Wednesday Writers–Apocalypse TV by Thomas Allbaugh

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American reality TV, Apocalypse TV, Catherine Castle's Wednesday Writers blog series, ecpcert from Apocalypse TV, literary mystery, satire, Thomas Allbaught

 

Welcome to Wednesday Writers! Today we’ll be taking another departure from romance as my guest blogger Thomas Allbaugh talks about how he came to write his debut book, Apocalypse TV, which Thomas describes as a literary mystery that moves toward satire.

 

 

Finding the Right Combination for a Fiction About a Reality TV Show

by Thomas Allbaugh

The premise for Apocalypse TV came from two different images: first, a scene I imagined of a character named Walter, an English professor, reflecting one night that he has never shot a gun; second, a religious reality show on BBC from ten years ago about people walking around England and trying to compel others to go to church.

That was it. Those two strands led me to tell the story of an English professor from a private American college who tries to be taken seriously on an American reality show.

As Sam Knight has observed, writing in the New Yorker last fall, we can learn a great deal about a culture by its reality shows. That the BBC would air a reality show about getting people into church says something significant. In contrast, American reality TV seems focused on talent, schemers, bachelorettes, winners, and survivors. Our dreams move us toward individual success and failure, not spiritual questions or ambitions.

I was interested in how “games” can take on realities of their own. Thinking about that old BBC production first got me onto the idea of writing about a religious reality show on which things go wrong. I should add that I don’t really watch reality shows myself.

But in the crossroads of these two notions, Walter’s story began to emerge—a man takes himself seriously in an increasingly trivial reality show production. Through about six revisions, the story ironies grew and deepened. Walter Terry begins naively thinking that in traveling across the country on this show, he will be taken seriously and be influential. Instead, the reality show engages in trivial matters. For starters, at the Plymouth Colony re-enactment site, the site of the Pilgrims’ first colony, Walter hopes to talk about grace and sin in the founding of this historical setting. Instead, the show producers have him involved in a trivial game that leads to real contention between him and his fellow show travelers. From that point on, the ironies deepen as bad things happen.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Apocalypse TV

By Thomas Allbaugh

 

When a reality TV scout “discovers” Walter in a diner near the hospice where his father has been placed, his life has reached a low point. His father is dying, his college teaching career is under threat, and his life is adrift. The scout wants him for a reality show about religion. In a more self-assured period of his life, Walter would have rejected her offer, but now he wavers and allows himself to be drawn in. Maybe this is the jolt of energy his life needs. Maybe, if the show succeeds, his university will be so impressed that they’ll finally treat him with respect. Maybe the show will even be what the producers promise it will be, a serious inquiry into faith. Maybe he’ll become famous.

The show brings Walter attention, but for all the wrong reasons. He is misquoted, misinterpreted, misunderstood, and then shot after he has been dragged across the country in an increasingly frustrating and absurd series of challenges. Will his career and reputation survive the publish protests? Will his marriage survive the hints of affairs on the road? Will any kind of “reality” emerge to restore his self-respect?

 

Excerpt:

Minutes before his sister texted that she had moved their father to a hospice, Walter Terry listened behind half-empty rows of chairs in the Haskins Room as the new writer-in-residence read from her work. It was an early draft, she had announced, and it concerned a bride-to-be hunting elk in Wyoming, a part of the country Walter had never seen. And it came to him with sudden finality: he could never write a great American novel; he had never shot a gun.

Nothing was more American. Faulkner, Hemingway certainly, both knew guns. And Walter had never felt one kick back and ruin his shoulder. He had never had the gunpowder residue spotting his hands, his face, and his clothes.

Those details? They came from TV.

The writer had to feel it, not just hear about it.

His colleague’s writing signaled that she knew guns, and Walter had never shot a beer can. He couldn’t tell a Smith and Wesson from a Remington. He wouldn’t know if they were names for handguns or rifles. Sure, he could Google them. But how many others wouldn’t have to?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Want to read more? You can find Apocalypse TV here.

About the Author:

Thomas Allbaugh is an associate professor of English at Azusa Pacific University, where he has taught Composition and Creative Writing since 2001. Currently, he lives in Southern California with his wife and their four children.  Apocalypse TV is his first novel.

