on her middle section until she thought her ribs would break.

As if she had dreamed up the threat, the three men melted away from her sight into the surrounding gloom. She wriggled and tried to pull his hand away from her mouth.

“Do you promise not to scream?” he asked still whispering. “I think I mistook you for a house maid in that outfit. I am fairly certain the fragrance I detect is from a particular brand of French soap. Did your mistress share with you? No, I think not. You are in disguise, are you not?” Jane nodded her head up and down vigorously and heard him chuckle into her hair. His hand slid slowly away from her mouth, but caressed her cheek as it pulled away. He rested it on the back of her neck with his arm still firmly around her waist.

“A delectable armful, young Miss Mysterious. What are you doing out here in the dark all alone? Looking for trouble, no doubt.”

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Want to read more? Check out the book at Amazon.  Warning for readers of sweet romance: this book may contain sensuous scenes.

About the Author

Emma Lane shares her love for writing with her love for beautiful flowers. Ms. Lane lives in Western NY near beautiful Niagara Falls. You can connect with her at:

https://www.emmajlane.com/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php

 

 

 

Wednesday Writers–Love By the Numbers by Laura V. Hilton

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Amish author Laura HIlton, Amish fiction, Catherine Castle's Wednesday Writers blog series, clean romance, Love by the Numbers book excerpt, Sweet romance

Today’s guest on Wednesday Writers is Laura V. Hilton, author of Amish romances. She’ll be talking about her book Love By the Numbers and how God the faith message in the story for her characters. Welcome, Laura.

Story Behind the Story – Love by the Numbers

Caleb was a minor character in couple of my Amish books – I think he first made a by-name appearance in Amish Wanderer and Christmas Admirer. A minor character. Lydia was a very minor one-time appearance in those stories, too, a girl who happened to be in the room with Bethany and Susanna at a wedding. (This story is stand alone!) But I knew when Caleb first saw Lydia that they would end up together by the way he reacted to her presence. I wondered what their story was.

March and April is tornado season in Arkansas (and in many other states) and in 2011 we had a bad one. I was out and about that day, driving to the county seat with my five children, and there was something in the air. It was heavy, hard to breathe, and the sky was black off to the west. I’m sure I broke speed limits racing to Melbourne, and then home again so we wouldn’t be out in the storm.

Later that afternoon, tornado sirens went off. One went over our house – even from the basement we could hear the sound of a train roaring overhead. Scary. And still thanking God it didn’t touch down. Highland, Ash Flat, and Evening Shade, Arkansas were hit hard. Buildings completely gone. When we drove out that way later in the week there were pickup trucks in the tops of trees. Other things in odd and unusual places. I always wondered how they got the treetop pickups down. I would’ve stopped to watch if I’d been out there when it was done. I did hear that some of those trucks weren’t damaged at all. Unreal. My two sons and my husband both helped with clean up and my oldest son went with a crew to Joplin, Missouri, to help with clean up there.

There have been other occasions when I’ve been out in tornados. Once I was in the Walmart parking lot when a tornado went through a town west of it. We could see the funnel touching down from where we stood. It did hail when we were on our way home, praying our house was still standing. It was.

One of the verses my daughter had to memorize in Sunday School was 2 Corinthians 4:8-9. ‘We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.’ Perfect for the faith message in Love by the Numbers! I love how God always provides the perfect verse for my characters’ faith messages. I’m pretty sure this verse is one I never memorized, and I never would of thought of it on my own, but God put it in my daughter’s lessons for Sunday School, so she had to memorize it – and thus I did too since I help my daughters learn their verses every week.

I hope you’ll enjoy the story!

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Love by the Numbers

by Laura V. Hilton

After her fiancé dies in a buggy accident, Lydia Hershberger is invited to Jamesport to manage her Mennonite aunt’s gift store while her aunt and uncle are on a mission trip. While there, Lydia gets acquainted with her aentie’s best friend, Bethel Bontrager, and her grown son, Caleb. Lydia is surprised to find herself drawn to handsome clockmaker, Caleb Bontrager. But in spite of an instant flame of attraction between them, he doesn’t seem interested. In fact, pesky Caleb treats her like he doesn’t even like her.

