Asking FBI agent Lucy Sanderson to profile the Back Roads Killer is the only way Bryce Tippett can prove his brother is innocent—unless Lucy becomes the next victim. When someone begins stalking her just as she arrives in town, it falls to the single dad to protect her. But as clues lead in unexpected directions, can they uncover the truth…and survive to expose it?
My Rating: 5 Stars!
‘She knew her fears were irrational, but that didn’t stop them from being real for her.’
Virginia Vaughan brings us book four in her Covert Operatives book and it’s the best yet! FBI agent Lucy Sanderson is asked to profile the Back Roads Killer by Bruce Tippett to prove his brother innocent. Then someone begins stalking Lucy as she is getting her profile ready. Bruce, a single dad, has taken on the job of protecting Lucy, while trying to help her with her profile. Clues lead places neither one suspected and it’s become a full time job trying to keep from being killed as Lucy gets closer and closer to the culprit.
This book starts off with a bang and continues all the way through. This one is a suspense filled ride right into a heinous crime spree of a serial killer. I just couldn’t stop reading! Vaughan’s best yet! I thought I had figured out the culprit, then I didn’t, then I did, etc. This one will keep you guessing while at the same time holding you hostage to the suspense. Highly recommended.
*My thanks to the author for a preview copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. (less)
Award winning author Virginia Vaughan lives by the motto ‘It’s not hoarding if its books’. Always the kid with her nose stuck in a book, becoming a multi-published author hasn’t stopped Virginia from continuing to grow her own collection of favorite reads. Her family has refused to help her move anymore because of the sheer number boxes of books, but she’s no quitter. She’ll keep buying books and, the next time she moves, hire a moving van.
If you love stories where romance intersects danger and faith, subscribe to Virginia’s email list at http://eepurl.com/dtFeVP and be the first to know when a new story arrives.
Love Inspired takes you on an uplifting journey of faith, forgiveness and hope. Fall in love with stories where faith helps guide you through life’s challenges, and discover the promise of a new beginning.
Moving on is easier said than done. Can two people with broken past come together to form a future?
Self-proclaimed wanderer Carter Kelly doesn’t intend to set down roots when he’s hired as head wrangler at Red Dog Ranch—then he meets Shannon Jarrett. Still healing from a troubled past, Shannon finds a kindred soul in Carter. But will working on a fund-raiser with Shannon make Carter see what’s been missing in his life all along?
About Jessica Keller
A coffee drinker, avid reader, semi-professional fangirl, and chocolate aficionado, Jessica spends way too much time on Instagram and Pinterest. She writes both Young Adult Fiction (under Jess Evander) and Inspirational Romance.
Jessica calls the Midwest home. She lives for fall, farmers’ markets, and driving with the windows down. To learn more about Jessica Keller please visit http://www.jessicakellerbooks.com
My Rating: 4 Stars!
‘How someone treats you doesn’t define who you are. It only reveals who they are.’
Jessica Keller brings us the third book in her Red Dog Ranch series and it is very good indeed. Shannon Jarrett is the kid sister of three older brothers and they’ve always treated her as if she couldn’t function if they weren’t there to protect her and watch over her. This fact has annoyed her to no end. When the new head wrangler, Carter Kelly, rescues her pet goose, Shannon feels as if she’s found someone to confide in. Shannon has endured a pretty painful break up and Carter has some horribly painful issues in his past, so can they trust God with all this so that He can bring healing to them both?
This book carries a significant faith message, which I thoroughly enjoy. The elderly veterinarian and his wife were two of my favorite characters in this book and they were two people who surely knew what God can do in a surrendered life. I wept at one part, but I won’t give it away. I haven’t read the first two books in this series, and now I must go back and read them!
*My thanks to the publisher, Love Inspired for a complimentary copy of this book through Net Galley. The opinions stated here are entirely my own.
Research librarian Savannah Sanderson wants nothing more than to escape into her happily-ever-after novels with their larger-than-life fictional heroes. But a promise to her late husband has her attending her dreaded twenty-year high school reunion, drinking ghastly punch, and taking desperate measures just to keep her vow, even if she has to hide behind the décor to do it.
Once a reckless troublemaker, Michael McCann fled town after graduation. Now a professional technical rescuer, he’s back for the reunion, but on his trip down memory lane, he soon comes face to face with unresolved issues, namely Savannah.
