Musings from a Writer’s Brain–The Valley of Life—From Promise to Fulfillment by Linda Wood Rondeau

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books, Christian Mystery, Christian romance, devotion, God’s intervention, God’s lessons for us, LInda Wood Rondeau, Musings from a Writer’s Brain, Suspence, Wolf Mountain Legacy

Variations of the same theme:

God doesn’t close a door, but that He opens a window

Failure is God’s opportunity.

When man’s hope is gone, God’s Grace is only beginning.

These sayings all teach us failure and disappointment are not the end, merely God’s redirection.  

Another release and more months of poor results despite dollars and time poured into marketing … wondering if God truly called me to write or is this just my imagination on steroids? Though I remember all these above sayings, I wonder sometimes if they aren’t another form of sour grapes.

Then I recall God’s many interventions, and I feel pricked at how soon I have forgotten them. The twists and turns, bruises and bleeding, I mistake for abandonment are merely speed bumps along the way … lessons God has yet to teach. Perhaps the pain is not from pricks but from pruning … not for success as the world or even Christian publishing interprets but rather for deeper purposes not yet evident.

The works of my hands are not what matters most to God. His quest is not my profession as defined by man. More so, His quest is my heart and my unwavering love.

A valley often stretches between God’s desires for my life and the fulfillment of his promise—in that valley God reveals himself and chases after my whole heart. This valley is called Life, the terrain by which the Lord fulfills his true purpose for me. He permits me to write, but his call is for something greater … fellowship with him.

Abraham looked forward to God’s promise of a son, though the fulfillment seemed as if God had forgotten. As the valley from promise to fulfillment grew wider with each year, the far distant fulfillment stretched his faith. At the right time, after decades of pruning, Isaac was born. Yet, Abraham’s journey did not end. God still had much more to teach him, as well as Isaac and Jacob and all who followed Father Abraham.

Perhaps Abraham’s frustration of delayed answered prayer stemmed from only hearing part of God’s promise, his sights set on the tangible rather than the intangible elements of God’s call, “They will be my people and I will be their God.”

Therein is the valley from promise to fulfilment—the place where God teaches me how much he wants to be my God and how much he desires for me to be his child. “Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children” (Revelation 21:7).

WOLF MOUNTAIN LEGACY

by Linda Wood Rondeau

How do you prove you’re not crazy?

What about the 150-year-old ruins atop Wolf Mountain keeps drawing Marci Henderson to the site? Village legend says the beautiful wife of the older railroad tycoon, after setting fire to their mansion, ran away with his accountant. Was there no way to prove Felicity’s innocence? First, Marci must prove she had the right to walk among the sane.  

Dr. Blake Montgomery, a college professor, has come to Collins Bend to work on his book, Adirondack Railroad Development. To aid in his research, Blake hires Marci Henderson, his former student, one he never stopped loving, who is now a widow. When Marci is insistent people are following the two of them, Blake wonders if she is headed for another psychotic episode.

Old emotions surface as the two embark on a suspenseful journey leading them closer to solving the age-old mystery of Wolf Mountain, a journey fraught with suspicion and murder. Along the way, Blake’s faith is challenged, and Marci searches for spiritual truth about the God she had never known.

BUY LINK Also available in print

About the Author:

Linda Wood Rondeau has been fascinated with the beauty, history, and mysteries encompassed in the Adirondack region, the perfect backdrop for Wolf Mountain Legacy. Find out more about the author on her website, www.lindarondeau.com, and signup for her newsletter to stay informed. The author is available to speak to groups, in person or online.

Visit her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, MeWe, Bookbub and Pinterest.   

Signup for her newsletter from her website

Musings from a Writer’s Brain–A Breather Outside of the Box by Sara Nicole

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essay about writing outside the box, God’s humor, Musings from a Writer’s Brain, Romance Adventure Fiction, Sara Nicole, The Beauty and the Throne

Did you know God has a sense of humor? In fact, He literally has the best sense of humor – He knows what makes each one of us laugh! I’m always slightly surprised when I meet someone who has never thought of God as funny (and they’re usually equally surprised to find that I think He’s side-splitting hilarious). He created us in His image, and that image certainly includes a sense of humor! As proof, try reading Job 39:13-18 and listening for God’s amused tone of voice… God is admitting He intentionally created the ostrich as a silly bird! He must be the true originator of the term “bird-brain!” Brief funny story, I was reading that particular passage aloud to a friend while we were at a zoo, and the ostrich we were watching snatched up and ate a small stick while I was reading! God really didn’t give that bird wisdom!