Bright and sparkly. That’s Caleb’s first impression of Lydia. He’s always been attracted to sparkly things. In fact, his affinity for those things, and the trouble they can cause, are exactly why he’s determined to change his ways and settle down. With Lydia’s aentie gone, he is handling the books for the gift shop and is forced to spend too much time in her presence.

When God offers Lydia a second chance at love and family, will she take it? Or will the secret Caleb harbors cause her even more heartbreak?

 

Chapter 1

He was gorgeous. Simply gorgeous.

Lydia Hershberger leaned around the cash register and picked up the glassful of spilled hard candy sticks Aentie Judith’s kitten knocked over as she dashed past. She half-paid attention to arranging the candy. Her focus was fixed on him. She tried not to gawk but…

Wow. He was hot.

Tall. Sandy blond hair. Milk chocolate brown eyes. Clean-shaven.

He removed his straw hat as the door closed behind him, then glanced around the gift store. As his gaze moved in her direction, she quickly looked away. Wouldn’t do to be caught staring.

But she couldn’t resist a peek back.

He seemed to freeze when his gaze caught hers. Or hers caught his. Held it.

And… He scowled.

What?

This man, one she didn’t even know, glared at her? She had the right to be behind the counter of Aenti Judith’s gift shop while she was in, um, wherever she was, on a mission trip. Any other time, she could’ve spouted the information without thought. But not while she stared into the most incredible milk chocolaty eyes ever.

Were there any leftover solid chocolate Easter bunnies in the store? She needed one. Now. She glanced toward the clearance rack, but it was devoid of candy of any type.

Her gaze snapped back to him.

“You.” His voice emerged as a growl.

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About the Author:

Laura V. Hilton is an award-winning, sought-after author with over twenty Amish, contemporary, and historical romances. When she’s not writing, she reviews books for her blogs, and writes devotionals for blog posts for Seriously Write.

Laura and her pastor-husband have five children and live in Arkansas. She is a pastor’s wife, and homeschools her two youngest children.

When she’s not writing, Laura enjoys reading, and visiting lighthouses and waterfalls

visit my blogs: http://lighthouse-academy.blogspot.com/   

twitter: @Laura_V_Hilton

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Laura-V-Hilton/161478847242512

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/vernetlh/

Purchase my books:

Amazon   http://www.amazon.com/Laura-V.-Hilton/e/B004IRSM5Q 

CBD: http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/easy_find?Ntt=laura+hilton&N=0&Ntk=keywords&action=Search&Ne=0&event=ESRCG&nav_search=1&cms=1

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/laura-hilton?store=allproducts&keyword=laura+hilton

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wednesday Writers–A Borrowed Dream by Amanda Cabot

Tags

A Borrowwed Dream, Amanda Cabot, Catherine Castle's Wednesday Writers blog series, historical romance, Inspirational romance, Sweet romance, The Cimarron Creek trilogy

 

 

Today’s Wednesday Writers’ guest is bestselling author Amanda Cabot. Amanda will be talking about her book A Borrowed Dream, the second book in her Cimarron Creek historical trilogy. Welcome, Amanda.

 

The Promise of Spring

 

The first full day of spring – what a perfect day to talk about A Borrowed Dream. Though the story stretches over a longer period than one season (it begins in January 1881 and ends in July of that year), perhaps more than any book I’ve written, it embodies all that I love about spring.

Those of you who’ve read my interviews over the years know that when someone asks about favorite seasons, I answer without hesitation: spring. For me, spring is a season of rebirth, reawakening, and – most of all – hope. And, oh, do Austin and Catherine need hope! Though she’s found unexpected satisfaction in her position as Cimarron Creek’s schoolteacher, Catherine’s personal life is dismal. Her mother’s death at the hands of the town’s incompetent doctor has left her with a deep-seated distrust of all physicians, and the fact that the man she’d once expected to marry was so easily infatuated by another woman has caused her to believe that she’s not destined for marriage.

Austin has only one hope – that he can keep his daughter safe from a truly despicable man. That’s why he fled Philadelphia, put aside his rewarding career as a surgeon, and established himself as Cimarron Creek’s newest rancher. While his brain tells him that his daughter needs a mother, his heart won’t let him make the same mistake he did the first time. No, sirree, marriage is not for him.