Before the night is over, a pact between these two old friends will lead them on an adventure into uncharted emotional territory where Michael must confront his past regrets and find the courage to reveal the truth. But can Savannah fly from her sheltered nest and risk her heart on a real-life hero?
Melony Teague is a freelance writer who believes everyone has a story to tell. As co-author of As the Ink Flows, she loves to inspire and motivate others through her written words. With foamy lattes in-hand, she writes Contemporary Romance with a dash of humor. Though she has no hobbies outside of reading, writing, and eating chocolate, she is a member of ACFW and teaches seniors in her community to write their memoirs. She confesses with no shame that she has a strong belief that pumpkin pie is an acceptable breakfast food since it’s mostly vegetables. Melony was born in South Africa and now lives in the melting pot that is Toronto with her husband, their two teenagers, and two cats who think they’re humans.
I am super happy to welcome Melony Teague to my blog today! A Promise To Keep is Melony’s debut novel and she has done a great job! Thanks so much for being with me today, Melony.
1. When and how did you decide to write? I have been a freelance writer for ten years and it was only three years ago that I decided to allow more time for my fiction writing. It’s such a different animal to writing nonfiction. But I have always loved stories, whether fiction or nonfiction and the idea of telling one of my own, combining all the elements of what I love in stories was impossibly appealing. It’s a dream come true. I’m still pinching myself. Now my little book is out in the wild and I pray it blesses those who read it.
2. How much does prayer play a part in your writing? Oh goodness, a lot of prayer went into A Promise To Keep at every stage of development. This story was very close to my heart, so I wanted to get it right. But over and above that, I wanted to write a story that would make people laugh, yes, but also have a strong message of hope and healing. Many people prayed this story into existence along with me. I am so grateful to my prayer partners and my writing sisters.
3. How do you get ideas for a book? Usually a story comes out of something real that has happened in real life that has fascinated me. When I brainstorm, I do a lot of day dreaming and thinking. It takes me a while to come up with anything that I don’t consider lame or boring or been-there-done-that, so I tend to wrestle long and hard with the story before I start writing. Once I get to know the characters a bit, and I start to fall in love with their quirky ways, things move more quickly.
4. Is there any of yourself in your books? I guess my sense of humor is in the books, at least, I hope it comes through. Savannah Sanderson and I are both South African, so you’ll see some of that come through. We both live in countries which are not our places of birth, so I guess she and I share the same perspective. Savannah and I also share a need and love for coffee and slow, quiet mornings. Michael McCann shares my sense of adventure, although I share Savannah’s fear of heights and spiders.
5. How long does it take you to write a book? It depends. The first draft for A Promise To Keep took around 8-10 months, and then came revisions and rewriting before I was offered a contract. Once the contract with Anaiah Press was signed, things happened quickly and we headed straight into developmental edits and many rounds of edits and proofreading that became the story you read, Susan. This book was a bit different in that I had a synopsis figured out before I wrote it, which helped guide the story and keep me on track. I had never written that way before. My former manuscripts were mostly written by the seat of my pants. This one was plotted with a tiny bit of pantsing added in when the characters showed with a mind of their own. Like Donovan Radcliffe, he wasn’t in the original syonpsis, but he insisted on making an appearance.
6. What do you hope readers take away from this book? I really hope that readers will enjoy this story for the entertainment value because life is messy and hard. We could all use a bit of an escape and a laugh. Also, I would want readers to come away with healing for yesterday, courage for today, and hope for tomorrow. Thank you, Susan, for having me on your blog. What an honor!
My Rating: 4 Stars!
‘She wouldn’t cry. She was done with tears…..with the fortitude of fragile glass.’
Savannah Sanderson promises her late husband that she will go to her 20th year high school reunion, which is the absolute last thing she wants to do. She finds a hiding spot behind a fern and that’s where she plans to stay until the night is over. Then another classmate, Michael McCann, spots her and drags her out. He’s changed his life completely since high school, too. He and Savannah decide to visit some old favorite spots from their high school years and soon their adventure turns into an emotional journey they are not sure they can navigate past.
Well written, poignantly told, this debut novel from Melony Teague will touch your heart and have you cheering for these two. Watching them reconnect after 20 years and seeing their hearts shine is something you don’t want to miss. Don’t miss this one, folks. Recommended.