Connect with Thomas at: His website:  Facebook Page: Twitter: @tallbaugh1

 

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Wednesday Writers –Launch by Jason C. Joyner

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Catherine Castle's Wednesday Writers blog series, excerpt from Launch, Jason C. Joyner, Launch, superheroes, YA fiction

Today Wednesday Writers welcomes Jason C. Joyner to the blog as we introduce a new YA author and his book. Jason will be sharing the story behind his debut book Launch, a YA superhero story, and an excerpt today. Welcome to Wednesday Writers, Jason!

Thanks, Catherine.

Did you know that a lot of tourists visit the campus of Facebook and Google in Silicon Valley? I’m not aware of many companies that have interest like that.

I wrote a Young Adult superhero story with Biblically inspired powers and sent them to a social media conference. Because – why not let kids with Samson’s strength and the speed of Elijah (remember, he outran a chariot once) go to a conference with a ton of smart phones and a tech billionaire with an agenda?
The campuses of Facebook and Google did not disappoint in my research. Facebook has a huge billboard with the thumbs-up sign at 1 Facebook Way where many people (including my party) took pictures. There were tai chi classes being held outside. Bikes were conspicuously placed to allow workers to ride around. Electric cars and recycling bins dotted the landscape. I never found a rumored nap pod at Google. I was kinda disappointed with that.

Overall, there are neat things going on at these campuses. The creativity and engineering is pretty astounding. I hope that these technologies will be utilized for good – but in the meantime, I will gladly use them as the setting for my adventure story and let teens run amok there. Gotta get likes on my post somehow, right?

Hopefully my characters will learn and grow from this social media conference. They have gifts and they need to learn how to use them, but will it be for good or evil? That’s the fun part of writing.

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Launch

by Jason C. Joyner

Sixteen-year-olds Demarcus Bartlett and Lily Beausoliel are among a select group of youth invited to an exclusive, all-expenses-paid conference at social media giant Alturas’ California headquarters. Led by charismatic founder Simon Mazor, the world’s youngest billionaire, this isn’t the typical honors society. It seems that everyone here has some secret, untapped potential, some power that may not be entirely of this world. An ancient prophecy suggests that if these teens combine their abilities, they could change the course of history.

The only question is: Will it be for better or for worse?

Excerpt:

This might not be a great idea, but Demarcus Bartlett had to see if he could outrace a sports car.

He crouched behind a bush next to the on-ramp for the highway. His blue hoodie concealed his shoulder-length dreads, so it should be hard for any cars passing by on Santa Clara Street to see him. No Toyotas or Hondas would do. His prize would have some horses under the hood. He’d have to be patient. Not many cars out at 5 am would fit his needs.

He checked his shoelaces again, his fingers fumbling over the knots. Didn’t want to trip at highway speeds. That could get ugly. He glanced at his phone again. He had a job to go to, but the drive to see what he was capable of overwhelmed him.

Even with the risk of being discovered.

The light for the on-ramp turned red. In the soft rosy glow, a growling beast stopped at the white line. Its shiny black paint reflected the traffic light off of the hood. A rev of the Camaro’s engine. The owner was ready to try out his toy as well. The blinker flicked on, signaling a turn onto Highway 101.

This guy was the one.

Demarcus wiped his palms on his hoodie again and shook them out like a runner at the starter’s gate. His heart leapt at the thought of going through with this.

Mr. Camaro would blow right by his hiding place. A smile stretched across Demarcus’s face. Here’s hoping this guy knows how to use the accelerator.

Green light cut through the darkness, and the black car jumped forward, turning onto the ramp and surging by him. Demarcus gave him a few seconds’ head start to make it fair as he noted the time to track his speed.

Three. Two. One

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Want to read more? You can find Launch at Amazon

About the Author:

Jason C. Joyner is a physician assistant, a writer, a Jesus-lover, and a Star Wars geek. He’s traveled from the jungles of Thailand to the cities of Australia and the Bavarian Alps of Germany. He lives in Idaho with his lovely wife, three boys, and daughter managing the chaos of sports and superheroes in his own home. Launch, a YA superhero story, is his first published novel.