            Another character trait of God’s that most everyone around the world acknowledges is His brilliant creativity. Sunrises and sunsets alone make us stand in awe, let alone the vast reaches of the universe and the tiniest details in a baby’s finger. Internet searches of strange animals (try the aye-aye or the shoebill or listen to the lyrebird mimicking construction sounds) give evidence to both God’s creativity and His sense of humor. He has filled creation with delights to our senses.

            As men and women created in His image, is it our pleasure and privilege to imitate Him in this. As writers, we often do it through stories (but are not limited to stories). As writers, however, what we love is often also how we make money – we hope! Sometimes that means we forget to have fun when we’re doing it. Readers’ reviews batter our minds and make us feel like we have to change something or write a certain way. Deadlines loom, causing stress that withers the pleasure of our projects. Publishers reject, making us doubt our ability and tempting us to try to write like everyone else.

            Why do we write? For some, the answer is simply for money. For some, the answer is because we enjoy it (or used to). For myself, I do enjoy it very much, and also I write because it helps me grow closer to God. If God was not in it, I would have quit long ago, most likely. But I meet with God when I’m writing. I ask questions and seek the answers through story. I listen to the stories He whispers to my mind. I, like a child, try to imitate my Abba/Father’s creativity in building new characters, new places, even new worlds with new rules. That keeps me writing, no matter the reviews or sales. That puts deep joy into my writing. I love it.

            Getting “burned out” is a real thing. I personally have burned out on a particular story before, but never have I burned out about writing as a whole. Why? One reason is because I have over 30 separate, diverse books in progress right now. I never get bored! A second reason is because God hangs out with me when I’m writing, and I can’t get burned out on Him. If you’re feeling burned out right now, try to put some fun back into your writing.

            George MacDonald, known as the father of the fantasy genre, wrote a small story within a story (see his book Phantastes) about a land where water did not reflect yet the sky did – in the style of a fish-eye lens. I was dumbfounded when I read it. I love fantasy, but I had never considered changing things so basic, physical laws that I take for granted. I went to my kitchen window and looked at the sky and lake below it and stared for probably ten minutes or more, just trying to picture it. If fantasy is not your genre, have you considered dabbling? If not to publish, just for your own amusement and to stoke your creative fires? I challenge you to try imagining a world and changing something that everyone takes for granted and normally would not think to alter. It’ll get those brain juices flowing.

            I’m a girl who enjoys logic puzzles. I don’t mean the physical puzzles where you have to unwind the metal rings or something, but I like the word logic puzzles. One of my books was spawned by a logic puzzle of sorts. I imagined a character, and I wanted her to have certain traits and live in a certain setting. That created a dilemma. You see, she was a young woman who was sassy and independent and often recalcitrant, yet she was also a slave, one who was never punished. She was strangely free to rebel to a certain extent even though her lord showed no mercy or tolerance toward his other slaves, male or female. She had no romantic intrigues and nothing worthwhile to offer her lord, no wealth nor valuable information. She was semi-resentful and semi-affectionate toward her lord. He was semi-frustrated and semi-amused in return. Who was she? How did she come to be a slave (she wasn’t born into it)? Why did she have such privileges yet loss of freedom? I wish I could direct you to this book to find the answers, but I haven’t published it yet. It’s a WIP. It took some thinking to come up with a scenario, I’ll tell you that! I’ll give you a clue – there’s a slight bit of magic. If you have ideas for the solution, post them in the comments!

            My point in all of this is that God really enjoyed creating the world. I guarantee it. I’ll bet He even giggled sometimes. If you’re in a rut with your writing and feeling drained, try something new! Explore a new genre, a new character, a new setting, or create a puzzle for yourself to solve. Even if you don’t publish it, do it for yourself. Let your brain take a breather outside of the box. I was bogged down with an intense story once, and I started another lighthearted one just to take a break. I didn’t start it with the intent of publishing it, but it has become my most popular so far (see below). Kindle your creativity and humor anew. Imitate our heavenly Father: Have fun!

The Beauty and the Throne

By Sara Nicole

The most important thing Jonathan and Elise have in common is ambitious fathers who wish to see the two married. An arranged wedding later, Jonathan and Elise do not know what to do with each other. Adding to the complications, Jonathan is a prince. Between ruling his land of Aurelia, fending off the pressures laid on him by his father, and trying to navigate the uncharted waters of marriage, Jonathan finds himself the target of assassins.