*My thanks to the publisher and author for a preview copy of this book. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
The last epic journey before her life changes forever. Susanna Wilkins will do anything to make her father’s final dream come true, including trek along the path Lewis and Clark explored into the untamed wilds of the Rocky Mountains. Every mile is more crucial now that lung cancer is stealing Pa’s last days faster than she can come to terms with losing him. The journey becomes harder than she ever expected, but paddling upriver through fierce rapids and fighting hungry grizzlies isn’t what terrifies her the most. Beaver Tail endured more than he can stand from the women in his Blackfoot camp, but the last disaster gave him the final shove he needed to join this band of brothers searching for one of their group who’s gone missing. The last thing he expected was to find a white woman and her sick father stranded at the base of a massive waterfall. His plan is to help them carry their oversize canoe and supplies, then leave them to their strange mission. Yet, the more he learns about the pair, the more he realizes his life is about to be derailed—again. From a USA Today bestselling author comes another epic journey through breathless landscapes and adventure so intense, lives will never be the same.
Misty M. Beller writes romantic mountain stories, set on the 1800s frontier and woven with the truth of God’s love. For a limited time, you can get her bestselling novel, The Lady and the Mountain Man, FREE here: http://bit.ly/2gvrW1a
She was raised on a farm in South Carolina, so her Southern roots run deep. Growing up, her family was close, and they continue to keep that priority today. Her husband and daughters now add another dimension to her life, keeping her both grounded and crazy.
God has placed a desire in Misty’s heart to combine her love for Christian fiction and the simpler ranch life, writing historical novels that display God’s abundant love through the twists and turns in the lives of her characters.
Writing is a dream come true for Misty. Her family—both immediate and extended—is the foundation that holds her secure in that dream.
‘She’d become his heart, and this rending in her spirit made his own chest squeeze so tight, the pain felt as though he was tearing into.’
Susanna Wilkins agrees with her father desire to travel along Lewis and Clark’s trail to the Rockies. Even though he is dying, she wants to fulfill his wish. When he gets even sicker, a group of men, including one Indian, agree to travel with them and help.
Beaver Tail doesn’t want anything to do with another woman, but his friends agree she and her father need help. So he helps. And discovers this woman may not be like the one who treated him badly.
Misty Beller once again takes her readers on a beautiful journey as we travel with these folks into the mountains. I enjoyed every minute. Recommended.
Abigail Bracey arrives in Nebraska in January 1888 to teach school…and to execute a task for the government: to identify a student as the hidden son of a murderous counterfeiter—the man who killed her father.
Agent Dashiell Lassiter doesn’t want his childhood sweetheart Abby on this dangerous job, especially when he learns the counterfeiter is now searching for his son, too, and he’ll destroy anyone in his way. Now Dash must follow Abby to Nebraska to protect her…if she’ll let him within two feet of her. She’s still angry he didn’t fight to marry her six years ago, and he never told her the real reason he left her.
All Dash wants is to protect Abby, but when a horrifying blizzard sweeps over them, can Abby and Dash set aside the pain from their pasts and work together to catch a counterfeiter and protect his son—if they survive the storm?
Join the adventure as the Daughters of the Mayflower series continues with The Blizzard Bride by Susanne Dietze.
About Susanne Dietze Susanne Dietze began writing love stories in high school, casting her friends in the starring roles. Today, she’s an award-winning, RWA RITA®-nominated author who’s seen her work on the ECPA, Amazon, and Publisher’s Weekly Bestseller Lists for Inspirational Fiction. Married to a pastor and the mom of two, Susanne lives in California and enjoys fancy-schmancy tea parties, genealogy, the beach, and curling up on the couch with a costume drama. To learn more, visit her website, http://www.susannedietze.com
My Rating: 4 Stars!
‘She’d tended the plant of bitterness too. Nourished it with years of resentment. Hatred.’
The Blizzard Bride is the eleventh in the Daughters of the Mayflower series and truly wonderful. I did not know that this blizzard was a real event and Dietze describes it in such detail, it inspired me to do research myself! She weaves the actual event into the story so well and the characters are so fascinating, that I was pulled in from the very beginning and read the book in one day. Very well done.
*My thanks to Barbour Publishing and the author for a copy of this book. No review was expected and the opinions here are my own.
Grace-by-the-Sea: Where romance and adventure come home.
Polished Jesslyn Chance has one of the most enviable positions in the little Regency coastal village of Grace-by-the-Sea. She is the hostess of the spa, arranging introductions and entertainments and playing matchmaker to the ladies and gentlemen who come to take the waters, promenade through the shops, and dance at the assembly. But when a rogue returns from her past, Jess finds herself suddenly at sea.