But as spring comes to the Texas Hill Country and the bluebonnets carpet the countryside, both Austin and Catherine experience a reawakening. And when a woman with a mysterious past comes to town, their lives are changed in ways neither one of them could have imagined.

I really enjoyed writing this book, although I’ll admit that some of the scenes wrenched my heart and brought tears to my eyes. But even as I was putting those difficult scenes on paper, I kept reminding myself that hope would triumph, that hearts would reawaken, and that Austin and Catherine would find their happily-ever-after. That’s the promise of spring.

Now I’d like to hear from you. What’s your favorite season and why? When you’re choosing a book, does the season when it takes place affect your choices? Why or why not? Lastly, have I intrigued you with Catherine and Austin’s story? I hope so!

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

A Borrowed Dream

by Amanda Cabot

There is no such thing as an impossible dream . . .

Catherine Whitfield is sure that she will never again be able to trust anyone in the medical profession after the local doctor’s treatments killed her mother. Despite her loneliness and her broken heart, she carries bravely on as Cimarron Creek’s dutiful schoolteacher, resigned to a life where dreams rarely come true.

Austin Goddard is a newcomer to Cimarron Creek. Posing as a rancher, he fled to Texas to protect his daughter from a dangerous criminal. He’s managed to keep his past as a surgeon a secret. But when Catherine Whitfield captures his heart, he wonders how long he will be able to keep up the charade.

With a deft hand, Amanda Cabot teases out the strands of love, deception, and redemption in this charming tale of dreams deferred and hopes becoming reality.

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About the Author:

Amanda Cabot is the bestselling author of more than thirty novels including the Texas Dreams trilogy, the Westward Winds series, the Texas Crossroads trilogy, A Stolen Heart, and Christmas Roses. A former director of Information Technology, she has written everything from technical books and articles for IT professionals to mysteries for teenagers and romances for all ages. Amanda is delighted to now be a fulltime writer of Christian romances, living happily ever after with her husband in Wyoming.

 

Social Media Links

http://www.amandacabot.com/

https://www.facebook.com/amanda.j.cabot

https://twitter.com/AmandaJoyCabot/

http://amandajoycabot.blogspot.com/

 

Buying Links

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Christian Book Distributors

 

Wednesday Writers–Trés Chic by Sherri Stewart

Tags

Catherine Castle's Wednesday Writers blog series, clean romance, scruffy heroes, Sherri Stewart, Sweet romance, Très Chic, wholesome romance

 

Today’s Wednesday Writer’s guest author is Sherri Stewart. Sherri will be dishing the scoop on her own romance and how it relates to the romance in her book Trés Chic. Welcome, Sherri!

 

 

A Different Kind of Handsome

By Sherri Stewart

As I reflected on one of the lessons my main character, Nicole, deals with in my book Très Chic, I realized that some of my other books feature the same lesson. Simply put, Nicole, a flight attendant, judges a man based on outward appearance. How superficial, I thought. Don’t most people overcome that in their teenage years?

In Très Chic, Nicole is set up on a date with a scruffy-looking guy with bloodshot eyes. They enjoy a wonderful evening, but Nicole has planned her future around a debonair passenger who flies first class every Monday on her New York-to-Paris flight. Patrick—she knows his name because she checked the manifest—hasn’t given her a second glance, but she doesn’t give up and even enlists Scruffy-Guy’s help.

In two other books, the female characters make assumptions about the male leads based on their outward appearances. Of course, looks are deceiving, and the men’s inner strength, compassion, and convictions win the women over. Nothing original here. Turn on any Hallmark movie, lower the volume, and just by looking at the male characters, you can predict that the guy with stubble growing on his face will be the hero of the story, while the man in the Brook Brothers suit will make an involuntary exit.

So why did I choose that lesson? I didn’t; it chose me because I’ve had to deal with judging others on outward appearances. I’m a starer. You won’t find that word in the dictionary, but it describes a person who, like me, watches people. For some reason, starers believe that others won’t notice that they’re staring at them. But sometimes, they do. Then we starers glance away and look for the nearest exit. I’ve read that writers are great observers of life around them. I like that—it puts a better spin on the act of staring.