Can Jonathan and Elise learn to love before their last chance is gone?

Genre – Romance/Adventure Fiction

Heat level – Mild

Purchase links Amazon  – Paperback: EBook

If you’d like to learn more about The Beauty and the Throne, Sara has a book webpage that includes additional details about the book and a song she picked as its theme song.

About the Author:

A born Kansan with southern roots, Sara did not grow up loving to write. She did, however, love stories. Hearing them, telling them, reading them… Only when she could not find a story that explored the questions she had inside of her did she begin writing them. Beginning as a search into the character of God and what His love is really like, her God took over from the start and used her writing to speak to the deepest questions in her soul. Sara does not think of herself as an author, but rather a scribe, for her books are only born from listening to God, who loves to speak truth through stories and inspires all of her books.

She uses the pen name “Sara Nicole” in honor of her grandmother, Sara Gene, who went to be with the Lord in 2011.

“LORD, You will establish peace for us,

since You have also performed for us all our works.”

– Isaiah 26:12, NASB –

Social media links: Website  Blog  Facebook   

Musings from a Writer’s Brain–Moodling by Joanne Guidoccio

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daydreaming, essay, firing up the imagination, Free book limited time offer, Joanne Guidoccio, moodling, Musings from a Writer’s Brain, No More Secrets, the writing process, writing tips

When I first heard the word moodling at a writing workshop, my thoughts gravitated toward zucchini noodles. A bit off base, but considering it was close to lunchtime, I assumed there might be some connection.

The facilitator quickly put an end to that line of thinking. A long-winded explanation followed with brief mentions of famous moodlers such as Isaac Newton, Napoleon Bonaparte, and Albert Einstein.

Intrigued, I decided to do my own research. Here’s what I discovered:

Moodling is primarily a solitary activity. You won’t find any university or college courses devoted to moodling. Nor will you find it in the Pocket Oxford English Dictionary (2013 edition).  

In her book, If You Want to Write (1938), Brenda Ueland offers the following description:

“The imagination needs moodling—long, inefficient happy idling, dawdling and puttering.”

Euland then goes on to say, “What you write today is the result of some span of idling yesterday, some fairly long period of protection from talking and busyness.”

Moodling worked for Isaac Newton when he sat under an apple tree in Woolsthorpe, England, circa 1666. While wondering why the moon didn’t obey the principle of centrifugal force and fly off into space, an apple fell upon him. Newton moodled and formulated his theory.

Napoleon Bonaparte moodled for months before making military decisions.

After the breakup of his marriage, Albert Einstein spent undisturbed days and nights in the quiet solitude of his Berlin apartment, following his mathematical hunches. This intense period allowed Einstein to finalize the general theory of relativity.

Sitting under a tree, lying on a beach, strolling in a park, soaking in a bathtub, listening to classical music, lingering in bed…these are ideal “moodling” environments. Give yourself permission to daydream and reflect without too many expectations. And don’t be disappointed if a spark or epiphany doesn’t emerge quickly.  

If you prefer a more structured approach to moodling, follow the method suggested by Eric Grunwald, a lecturer in MIT’s Department of Global Studies and Languages. (https://writingprocess.mit.edu/process/step-1-generate-ideas/instructions/moodling):

Set aside an hour or more.  

1. Sit in front of a window, with pen or pencil and paper (or computer).
2. Daydream. Don’t force any thoughts or ideas. Only write a word when you feel it must be written. If you are so moved, write more.
3. Do not worry about grammar, punctuation, or spelling.
4. Repeat the following day.

Happy moodling!

Special Notice!

Joanne is offering a free ebook of No More Secrets on the following dates: Monday, June 7 to Thursday, June 10.  So if you find her blurb intriguing head on over to Amazon on one of the above dates and download No More Secrets.

No More Secrets

By Joanne Guidoccio

Angelica Delfino takes a special interest in the lives of her three nieces, whom she affectionately calls the daughters of her heart. Sensing that each woman is harboring a troubling, possibly even toxic secret, Angelica decides to share her secrets—secrets she had planned to take to the grave. Spellbound, the nieces listen as Angelica travels back six decades to reveal an incredulous tale of forbidden love, tragic loss, and reinvention. It is the classic immigrant story upended: an Italian widow’s transformative journey amid the most unlikely of circumstances.

Inspired by Angelica’s example, the younger women share their “First World” problems and, in the process, set themselves free.  

But one heartbreaking secret remains untold…

Ebook for No More Secrets is free on Amazon – June 7 to June 10!