Always an adventurer, Larkin Denby left Grace-by-the-Sea to right the wrongful death of his father. Now he’s back on a mission: to identify the mysterious Lord of the Smugglers who allegedly sails from Grace Cove and takes England’s secrets to France. But Grace-by-the-Sea is the perfect little spa town, run by the still oh-so-perfect Jesslyn Chance. When the village’s future is threatened, Jess must work with Lark to solve the mystery and protect the town’s own. In doing so, the matchmaker of Grace-by-the-Sea may just find that the best match for her is the rogue who stole her heart years ago.
About Regina Scott Regina Scott started writing novels in the third grade. Thankfully for literature as we know it, she didn’t actually sell her first novel until she’d learned a bit more about writing. After numerous short stories and articles in magazines and trade journals, and a good kick in the backside from her husband, she got serious about writing. Since then, she’s had published more than 40 clean historical romances for adults and young adults. Her traditional romances have earned praised from reviewers and readers alike. Booklist calls her work “quietly compelling” and “impeccably written.” Huntress Reviews says, “Regina Scott delivers,” and “I will always buy a book with Regina Scott’s name on it.”
My Rating: 4 Stars!
‘Have a care, Miss Chance. Dark forces are afoot.’
I do enjoy a good Regency and Regina Scott does them well indeed. She kicks off a new series with this one, set in a small village called Grace-By-The-Sea in Dorset, England. We meet the wonderful inhabitants of said village and I’m quite fond of them, including our heroine, Jessalyn Chance, and our hero, Larkin Denby. Lark is in the village hoping to find smugglers plying their dastardly trade, and Jess is equally adamant that there are no smugglers in her beloved village. But, whichever is most right, there are nefarious goings on in this little village and both are determined to end it all. I enjoyed this book very much and can recommend it highly. I look forward now to the next in the series.
‘Have a care, Miss Chance. Dark forces are afoot.’
I do enjoy a good Regency and Regina Scott does them well indeed. She kicks off a new series with this one, set in a small village called Grace-By-The-Sea in Dorset, England. We meet the wonderful inhabitants of said village and I’m quite fond of them, including our heroine, Jessalyn Chance, and our hero, Larkin Denby. Lark is in the village hoping to find smugglers plying their dastardly trade, and Jess is equally adamant that there are no smugglers in her beloved village. But, whichever is most right, there are nefarious goings on in this little village and both are determined to end it all. I enjoyed this book very much and can recommend it highly. I look forward now to the next in the series.
*My thanks to the author for a preview copy of this book. The opinion stated here is entirely my own.
Publisher: Revell Publication Date: January 7, 2020 Genre: Inspirational Suspense About The Book: Honorably discharged from the Army after an explosion nearly killed her, former military psychiatrist Brooke Adams has set up shop to help others–but her days of helping military personnel are over. She’s got her own battles to fight from her time overseas, and she’s not equipped to take on more. Former Army Special Ops Sergeant First Class Asher James could handle anything that war sent his way–terrorists, bombs, bullets. The only thing that scares him now is sleep. As the shadows close in, the nightmares begin.
Finally convinced that he needs help, Asher makes an appointment with a counselor, and Brooke is pressed by her boss to take him on. When he arrives at her office she isn’t there–but a dead body is. Brooke is devastated when she walks in, and Asher is a conveniently strong shoulder to cry on. But she can’t take him on as a client after sharing such an intimate and unprofessional moment, can she? And he’s not sure he can handle sharing his deepest fears with such a beautiful woman.
When it becomes clear that Brooke was the real target of the attack–and that her secrets go even deeper than his own–Asher vows to protect her no matter what.
Bestselling author Lynette Eason is back with a new series that spans the globe and will have your heart working overtime.
About Lynette Eason Award-winning, best-selling author, Lynette Eason writes for Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense line and for Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. Her books have hit the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists and have won numerous awards such as the prestigious Carol Award, the Selah, the Daphne, the IRCC award and more. Lynette is married, has two children, and lives in Greenville, SC.
My Rating: 4 Stars!
Lynette Eason kicks off a new series with Collateral Damage and she does indeed kick it off well! I am looking forward to what the next book brings already.