I married a scruffy-looking guy. We met in a diner. I taught French in a high school full time during the day but couldn’t make ends meet without working a night job. The first time I saw him I wasn’t impressed. He sat on a stool at the counter and showed me how to make a proper cup of tea. Not the kind where you float a teabag in a cup of hot water, but the kind where you steep the tea in a pot. He worked for a hockey team. I wasn’t impressed. I’d never liked hockey. But then he asked me out, but not only that, he told me I could pick any restaurant. I was in Hog Heaven. Imagine choosing a restaurant in Atlanta, Georgia, when your diet consists of different flavors of Ramen Noodles. Bill Gates and Apple hadn’t been born yet, so I conferred with friends, students, faculty members, and finally chose Anthony’s—an Antebellum restaurant—très chic! Two years later, we had our wedding reception there.

It takes time to fall for a scruffy-looking guy. His clothes needed pressing and his car smelled like a locker room. It came by the smell honestly—the backseat was full of hockey skates. But I noticed things about him—the way he searched for a watering can for a Russian defenseman who was having trouble growing a houseplant. Or the way he always brought me back a candy bar or a keychain from whatever city they were playing in.

I learned to love hockey—I’ve been to over a thousand games—and we’ve been married for forty years. He still doesn’t care about a crease in his pants, and he leaves crumbs on the table, but my husband is a kind, thoughtful, sensitive, trustworthy, gentle, loving man.

Appearance can get in the way of sound judgment. In I Samuel 16:7, God warned Samuel about Saul. “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” I’m so glad I wasn’t deceived by the polished, debonair Patricks of my youth, but gave the scruffy guy a second glance.

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Trés Chic

By Sherri Stewart

Nicole has her eye on Patrick Duryea, the passenger in 3B on her weekly New York to Paris flights. He doesn’t know it yet, but she’s going to marry him someday. That is, if he can satisfy the requirements on her list of ten attributes of a perfect husband.

The other man in her life, her friend Sal whom she met on a blind date, sets out to prove that lists don’t work when it comes to love, and he’s willing to help her win over the elusive passenger in order to prove his point.

When push comes to shove onto a New York street, will the list prevail or fail?
Contains mild Christian references.

Want to see how the scruffy guy romance turns out in Très Chic? Check out the book on Amazon.

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About the Author:

Sherri Stewart loves a great suspense novel, sprinkled with romance and a strong underlying message that challenges her faith. Her work as a freelance editor gives her the opportunity to read a lot of great books. Sherri lives in the Orlando area with her family. She’s a member of Word Weavers, ACFW, Christian Pen, and the California Bar. When not working, Sherri likes to visit potential settings for future books. Her next trip—Israel. Well-founded Fear of Death, Inn Danger, and Noah’s Rescue won Word Weaver’s Tapestry awards. Sherri would love to chat with readers about what interests them. Contact her at http://www.stewartwriting.com/.

Other Books by Sherri Stewart may be found on her Amazon Author Page

 

Wednesday Writers–Bidding on the Bouquet by Catherine Castle

Tags

Bidding on the Bouquet, Book excerpt from Bidding on the Bouquet, Catherine Castle, Catherine Castle's Wednesday Writers blog series, contemporary inspirational romance, Tiny Houses on Wheels

How Small Can You Go?

A few months ago my husband read me a short sound bite about a fellow on the west coast who couldn’t afford an apartment, so he rented a friend’s closet for $600 a month, hung a hammock in it, and called it home.

That interesting tidbit stuck with me. So when the heroine in my contemporary inspirational romance, Bidding on the Bouquet, was bemoaning the fact that she wouldn’t be able to afford an apartment in New York, which was the city she wanted to live in after she finished grad school, the news clip about the “closet apartment” surfaced in the dialogue.

Now I’m pretty certain I couldn’t live in a closet. Neither could I live in a Tiny House on Wheels, aka a THOW, but both of these small spaces are mentioned in my book as alternative housing choices for the heroine.

In spite of the fact I know I could never survive in a THOW for any length of time, I am fascinated by them. Living in a lack of clutter—of which I have an abundance—and a mortgage that resembles that of a 1950’s home loan has a certain appeal. I’m also addicted to HGTV’s Tiny House series, so much so that my hubby groans when I ask him to switch to that channel.

Here are some of the things that I, and my heroine Marietta, love about Tiny Houses.