Buy Links Amazon (US) – Amazon (Canada) –Amazon (UK) –Amazon (Australia)

About the Author:

In 2008, Joanne Guidoccio took advantage of early retirement and launched a second act as a writer. Her articles and book reviews have been published in newspapers, magazines, and online. When she tried her hand at fiction, she made reinvention a recurring theme in her novels and short stories. A member of Crime Writers of Canada, Sisters in Crime, and Women’s Fiction Writers Association, Joanne writes paranormal romances, cozy mysteries, and inspirational literature from her home base of Guelph, Ontario.

Where to find Joanne…Website – Twitter – Goodreads – Pinterest

Musings from a Writer’s Brain—What’s Next by Linda Wood Rondeau

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Bible Study, Christian growth non-fiction, Christian non-fiction, Essay about Writing, LInda Wood Rondeau, Musings from a Writer’s Brain, Who Put the Vinegar in the Salt?

This is the question I ask after each THE END I write on a manuscript. So, I’ve completed my book, edited it a gazillion times, sent it off to my publisher, more edits, galleys, and a note , “Your book is now live.”

Yes, there are a ton of marketing needs. But my creative spirit needs to be refueled with the next big project. So what should I write about now? I find myself facing the great unknown. Since all my contractual requirements are now met, how do I decide on what I should write next?

Do I work on unfinished concepts?

Or does God have something else for me to do?

Should I keep all my eggs in one basket or branch out?

Is now the time to try self-publishing?

Do I want to be a hybrid author?

Certainly, I’m not bored. I am also a freelance editor in addition to editing for my publisher. I’m also a Project Manager and my days are filled.

How do I predict what the market will need in a year and half from now?

Busyness is no excuse to starve the creative spirit.

Our pastor’s recent sermon was aimed at graduates: high school, college, postgraduate, and military. However, his message spoke to me, a woman in my seventies, as I thought on my next writing goal.

He reminded the grads to surrender their future to God. I believe this is true for writers as well.

Be Constantly in Prayer

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you (Matthew 7:7 KJV)

The Lord has promised to hear and answer. Most Christians agree with this. However, when the answer seems slow to come, we will fall back to seeking our own answers which may be contrary to what God has in mind. Seek him diligently, knock on heaven’s door for as long as it takes. Pastor Kevin also said to not be afraid to ask others to pray with you. As writers, our readers and colleagues may have ideas we had not even considered. Then go back and pray some more.

Trust God Completely

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths (Proverbs 3:5 – 6 KJV).

Abandoning our preconceived ideas of our next steps may be very difficult. We are anxious to get started. We hear our inner creative voice saying, “Now! Move on your idea or it will go away.” As I hear the words above, I’m reminded God’s idea may be different than mine.

Live Faithfully

Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind (Ecclesiastes 12:13 NIV).

Said Pastor Kevin, “He wants you to say ‘yes’ before he will give you your ‘what.’”

God wants us to love him with all our heart, mind, and soul. Living faithfully and staying near to God allows us to align our will with his. He has a plan and wants to guide us in the right direction.

When we pray, trust, and walk with God, he not only leads us in our walk with him, but will center our desires with his. For the writer, this means, he will make clear our next big step in our careers.

WHO PUT THE VINEGAR IN THE SALT

By Linda Wood Rondeau

The world offers much beneficial self-help advice. Shouldn’t the Christian seek to be the best possible version of themselves? Aren’t we supposed to be good people?

Why not look to the world to solve life’s problems?

Because God has called us to be salt.

While there is much good to be found, like vinegar, the world’s best advice falls short of God’s recipe to live a victorious Christian life.

In a down-home, friendly manner, the author provides analogies, inspirational stories, anecdotes, a wealth of Scripture, and optional study guides for both individuals and groups, inviting the believer to discover God’s desires for his salt.

Buy Link

By the author of I Prayed for Patience, God Gave Me Children.

ABOUT LINDA WOOD RONDEAU

A veteran social worker, Linda Wood Rondeau’s varied church experience and professional career affords a unique perspective into the Christian life. When not writing or speaking, she enjoys the occasional round of golf, visiting museums, and taking walks with her best friend in life, her husband of over forty years. The couple resides in Hagerstown, Maryland where both are active in their local church. Readers may learn more about the author, read her blog, or sign up for her newsletter by visiting www.lindarondeau.com.