Brooke Adams, former military psychiatrist has come stateside and set up an office hoping to help others. But she is fighting some pretty serious battles herself, even though she is no longer military. Brooke struggles with occasional PTSD and has made a rule to never treat a veteran. Then she walks in on a dead body in her office one morning and a veteran, former Spec Ops Sergeant First Class Asher James is there, having found the body. Asher has finally decided to get help for his own PTSD and has arrived for his appointment. Soon it becomes clear that Brooke is the target of the killer and she and Asher are racing to find what is going on. Asher knows this is just what he wants to stay away from but he vows to protect Brooke at all costs.
The ensuing events lead both Brooke and Asher to realize that way more is going on that they both at first suspected. There is a huge, international crime in the background and it’s up to them to try and stop it, while hopefully staying alive at the same time.
Eason has done an admirable job here, blending several incidents into one story. I was captivated from the very first. And there is a great cast of secondary characters that I hope find their story in future books in the series. Honestly, there is so much to love about this story. Eason carries the reader along on a high octane filled journey of intrigue and heinous crimes and is sure to please all suspense fans. Highly recommended.
*My thanks to Revell Publishing for a preview copy of this book via Net Galley. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
Former pararescue jumper Orion Starr is haunted by the memory of a rescue gone wrong. He may be living alone in Alaska now, but the pain of his failure–and his injuries–has followed him there from Afghanistan. He has no desire to join Hamilton Jones’s elite rescue team, but he also can’t shirk his duty when the call comes in to rescue three lost climbers on Denali.
Former CIA profiler and psychiatrist Jenny Calhoun’s yearly extreme challenge with her best friends is her only escape from the guilt that has sunk its claws into her. As a consultant during a top-secret mission to root out the Taliban, she green-lighted an operation that ended in ambush and lives lost. When her cathartic climb on Denali turns deadly, she’ll be forced to trust her life and the lives of her friends to the most dangerous of heroes–the man she nearly killed.
Her skills and his experience are exactly what’s needed to prevent another tragedy–but in order to truly set Orion free from his painful past, Jenny will have to reveal hers. They’ll have to put their wounds behind them to survive, but at what cost?
Leap into action with this high-octane, breakneck new series from bestselling author Susan May Warren.
About Susan May Warren Growing up in Minneapolis and attending the U of MN, I learned to love city life, although I’m a woodsy girl at heart. Or maybe I’m an adventurer — having lived and traveled all over the world, including Siberia Russia as a missionary for eight years. Probably that’s why my characters can’t sit still, and seem to get into one scrape after another — they’re too much like me! I love God, my family, my country, my church, and feel privileged every day to be able to write stories.
Here’s my “Official” Bio.
With over 1 million books sold, critically acclaimed novelist Susan May Warren is the Christy, RITA and Carol award-winning author of over seventy-five novels with Revell, Tyndale, Barbour, Steeple Hill and Summerside Press. Known for her compelling plots and unforgettable characters, Susan has written contemporary and historical romances, romantic-suspense, thrillers, rom-com and Christmas novellas.
My Rating: 5 Stars!
‘You’re just mad because God didn’t answer your prayer the way you wanted him to.’
When you pick up a Susan May Warren book, you can be sure that you will not be disappointed. Ever. As she begins another series, that, by the way, promises to be amazing, I was again reminded of that fact.
‘That thing inside you that you can’t keep dodging, that pull to do something more with your life? God isn’t finished with you yet. He’s calling you to something…..’
Warren begins her new series, Global Search and Rescue, with The Way of the Brave, which is Orion Starr’s story, and Jenny Calhoun’s. Jenny does a yearly challenge with two friends and this year’s feat is to climb Denali, which soon turns extremely deadly. Jenny is a former CIA profiler and psychiatrist who approved an action that ended in an ambush with the Taliban with lives lost. Now, the man who was also injured in that action is the pararescue jumper who comes to her rescue on Denali when things turn seriously sideways. Can these two overcome the wounds that threaten their emotional lives? Will they allow God to mend their hearts?
One of the things I enjoy most about Susan May Warren’s writing is her ability to pull a reader into the story with a powerful spiritual theme. She is so amazingly good at this. And she also deftly weaves in characters from previous books from time to time, which is always a delight to me. And then she ends the book on a note that makes the reader wish it was already time to read the second in the series. She also gives us a glimpse of the story which will involved secondary characters. Anytime I sit down to read a Susan May Warren book, I am guaranteed an absolutely wonderful read! I highly recommend this book.