• You can move them. I love to visit different places, but hate packing, unpacking, and checking hotel rooms for bed bugs—I’m a bit phobic about them. With a THOW all your possession go with you, minus buggy hitchhikers.
• The low cost of a THOW. Having a paid off mortgage leaves lots of money for things you want to do. It’s also great for Marietta because she’s cash strapped, especially after she hocks everything she owns so she can bid on a bridesmaid spot in the wedding of an I-barely-know-her-acquaintance.
• Less clutter means less time you spend cleaning. That’s great for me since I have a bad back and bad knees. Marietta loves the idea because it leaves more time for her volunteer work.
• A THOW is full of double duty pieces and interesting storage solutions. Perfect for someone like Marietta who is used to living in a tiny 2 room apartment and doesn’t have a lot of possessions. They’re also great ideas for regular homes like mine. Check these ideas out. You can use them whether your home is tiny, smallish, or bigger.
• And last, but not least, a THOW is so darn cute! Take a look at some of these THOW dwellings. Who doesn’t love cute? I know both Marietta and I do.

What about you? Do you like Tiny Houses on Wheels? Could you live in one?

And now, here’s a sound bite from Bidding on the Bouquet. I hope you enjoy it!

 

Bidding on the Bouquet

By Catherine Castle

The chance to catch a bridal bouquet containing a solid gold rose makes underprivileged, down-on-her-luck grad student Marietta Wilson pawn everything she owns to come up with a bid to win a bridesmaid spot in the most prestigious wedding of the season.

When he discovers his sister is auctioning off bridesmaid spots in her wedding party, wealthy, elitist Chip Vandermere is appalled. Not only is it in poor taste, but no self-respecting lady would stoop so low as to bid. Convinced Marietta is a gold digger, Chip sets out to thwart her plans.

A social climber and a social misfit. Can a bridal bouquet unite them?

Excerpt:

Marietta Wilson dropped the mail and her one hundred and fifty dollar business marketing book on her desk, then sank onto the desk chair with a sigh. Two more months to graduation and she hadn’t scored an interview with her dream company, Branson and Filo Marketing Agency. Life in New York would be expensive. If she didn’t have a good paying job she’d never achieve her life-long goal of breaking her family’s chain of poverty. With all the drama happening at home no way would she go back there. She’d rather sleep in the soup kitchen where she volunteered.

Scooping up an envelope, she studied the glittery pink heart adorning the tip of the closure. Who would send her something encased in such fancy wrappings? Junk mail was the usual fare. Intrigued, she flipped over the envelope.

Her name and address, written in elaborate calligraphy, nearly filled the front side. Definitely not from a marketing company. A Love stamp hugged the right corner, with pinkish-gold flowers drawn all around the stamp’s edge. Flowers of the same hue also surrounded the return label. A wedding invitation? She didn’t even know any engaged couples.

Slipping the letter opener from the orange juice can she stored it in, Marietta slit the top of the envelope. A rose-gold interior glistened from the flap. Without a doubt, not junk mail. She withdrew a piece of flat cardstock. As she did, glossy flowers showered onto her lap. She turned the card in her hand. Rose-gold flowers bordered it as well. Shiny, embossed flowers.

“What the heck?” she muttered as she began reading the card.

 

You are invited to participate in the season’s most prestigious event.

Date: June 17

Time: 1:00 p.m.

Place: The Vandermere Estate

Event: The auction of bridesmaids’ positions for Chrissy Vandermere’s wedding

Light refreshments will be served

℘

Chrissy is auctioning off a chance to be an attendant in her wedding.

Winners will be escorted down the aisle by New York’s finest bachelors,

and they will procure a bridesmaid-only spot at the tossing of the bride’s bouquet event.

Chrissy guarantees one of the bridesmaids will catch the bouquet,

containing a solid 14-carat rose-gold flower.

℘

Opening bids begin at $100 and are non-refundable. Cash only.

You may make an opening bid higher than $100 if you choose.

Please RSVP by April 30

… Stunned, Marietta reread the invitation. Chrissy Vandermere? The only Vandermere she knew was her wealthy classmate Chip Vandermere, and they weren’t on real talking terms. Nor did they run in the same circles. They only had a few of the same classes and a couple of case studies together in which he had commandeered the group. The guy thought himself a born, or rather a privileged, leader. His attitude had driven her nuts, and, although he was one hot guy who knew he had undeniable sex appeal, she’d stayed away from him as much as she could. She was at the MBA program to learn and conquer, not be someone’s conquest.