Connect with Linda on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads

Musings from a Writer’s Brain-Co-authors Chris Paxson and Rose Spiller

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co-authors Christine Paxson and Rose Spiller, Musings from a Writer’s Brain, No Half Truths Allowed-Understanding the Full Gospel Message, Proverbs 9:10 Ministries, Women’s Bibles Studies

Two Friends, Four Cats, & 2,500 Miles

            God is sovereign over our circumstances; whether our feet are firmly planted in the rich soil of Pennsylvania farmland, or whether we’re rolling along from state to state in an RV. Some days, knowing He’s sovereign is the only thing that keeps us sane.

            Doing ministry work can be challenging. When we started this journey, we had no idea that writing to prepare for teaching Bible study would lead to starting a ministry, writing books and co-hosting a podcast, all of which have come with their own set of obstacles, hurdles and at times a steep learning curve amidst all the blessings. At the beginning of it all, we lived close to each other, and one of us was blessed with great internet. But things change, and now most of our ministry work is done from remote locations, internet is sketchy at times, and then there’s that curve …

            Our first book had 6,000 edits. Who knew you no longer put two spaces between sentences? Who knew that skype video isn’t going to show exactly what you’re seeing on your end of the screen when you’re doing a podcast interview? And who knew that you can actually do a pretty good first book launch, virtually, with the help of a few good friends, in the middle of a pandemic, with a brown and white boxer named Boomer waiting in the wings?

            Other obstacles and blessings come with four legs too. It doesn’t take as long as you’d think to learn how to type a podcast script, do an Instagram Story clip, and drink a cup of coffee all while holding a 15-pound cat on your lap, or to learn how to actually get some work done with four cats who think of you as the “doormen” who let them in or out of the house at will.

            Nonetheless, by the time we reached the end of 2020, our collective learning taught us not only these things, but how to use a leaf blower to dry your hair as well as blow leaves off the top of an RV; that birds and wind are not conducive to videotaping outside, and that a chain gas and grocery store can make a really great sandwich! We live and learn, and God uses it for our good and for His glory. We don’t know where God is going to take us, but He does. So we move on, doing

what He puts in front of us as faithfully as we can and trusting Him to work out the details of what needs to happen, in His timing. We hope and pray that 2021 draws us all closer to Him in reliance and trust. He is sovereign and He is faithful.

Have a blessed day, everyone!

Chris and Rose

Chris Paxson and Rose Spiller, Co-founders

Proverbs 9:10 Ministries

About the Authors:

            Chris Paxson & Rose Spiller are co-founders of Proverbs 9:10 Ministries and co-hosts of the No Trash, Just Truth Podcast. They have been teaching Bible Studies for over 20 years and have written many of their own studies. Along with teaching together, they speak at conferences and retreats together.

Chris resides in Lancaster County PA with her husband, John, of over 31 years. They have twin sons in the USAF. Rose and her husband, Ed, have recently sold their home and now live full-time in their RV to travel between their four children and eight grandchildren.

Besides their first book, No Half-Truths Allowed, Chris and Rose have a second book, The Bible Blueprint: A Guide to Better Understanding the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, due out in March 2021. They are in the process of writing their third book.

Connect with Chris and Rose at their website: on Facebook: Proverbs 9:10 Ministry page or No Trash, Just Truth!  No Trash, Just Truth! Podcast can also be found on all major podcasting sites.

No Half-Truths Allowed – Understanding the Complete Gospel Message

Authors Christine Paxson and Rose Spiller were frustrated at the fluff and heresy being pedaled as “Women’s Bible Studies.” Many studies are shallow and emotion-based, not grounded in the truth of Scripture, and they found this particularly true in regard to the Gospel Message. Because of a genuine concern for salvation and what was being witnessed, they wrote their Bible study, No Half-Truths Allowed: Understanding the Full Gospel Message (Ambassador International, May 8, 2020, $15.99) to teach the women of our church. Originally used with just their church, the response was exciting! They saw women’s lives change as they became excited and hungry for the Word of God. Paxson and Spiller felt led to branch out beyond just their church and community by turning their study into their new book, No Half-Truth’s Allowed: Understanding the Full Gospel Message.

About the Book: When it comes to proclaiming the Gospel message, half-truths, vague notions, and generalizations can be dangerous. What are the important truths we need to know and share with others?

• Is it enough to believe that God loves us and wants a relationship with us?

• Is it enough to “ask Jesus into our hearts”?

• Is it enough to recite the “sinner’s prayer,” or do we need to repent of our sin?

• Is going to church and serving others enough?