My thanks to Revell Publishing for a copy of this book through the Revell Reads program. The opinions stated here are entirely my own.
When elite members of the military are murdered on the streets of Washington, DC, FBI Special Agent Bailey Ryan and NCIS Special Agent Marco Agostini must work together to bring the perpetrator to justice. Unfortunately, all evidence points to a Navy SEAL sniper whom Bailey refuses to believe is guilty.
When Bailey and Marco start to connect the dots between the victims, including a link to a powerful defense contractor, they wonder if there’s a deeper cover-up at play. Then Bailey is targeted, and it becomes clear that someone is willing to kill to keep their dark secrets.
With the stakes getting higher by the moment in a twisted conspiracy, there’s a rush against the clock to determine whom they can really trust. As allies turn to enemies, the biggest secret yet to be uncovered could be the end of all of them.
About Rachel Dylan Rachel Dylan is an award-winning and bestselling author of legal thrillers and romantic suspense. Rachel has practiced law for over a decade including being a litigator at one of the nation’s top law firms. Rachel writes the Atlanta Justice Series which features strong, female attorneys in Atlanta. Deadly Proof, the first book in the Atlanta Justice series, is a CBA bestseller, an FHL Reader’s Choice Award winner, a Daphne du Maurier Finalist, and a Holt Medallion Finalist. Lone Witness is the winner of a Holt Medallion, the Maggie Award, and is a Selah Finalist. Rachel lives in Michigan with her husband and five furkids–two dogs and three cats. Rachel loves to connect with readers. You can find Rachel at http://www.racheldylan.com
My Rating: 4 stars!
‘Even those we believe are heroes can sometimes be villains.’
Rachel Dylan starts a new series with End Game and if the first book is any indication of the caliber of the series, it’s going to be awesome! Dylan starts out on the ball and doesn’t let up. Readers get to see inside the FBI, CIA and NCIS as events play out that will take you along on a fast and suspenseful ride. Tightly written, with great characters, even secondary ones, this is one book you’ll want to read! I loved how she included the stories of some secondary characters as well. I truly can recommend this book.
*My thanks to Bethany House Publishers for a complimentary preview copy of this book via Net Galley. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
Today I am giving away a print copy of End Game to one blog commenter. Due to postage costs, this is open to residents of the contiguous 48 states.To enter, please do the following:
Leave your full name and your email in a non spammy format, for example: susan (at) yahoo (dot) come. Contest runs through January 15.
I am absolutely thrilled to host a particular favorite author of mine on my blog today. Laura Frantz’s latest novel, An Uncommon Woman, is some of her very best work and she has graciously consented to be a guest on my blog and give away a signed copy of her book, along with a bookmark. (Find out the details at the end of the blog post.) Now, let’s meet Laura.
Laura, thanks so much for being with me today and for the gift of a book to one blessed reader. I’m sure whoever wins will love the book as much as I did.
1. When did you know you wanted to be a writer? And did you always want to write Christian fiction? From age 7, I sensed words were special and I loved them. Math was a different story! I even wrote in an old childhood diary that I wanted to grow up and be an author one day. So, I think the seeds were or are planted very early—rather the Lord gives us all unique gifts and writing is just one of them. I honestly can’t imagine writing anything other than Christian fiction as my faith affects my entire world view.
2. Did you being a Kentuckian and a Daniel Boone fan influence your decision to write historical? It did! I have a lifelong fascination with pioneers and first families in Kentucky. Fort Boonesborough was the site where I grew up spending a lot of time as it wasn’t far from our home. Of all the historical figures I’ve researched and learned about, Boone is my favorite and seems to have been beyond reproach. He had loads of integrity in addition to being a first class frontiersman.
3. Did you know you wanted to write this genre from the beginning? Yes, mainly because historicals line my bookshelves and I rarely read contemporary novels though I do enjoy them. That was my clue that I’m so tied to the historical genre that I can’t or shouldn’t write anything else. I’m completely clueless about modern-day anything, from phones to kitchen appliances. Even my Cuisinart, a gift from my foodie son, is gathering dust in the pantry.
4. Does prayer play a big part in your writing? I always begin a novel with prayer and pray my way through till the end. I recently discovered the book, ‘Every Moment Holy’ by Douglas McElvey, which has a truly amazing word for fiction writers. Here’s a sample, “Lord, let me love the reader, ever writing for their good, writing words that might, in the employ of your Spirit, bring life and hope and conviction.’