 

Want to read more? Check out Bidding on the Bouquet on Amazon.

About the Author:

Multi-award-winning author Catherine Castle loves writing, reading, traveling, singing, theatre, and quilting. 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 books The Nun and the Narc, A Groom for Mama, Bidding on the Bouquet and Trying Out for Love boxed set on Amazon.

 

Connect with Catherine at:

Catherine’s website: https://catherinecastle1.wordpress.com/

Catherine’s blog: https://catherinecastle1.wordpress.com/blog/

Catherine’s Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/author/catherinecastle

Catherine’s Goodreads page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7085414.Catherine_Castle

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorCCastle   @AuthorCCastle

Facebook: https://facebook.com/catherinecastleauthor

Google+ : https://plus.google.com/109253925035989625956/posts

 

 

 

Wednesday Writers–Kelly Irvin and Beneath the Summer Sun

Tags

Amish games, Amish romance, Beneath the Summer Sun, Catherine Castle's Wednesday Writers blog series, excerpt from Beneath the Summer Sun, Kelly Irvin

Today Wednesday Writers welcomes Kelly Irvin back to the blog. I always love it when Kelly visits because she gives us a peek into the Amish life. Today is no different as she introduces us to an Amish game the characters in her book Beneath the Summer Sun play. Welcome back, Kelly.

 

Fun and games the Amish way

By Kelly Irvin

One of the things I love about the Amish is their emphasis on family life. They spend time together, enjoying each other’s company. With no TV, no computers, and no cell phones, how different long summer evenings must be. For Beneath the Summer Sun, I wrote scenes in which I imagined how a widow and her seven young children would spend their evenings. A scene resulted in which they play a board game called “Life on the Farm,” with Mennonite book salesman Nathan Walker. I researched on-line how to play the game.

According to the “Life on the Farm” website, this is how you play the game: “You start with $10,000 and no cattle. During the game, when you land on a ‘Cattle Auction’ square, you may buy as many cows as you wish at $500 each. If you don’t have enough money to pay a bill, you must sell your cattle back to the bank at $300 each until that bill is paid. Each time you pass the barn you collect a ‘Milk-check’ that is determined by how many cows you own—of course, more cattle means your milk-check is bigger—but so are your expenses! Market values vary for each player and are determined by a roll of the dice! Experience how machinery repairs, feed costs, insurance, taxes, and real family farm mishaps (like a cow accidentally being shot by a hunter) make their effects felt on each player, as they do on real American family farms! Be the first player to build your herd from zero to 60 cows, plus get back the money you started farming with and you can ‘Retire’ to win the game!”

It’s obvious why the Amish would like a game that involves farming! Jennie’s children love it and they love playing with Nathan. It’s been four years since their father died in a farming accident, so they look forward to attention from a kind, gentle man like Nathan.

It’s all part of the fun of Amish family life, which includes playing checkers, chess, and other board games, as well as the card game Dutch Blitz, “A Vonderful Goot Game,” according to the package. I enjoyed writing about it and I hope readers enjoy the story.

To learn more about “Life on the Farm,” board game, go to the makers’ website at http://www.werfungames.com/how-to-play.htm.

Beneath the Summer Sun

By Kelly Irvin

Jennie Troyer knows it’s time to remarry. Can she overcome a painful secret and open her heart to love?

It’s been four years since Jennie’s husband died in a farming accident. Long enough that the elders in her Amish community think it’s time to marry again for the sake of her seven children. What they don’t know is that grief isn’t holding her back from a new relationship. Fear is. A terrible secret in her past keeps her from moving forward.

Mennonite book salesman Nathan Walker stops by Jennie’s farm whenever he’s in the area. Despite years of conversation and dinners together, she never seems to relax around him. He knows he should move on, but something about her keeps drawing him back.

Meanwhile, Leo Graber nurtures a decades-long love for Jennie, but guilt plagues him—guilt for letting Jennie marry someone else and guilt for his father’s death on a hunting trip many years ago. How could anyone love him again—and how could he ever take a chance to love in return?