• Is what Jesus suffered more than just a gruesome death on a cross?

• If Jesus, who is fully God, was crucified, did God die on Good Friday?

• Is God mad at us when we sin and happy when we’re behaving?

• Can we lose our salvation?

If you’re not sure of the answers to any of these questions, you are not alone. There are a lot of false ideas out there about Christianity and the Gospel. Join Christine Paxson and Rose Spiller as they explore the answers to these and many other questions about the true Gospel message in No Half-Truths Allowed: Understanding the Complete Gospel Message. Learn what Jesus did for you, why He did it, and how you can articulate the Gospel to others. Also available is the companionNo Half-Truths Allowed Study Guide, an interactive study guide with questions and Scriptures to help readers delve even deeper into understanding the complete Gospel message.

You can find No Half Truths Allowed on Amazon

Musings from a Writer’s Brain—Research, the Dental Chair, and Linda Shenton Matchett

Tags

Christian Historic Romance, historical research, Legacy of Love (Keepers of the Light), Linda Shenton Matchett, Musings from a Writer’s Brain, research, writing

I had dental work done recently which required the use of local anesthesia. The procedure took about forty-five minutes, and I could tell by the amount of vigor used by the dentist that without the numbing effects of the drug, I would have been uncomfortable or possibly even in pain. As I lay in the chair, I got to wondering what dentistry was like in the past, specifically the mid-1800s, because that’s the kind of crazy writerly brain I have. As a result, shortly after getting home, I fired up my computer and dug around to learn about the dental industry of 150 years ago. Let’s just say I’m glad I’m living in the modern era!

I conduct my research in a variety of ways from reading autobiographies and watching oral history interviews to talking with subject matter experts. These folks, who are at the top of their fields, answered copious questions such as:

• What would a physician have carried in her traveling “doctor’s bag” in the 1940s? What medicines were available to treat wounds?
• What do you do for someone who is choking? (Spoiler alert: Not pound them on the back.)
• What tasks are require to run a ranch and/or farm in the mid-west? What sort of disasters can occur? What farm machinery was available in the mid-1800s?
• When did indoor plumbing arrive in small towns across America?
• How did one become a midwife in the 1930s and 1940s? What sort of licensing, if any was involved?
• When did the police begin to use fingerprints to solve cases? What is the best way to hide a body?
• How close can a person be to a bomb and not get killed?
• What’s it like to fly a plane? Can someone land a plane who has never piloted a plane?
• How did the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) train their spies during WWII?

I also try to have hands-on experience in order to accurately portray scenes in my stories, and a few of the things I did in the name of research are:

• Trained with a retired Army captain to learn how to fire several different kinds of weapons
• Spent time in a lighthouse learning how do to the keeper’s tasks
• Ridden in an antique passenger train and in a horse-drawn wagon
• Went through training exercises from the Special Operations Executive’s manual (Britain’s OSS)
• Learned Morse code and used a telegraph key (that I got for my birthday!)

The more research I do, the greater appreciation I have for our ancestors who did the best they could with what they had. My research also makes me realize how easy I have it these days with all the modern conveniences and technologies available.

Which of these topics do you find most intriguing?

About the Author:

Linda Shenton Matchett writes about ordinary people who did extraordinary things in days gone by. A volunteer docent and archivist for the Wright Museum of WWII, Linda is working with the curator to create her first exhibit that will be displayed next season. She is a native of Baltimore, Maryland and was born a stone’s throw from Fort McHenry. Linda has lived in historic places all her life and is now located in central New Hampshire where her favorite activities include exploring historic sites and immersing herself in the imaginary worlds created by other authors.

Connect with Linda on her Social Media at her Website/Blog: Facebook: Pinterest

 

Legacy of Love (Keepers of the Light)

by Linda Shenton Matchett

Will their love come at a cost?

Escaping Boston to avoid a marriage of convenience aimed at garnering society’s respect for her family name in the shadow of her father’s war profiteering, Meg Underwood settles in Spruce Hill, Oregon. Despite leaving behind the comforts of wealth, she’s happy. Then the handsome Pinkerton agent, Reuben Jessop, arrives with news that she’s inherited her aunt’s significant estate, and she must return home to claim the bequest. Meg refuses to make the trip. Unwilling to fail at his mission, Reuben gives her until Christmas to prove why she should remain in Spruce Hill and give up the opportunity to become a woman of means. When he seems to want more than friendship, she wonders if her new-found wealth is the basis of his attraction.

Buy Link