5. How do ideas come to you and how do you plan a book? Ideas come to me in snatches. I’ll find a character name and land on a setting that’s appealing. Then scenes and bits of dialogue come to mind like I’m watching a movie. It’s quite odd and it works well for me, gathering all these odds and ends and piecing them together like a crazy quilt. God gets all the credit for anything that makes sense, any beauty. Sometimes I know the end of the book from the beginning.
6. What was your favorite story as a child? My uncle gifted me with first edition copies of Winnie The Pooh books when I was born. I still have them though they’re very worn and faded. Maybe my old uncle knew I would grow up and be an author. I love them and grew up reading them.
7. Where do you write your books? Sitting by the fire in winter and at my desk by an open door in summer. Sometimes on a porch. I’d rather write outside than in.
8. What thing, if any, has most impacted your writing? My love of history and wanting to preserve it in even a small way through my books. So much is lost and is underappreciated today, as far as our country’s founding, how our ancestors got here, the struggle, etc. I lament we have so few letters and diaries and accounts from days past, but our forefathers were so busy trying to stay alive, that it explains the lack, I guess.
9. Do you want readers to take anything away from this story? I kept thinking of the old hymn, Be Thou My Vision, as I was writing An Uncommon Woman, which I placed at the front of the novel. ‘Heart of my own heart, whate’er befall, still be my vision, O Ruler of all.’ This is or would come to be Tessa and Clay’s stance in their beautiful but dark and very dangerous surroundings. I think the wisdom of those words applies to us today. We can’t control our circumstances or what life hands us for the most part. But we always need to remember God rules and is our vision or should be our vision, no matter what. Nothing else matters eternally. He is our light and we are here to shine a light in the time given to us.
Thanks again, Laura, for being with us today. It was such a blessing to get to know you better.
Christy Award-winning author, Laura Frantz, is passionate about all things historical, particularly the 18th-century, and writes her manuscripts in longhand first. Her stories often incorporate Scottish themes that reflect her family heritage. She is a direct descendant of George Hume, Wedderburn Castle, Berwickshire, Scotland, who was exiled to the American colonies for his role in the Jacobite Rebellion of 1715, settled in Virginia, and is credited with teaching George Washington surveying in the years 1748-1750. Frantz lives and writes in a log cabin in the heart of Kentucky and also Washington State.
My Rating: 5 Stars!!!
‘Fear was never far away. She’d felt its cold clutch since childhood.’
Sometimes, you read the last word in a book and you just sit there, unable to think properly because your heart is so incredibly full. Such is the emotion that a book by Laura Frantz evokes in this reader.
”Everyone on the frontier had a chair that sat empty, a place unoccupied. Who would be next?’
Tessa Swan has lived on the Buckhannon River on the Virginia frontier all her life, plainspoken in her ways and a force to be reckoned with. Clay Tygart was raised by Lenape Indians and has returned home a hero in the French and Indian War to the fort named for him. He brings with him a white woman named Keturah by the Indians who kidnapped her nearly twelve years earlier; Tessa’s best friend, she was. Clay Tygart is a courageous man, but quiet and prefers not to be entangled in relationships. However, he is soon taken with the outspoken Tessa and when she is taken by the Lenape, he will do everything in his power to bring her back home.
I am a forever fan of Laura Frantz’s books and have been since I read her very first novel. When I sit down to begin one of her books, I sink way down deep into its words, settling in for a wonderful time. I find myself torn between not wanting to finish and thus prolonging the pleasure of the read and reading swiftly to get to the end! Frantz is especially gifted at drawing the reader into her stories with her intoxicating prose, her words flowing like water over a waterfall, refreshing the reader with their crispness. Her vivid descriptions bring the American frontier vibrantly to life. She manages to pull the characters’ lives right into this reader’s heart, which simply sighs with contentment.
Frantz brings history to life in the pages of her books, something this history buff thoroughly enjoys. In fact, she so captivates me with her accurate historical research that it puts in me a desire to do some research into her stories myself! And I have done that very thing with each book.
Her powerful and vivid descriptions of everything are so amazing that I find myself stopping and reading certain passages over and over again before being able to press on with the book. Truly, my heart sings reading a Laura Frantz book. These characters, Clay and Tessa, will take up space in my heart for a very long time to come. I cherished every moment of this book . I highly recommend this author and this book.
*My thanks to Revell for a preview copy of this book via Net Galley. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
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