In this second book in the Every Amish Season series, three hearts try to discern God’s plan for the future—and find peace beneath the summer sun.

Excerpt from Beneath the Summer Sun:

 

Jennie stopped breathing. Her lungs protested. She didn’t want to move, not even to let them expand and contract. Silly snake facts spouted by her son Micah when he wanted to make her shiver presented themselves. Snakes can’t sweat so they avoid the afternoon sun. They take naps during the day and come out when it’s cooler and dark. This one would likely stretch at least four feet long, not including its rattle. Its skin glowed brown and golden with a darker stripe down the back.

Jennie’s mouth went dry. Her stomach chose that moment to heave. The hot dog did not want to stay down. Purple spots dotted her vision.

“Cottonmouth?” Nathan whispered. He stood motionless at her side. “Poisonous?”

“Rattler.” She tried to speak without moving her mouth. “Rare here, but you see them. Obviously.”

“Don’t move.” His voice barely audible, he took one step, stopped. “I’ll grab Francis and we can hightail it out of here.”

“Nee. You’ll startle him and he’ll holler.” Her fear of snakes might be big, but her fear of one of her children being hurt was greater. She searched the ground. Not a single rock big enough to dispatch the viper. “Don’t. Move.”

Leo could help. If anyone could help it would be Leo. He’d know what to do.

He was a man who never flinched. He’d been through the worst. Since that terrible day, he’d taken everything in silent stride.

She turned slowly, carefully, tiptoeing at first, ridiculous as it must look, and then ran.

Her sneakers sank into the rich, dark soil, impeding her progress. The scent of sweat and grass and dirt assailed her nose. She needed to run, faster, faster. Gott, help me. I know we’re not on the best of terms, but please, Gott, help me.

Leo had the reins in his hands when she reached the fence. She slammed to a halt. “Help. Snake. Rattler. Francis.”

He dropped the reins and reached behind the buggy seat. A long, lean, deadly looking brown rifle emerged.

Rifle in hand, he hurtled over the fence like a boy half his age. His straw hat plummeted to the ground. His legs were much longer than Jennie’s, but fear and adrenaline that tasted like metal on her tongue propelled her in his wake.

Leo slowed, slowed some more, halted, then stepped forward with a balance and ease that spoke of a much smaller man. He raised the rifle, took aim, and sent the snake on its way in an explosion of sound that made Jennie jump even though she knew it was coming. The acrid smell of gunpowder filled the air and burned her nose.

With a blood-curdling scream Francis rolled over, hopped to his feet, and ran straight into Jennie’s open arms. She scooped him up and hugged him hard, despite the urge to take him to the woodshed for a “talk.”

“Danki.” She spoke the single trembling word to Leo but let her gaze encompass Nathan. He was willing to do more. He simply hadn’t known what to do. “Francis thanks you too.”

A spark of something indefinable in his amber eyes, Leo nodded and set off across the field, his rifle slung over his shoulder, his gait loose and easy. Taking it in silent stride, just the way she knew he would.

 

Want to read more? Beneath the Summer Sun is available at:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0310348080?tag=ammbt-20

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/beneath-the-summer-sun-kelly-irvin/1125895547?ean=9780310348085#/

https://www.christianbook.com/beneath-the-summer-sun/kelly-irvin/9780310348085/pd/348080?product_redirect=1&Ntt=348080&item_code=&Ntk=keywords&event=ESRCP

http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Beneath-Summer-Sun/Kelly-Irvin/9780310348085?id=7069748221220

 

About the Author:

Two-time ACFW Carol Award finalist Kelly Irvin is the author of the critically acclaimed Amish of Bee County, Bliss Creek Amish, and New Hope Amish series. Her newest release is Beneath the Summer Sun, the second novel in the four-book series Every Amish Season from Zondervan Publishing. Her work has also appeared in four Amish anthologies, An Amish Market, An Amish Summer, An Amish Christmas Love, and An Amish Christmas. Kelly is a retired newspaper reporter and public relations professional who lives with her husband in Texas. They have two children, two grandchildren, and two ornery cats.

Connect with Kelly on social media at:

https://www.facebook.com/Kelly.Irvin.Author/

@Kelly_S_Irvin

https://www.pinterest.com/irvin0739/