Tag: christian fiction

Would You Rather w/ Sandra Orchard & the Cast of Identity Withheld!

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

 Today, Sandra Orchard is
in the house and playing a few fun rounds of WYR with her characters. And she’s
giving away a copy of her newest release, Identity
Withheld.
Would You Rather…
…feel pain or feel nothing at all?
Sandra: Are we talking emotionally or physically? Emotionally, I’d
say feel pain, because I wouldn’t want to miss out on feeling all the other
great emotions, too. Physically…not so sure.
Jake: I’m probably the opposite to Sandra. Losing my wife was the
worst pain I’ve ever known.
Kara: Neither!
…be the hero or the sidekick?
Sandra: Hero. It’s a great feeling to “save the day” … I imagine.
😉
Jake: Definitely the hero. My wife always told me I had a hero
complex. Probably a lot of firefighters do.
Kara: Sidekick. Playing the hero for that poor baby I saw sold
has landed me in a heap of trouble, not that I’d choose differently if I had to
do it again.
…be invisible or read minds?
Sandra: Be invisible. I think being able to read minds could be
harder on the emotions than reading 2 star book reviews! At least being
invisible, I can leave the room if I don’t like what someone’s saying about me,
or…I could spook him so badly that he’d think twice before he ever said a nasty
word about anyone ever again. 😀
Jake: Read minds. I know Kara is hiding something and if she
would trust me with her secrets, I’m sure I could help her.
Kara: Be invisible. With a crooked adoption ring, likely
connected to organized crime, out to silence me, being invisible would come in
very handy. Although…reading minds would help me know who I can trust and who I
can’t. Then again, neither would have helped me escape my house being torched.
Love these answers, ladies
and gentleman! Sandra, tell us what’s on the horizon for your books? What are
you working on? When can we expect your next book?
I have two books coming
out next year that I’m currently awaiting copy edits and line edits on,
respectively. Desperate Measures is the final book in my Port Aster Secrets
mystery series with Revell, releasing June 2015. Emergency Reunion is my next
Love Inspired Suspense. The heroine of that one, a paramedic, is the cousin of
the hero in my current release. The release date hasn’t been set yet.
In the meantime, I’m
writing the first novel in my next Revell series. The heroine is an FBI agent in
St. Louis. I had great fun last month touring her hometown and place of work. J
Sherri! Whoop! Can’t
wait to read your new stuff. Thanks so much for being here. Sandra is
graciously giving away a copy of Identity Withheld. Enter below!
Buy the Book! 
WITNESS IN HIDING 
After exposing an illegal adoption ring, newly named “Kara Grant” is promised safety in Witness Protection. But someone has found her—and wants her dead. If only she could trust the handsome firefighter who catches her fleeing from a suspicious fire. Jake Steele seems to think she’s guilty of burning her own home. But how can she tell him who she really is and what she’s been through without bringing danger to the widowed single father’s door? Yet with the criminals quickly closing in, taking such a risk might be her only chance at survival. Because the price she’ll pay for her silence could be her life.

Now, you answer on or more the questions in the comments (it’s
an entry, too.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Would You Rather with Patricia Bradley & the Cast of A Promise to Protect

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch
Hey everyone! It’s always a privilege to have Patricia
Bradley on the blog. Today we’re celebrating her newest release, the 2nd
book in her Logan Point series, A Promise
to Protect. I loved this book! Let’s play a few rounds of Would You Rather?
with Pat and her characters.
Would You Rather…
…feel pain or feel nothing at all?
Pat: I can remember after my husband died that I was
absolutely numb for months. Couldn’t feel any type of emotion. So, I think even
feeling pain would be better than feeling nothing
Ben: Oh, no. 
Since Tommy Ray drowned, I’ve had enough pain to last me a lifetime.
Feeling nothing would be better than the panic attacks I have.
Leigh: I’m not going to let anyone close enough to
cause me pain…well, except for TJ. My friend Sarah told me once that when your babies
are little they step on your feet, but when they get older, they step on your
heartstrings.
…be the hero or the sidekick?
Pat: Everyone wants to be the hero. J
Ben: Definitely would like a second chance at being
the hero.
Leigh: Ben, you are a hero whether you believe it or
not. I’m content being the sidekick.
…eat the cream or cookie part of the oreo?
Pat: Cream…if I ate Oreo’s.
Ben: The whole thing.
Leigh: That figures. I like the cream.
Thanks for sharing you guys. Pat, tell us what’s on
the horizon for your books? What are you working on? When can we expect your
next book?
Pat: The next book in the Logan Point Series is Livy
Reynolds’ story. Readers will get to find out what happened to her cousin
Robyn.
Me: Well, woohoo! I’ve been wanting to know what
happens to me! (Just kidding. Pat had it in her head my name was Robyn and so I
answer to it. Ha!)
Pat: Right now, I’m working on a follow-up to the gun
running operation in A Promise to Protect.
It’s Danny Maxwell’s story—the son of the owner of Maxwell Industries. In A
Promise to Protect, his fiancé, Bailey Adams, broke their engagement and fled
to Mexico, and somehow he ends up south of the border (not telling why) where
he finds Bailey in a lot of trouble.
Ooooh! Readers, do you see this? This is why you need
to be reading Pat’s books! Thanks so much for hanging out today.
A peek at A
Promise to Protect: 