Social media links:
You can join my Facebook group, The Heroes’ Hangout

Or connect with Jason on: Twitter or Instagram

 

Wednesday Writers Welcomes Theresa Lynn Hall

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book excerpt Ransom in Rio, Catherine Castle's Wednesday Writers blog series, contemporary sweet romance, Inspirational romance, Ransom in Rio, Theresa Lynn Hall

Today Wednesday Writers welcomes Theresa Lynn Hall to the blog. Theresa will be talking about her book Ransom in Rio and how it came about. She also has a cliffhanger excerpt, so be sure to read to the end. Welcome, Theresa!

 

Thanks, Catherine.

Ransom in Rio was so much fun to write that I hated to write “The End”. What started as a small idea rolling around in my head suddenly became Lexi’s story. My publisher, Pelican Book Group, put a request for submissions page on the website asking for novellas with international settings that include 3 items and a passport. The three items for Rio, Brazil were an emerald necklace, a formal event, and a family secret. As luck would have it, my husband had just returned on a business trip from Rio. He’d spent two weeks there completely immersed in the culture. He brought back a lot of pictures and many stories to tell. He also brought back coffee and chocolate—my favorites! I wish I had been able to accompany my husband on his trip, but one thing he did tell me was how scary the driving is! Apparently, I would fit very well in Brazil with my driving skills! He was also there on Easter Sunday and decided to rent a car to drive to visit Christ the Redeemer.

I had no idea how massive the statue really is. It’s an iconic symbol of Brazil that many tourists visit on Easter. I was so jealous but I loved that he was able to experience something so amazing. His pictures made me feel like I was able to be there with him.

With my husband’s help, a little internet research, and some brainstorming the story came to life. To my surprise, it won First Place in the 2017 International Digital Awards (IDA) Contest for the Oklahoma chapter of RWA! I hope you enjoy reading Ransom in Rio as much I enjoyed writing it.

 

 ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Ransom in Rio

By Theresa Lynn Hall

Private Investigator, Braden McCoy wants nothing more than to finish out the week doing a little fishing from his boat. The ex-special ops vet enjoys his peaceful life and loves his new career. He’s learned to put his past behind him and enjoy his blessings. Until a mourning redhead walks into his office and changes his plans.

Lexi Ramos always knew her family was dysfunctional. Until the sudden death of her brother, she never knew exactly how much. Consumed with questions surrounding his accident, she seeks the help of a private investigator. What starts out as a murder investigation in Cozumel, quickly crosses borders and escalates into a race against time to save them both from Brazilian kidnappers, who somehow know more about her family secrets than she does. Lexi soon realizes that life comes with a price.

 

Excerpt

Her worst nightmare had come to life.

Now, the fear of what she would do if it ever happened was over, but the loss of her brother came with a burden she hadn’t foreseen. It left her to deal with her family alone. To carry the legacy. To protect the empire. To convince everyone to believe the lies.

“He was always so careful,” she muttered to herself as she drove.

Snow had started falling as the last “Amen” was said at the cemetery. The heavy white powder made the pale yellow lines on the road fade in and out of sight. Lexi tugged her sweater tighter around her body with one hand and gripped the steering wheel with the other. The funeral had drained her of what little emotional strength she had left. It was crazy, but several times throughout the day she’d found herself picking up her phone to see if Jace had messaged her. He used to text or call every day. Silly stuff sometimes, like never walk the dog with no shoes on. Once he’d texted that he had the hiccups.

“I just can’t believe he’s gone.” Lexi glanced at her friend. She didn’t expect Kristy to say anything. Nothing she could say would make the pain go away.

Jace had been the perfect big brother, Lexi’s best friend. From an early age, they learned that sticking together in a dysfunctional family was their only hope. One thing Lexi knew for certain was that Jace wouldn’t leave her here alone. He would not have put himself in danger for a stupid fishing trip. His chance to break free of their crazy family was finally around the corner. He’d just bought his girlfriend an engagement ring. They had plans to move to New York as soon as the wedding was over. Now he was gone. None of it made any sense. Why was she the only person who could see that something was wrong with ruling the cause of death as accidental?