Buy the Book! 
Acting Sheriff Ben Logan hasn’t heard from Leigh
Somerall in a very long time, but it doesn’t mean he can get her–or their
whirlwind romance of ten years ago–out of his head. When she calls out of the
blue, it is with a strange request to protect her brother, Tony. When Tony dies
just days later, Ben is charged with a different task–protecting Leigh and her
nine-year-old son, TJ, from the killers. But how can Ben keep an eye on Leigh
if she’s doing everything in her power to avoid him? And could the secret that
Leigh is keeping change Ben’s life forever?

Suspense, intrigue, and a touch of romance make A
Promise to Protect perfect for readers who like their stories with a
hearty dose of mystery.

Your turn: Answer one or more of the WYR questions in the
comments!

Joanne Bischof: Does God Make Mistakes?

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

I’m truly honored to have debut author, Joanne Bischof here! Her book Be Still My Soul recently released and let me tell you, it’s amazing! Today she’s sharing with us about how her story came to life and answered the question: Does God make mistakes?
Do you ever look around you and wonder… “How did I
get here?” As a new author, I have this thought every single day. I’m amazed by
the blessing of it all.
I never planned on writing Appalachian
Romance. I never woke up and thought “today is the day I’m
going to write a book about romance in Appalachia.” It just sort of happened. I
was listening to this
song
by Alison Krauss and instantly, Lonnie’s character came to me. I saw her
sitting there, this question filling her heart—would she ever be loved? Right
then, Gideon’s character came to me as well. And while at first, the
possibility seemed unlikely between the two of them, I knew that God works
miracles and that this love story had to be told. In this moment, Be Still My Soul was born.
The story took off from there and true to its musical
origins, it begins
with a dance, deep in the mountains, one autumn
night. As I thought about it, I knew that Lonnie, the shy wallflower of Rocky
Knob would want little to do with singing on stage. But of course, that’s
exactly where she ends up. Right next to cocky bluegrass musician and handsome
ladies’ man, Gideon O’Riley. While they knew one another from afar, this is the
first moment they are thrown together. Gideon who has a reputation as being the
town rebel, ends up walking her home—almost stealing more than a kiss—and ends
up changing her life forever.
My heart breaks for Lonnie, but I see redemption on
the horizon and pray that hope will breath it’s peace into her spirit.
Isn’t life funny that way? We find ourselves in a
situation and we’re questioning if maybe God made a mistake. Maybe He fell
asleep at the wheel for a minute and didn’t hear our pleas. We think, “God you
know my needs and this is NOT what I need right now.” I think God just listens.
Because He knows what He can build out of nothing. What he can build from a
flurry of broken hopes. Broken dreams. But do we? Do we forget that God is so
mighty that nothing is too big for Him? No distance too far. No heart too cold.
There have been moments in my life when I’ve forgotten this truth. But then it
fills my heart with peace and healing begin. Because nothing is impossible for
God.
Let’s chat! Has there been a time in your life when
you felt this way? A moment when you thought “no good can come of this” yet
down the road, God’s blessings unfolded in a surprise way?
 Here’s a sneak peek at Joanne’s historical romance:
 Night’s
chill tickled her skin. Lonnie pressed her hands together and glanced up. He
was even more handsome up close. Having grown up the shy, awkward daughter of
Joel Sawyer, she’d hardly spoken to any boy, let alone the one who had mothers
whispering warnings in their daughter’s ears and fathers loading shotguns.
 