Lexi brushed at her red hair with a careless hand and caught a glimpse of her swollen, blue eyes in the rearview mirror. She hardly resembled her brother at all—a fact that had always bothered her, but she’d never questioned it the way Jace had. He had always asked where he’d gotten his blonde hair.

“Lexi, why don’t you stay with me tonight?”

The sound of Kristy’s voice startled her. “I’m sorry. I’m really out of it.” She smiled and wiped a stray tear from her cheek. “Thank you for everything. You’ve done more than enough for me over the past few days.”

“You know I’m always here.”

“I know.” She swallowed hard. “Kristy…”

“What’s wrong?”

“I can’t stop thinking…I just don’t think this was an accident. It couldn’t be. Jace didn’t even like to fish. He wouldn’t charter a boat to go fishing in Cozumel. He liked nice restaurants, museums, theaters. Not fishing. And then there’s the fact that he didn’t take Selena with him. He always had Selena with him. Why doesn’t anyone else seem to think this is odd?”

“I don’t know. Now that you bring it up, Jace wasn’t much of a risk-taker.”

“Exactly. The strangest thing is that Selena said he told her he would be back in an hour. He only left for one hour. Who charters a fishing boat for only an hour?”

“Did Selena tell you why he didn’t take her?”

“She didn’t say, and I didn’t want to ask her a lot of questions. Not yet.”

Kristy nodded. “I saw her today. She’s really not handling this well.”

“No one is.” She pulled into Kristy’s driveway. It was a relief to be off the snowy roads.

No matter how she looked at this, her brother’s death could not have been an accident. Somehow, she would prove that he didn’t drown on a fishing trip. She would prove Jace was murdered.

***

Going back to work hadn’t been easy. Jace’s empty office was a constant reminder of her loss. Somehow, she’d made it through the first day and knew her brother would be proud of her. Now that she was home, a hot bubble bath and early bedtime sounded like a great ending to a long day.

She stopped at the mailboxes. It had been days since she’d checked her mail. Unlocking the box, she frowned when a manila envelope fell to the concrete. She groaned as she bent to pick it up. All the stress and lack of working out was beginning to take its toll. As her eyes scanned the writing on the front of the envelope, a chill raced down her spine, and her free hand flew to her mouth to stifle the guttural sound working its way out. She stared at her name scribbled in blue ink.

In Jace’s handwriting.

Her keys fell from her hands and jingled against the sidewalk. She fought to steady herself as she studied the postmark. It was dated this Thursday. A day after his funeral.

Lexi scrambled to pick up her keys and unlock the door. She stumbled inside and fell into the nearest chair. Her vision blurry with tears, she studied the handwriting. Touching her name, she traced the L.

“Oh, Jace…” she whispered.

She pulled open the envelope, reached in, and pulled out a flash drive. Was that it? No note? No explanation?

A flash drive? She ran to the bedroom, slid into the black leather office chair at her desk, and flipped open her laptop. She stared at the small piece of plastic as she waited for the computer to boot up. Her hand shook as she plugged it in.

Ten minutes later, she stood staring into the bathroom mirror gripped by nausea. She covered her face with a cold, wet towel. Her worst fears were coming true. And she needed help.

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Want to read more? Check Ransom in Rio out at

www.barnesandnoble.com

www.kobo.com

http://www.pelicanbookgroup.com/

www.amazon.com.

 About the Author:

As a native Texan, Theresa loves to write suspenseful stories that happen in small Texas towns with old fashioned Southern values. She’s an elementary teacher and mom to two boys—the oldest being in law enforcement, which comes in handy when she’s researching. When she’s not teaching kids or writing, she loves to cook, read a good suspense, and binge-watch episodes of Dateline. She is a member of RWA (Romance Writers of America) and ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers). She actively promotes fellow Christian Fiction authors on her blog. She also loves to hear from readers who enjoy Christian Fiction and can be found at http://www.theresalynnhall.com,  Facebook, and @theresalynnhall.

 

 

 

www.barnesandnoble.com

www.kobo.com

www.pelicanbookgroup.com

 

 

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

 

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?

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

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.”

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

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

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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!

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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