Pretty Lonnie Sawyer is shy and innocent, used to fading into the background
within her family, and among the creeks and hollows of the Appalachian hills.
Though her family is poor and her father abusive, she clings to a quiet
faith.  But when handsome ladies’ man and bluegrass musician Gideon
O’Riley steals a kiss, that one action seals her fate.

Her father forces her into a hasty marriage with Gideon—a man she barely knows
and does not love. Equally frustrated and confused by his new responsibilities,
Gideon yearns for a fresh start, forcing  Lonnie on an arduous journey
away from her home in Rocky Knob.

Her distant groom can’t seem to surrender his rage at the injustice of the
forced matrimony or give Lonnie any claim in his life.  What will it take
for Gideon to give up his past, embrace Lonnie’s God, and discover a hope that
can heal their two fractured hearts?

Married to her first
sweetheart, Joanne Bischof lives in the mountains of Southern
California where she keeps busy making messes with their home-schooled
children. When she’s not weaving Appalachian romance, she’s blogging about
faith, writing, and the adventures of country living that bring her stories to
life. Be Still My Soul is her first novel.
Connect with Joanne at her website/blog, facebook, and twitter @joannebischof
*I loved all your names! Thanks for entering the contest. It was a toughy. Here’s my Top 4 Names I battled with for the Sailboat contest:
4. I Promise it’s Safe
3.Early Inheritance
2.Sinking Feeling
1. Parayoso (Paradise in Spanish) 

But the winner goes to…


Seas the Bay by Katelynn Evans! Perfect for a guy in Tampa Bay!

*photocredit: freedigitalphotos

Faith Readers Group Review: Love Finds You in Snowball, Arkansas

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

A first time for all us, reading a Love Finds You line. But we chose Sandra D. Bricker’s Love Finds You in Snowball, Arkansas!

I made a Bavarian cream butter braid, well I at least let it rise and baked it. I can’t even braid my own hair, like I could do it with dough?

I was thinking about bringing those Snowball desserts by Little Debbie, but I hate marshmallow. I’m not wasting money on it for joke factor. Just sayin.

I also forgot to take our picture. But we had a good turnout and an array of opinion on this book. Here’s how it all went down…

“I was hooked from the first page. I laughed on the second paragraph.”

“I didn’t like the book at all. I thought the antics, and the fact the red-haired character named LUCY was a bit cliche and too much.”

“I thought the plot was predictable, but then it’s a Love Finds You so you know it’s going to be a HEA. But the dialogue and humor carried the predictability.”

“I took away that God has things right in front of us for our blessing, but many times we overlook them for things we think we want.”

“I didn’t even realize that message. Good eyes! And so true.”

“I don’t think she acted like a woman pushing thirty. Not in the journal entries, especially.”

“I liked the whole thing. I read for escape and this book was perfect to settle in with and just live someone else’s fun life. I try not to read into books. I just want an escape.”

“I think I laughed on every page. It could be a romantic comedy on the big screen. I’d go see it.”

“My only disappointment? She had ripe opportunity to say the phrase, ‘Not a snowball’s chance in…Arkansas.’ and she didn’t!” (that was me btw) lol 

“I’ll read more of her stuff.”

Star rating 1-5: 3 1/2 

Sandra Bricker
Here’s a sneak peek at Love Finds You in Snowball, Arkansas: 
So what if she can’t
hook a fish? This city girl has a plan to snag something else…and his name is
Justin.
Lucy Binoche is
reasonably attractive, intelligent, and fit. She has French lineage and
better-than-average hair. So why is she nearly 30 and still single?
Justin
Gerard is the rugged hottie new to her church’s singles group. When he signs up
for a camping trip in the Ozarks, Lucy loses no time writing her name on the
line beneath his. Theres only one problem Lucy’s idea of “roughing
it” is suffering through a long line at Starbucks. She assumes she can
rely on the grace of God and the assistance of her friend to get through.
But at
the campsite in Snowball, Arkansas, Lucy bungles everything she attempts as she
tries to impress Justin. She can’t fish, hike, or ride a horse; caves make her
hyperventilate; and hot-air balloons make her ill. Soon, events are snowballing
out of control. Will Lucy pretend to be someone shes not just to snag a
boyfriend? Or will she discover someone who loves her just as she is?
Do you like reading romantic comedy? Ever read Sandra Bricker? Do you eat those nasty snowball treats?

Infinite Suspense with Lynette Eason!

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

Today, I’m
jumping and down! Why? Lynette Eason, one of my all time favorite authors, is in the
house! If you’ve never read anything by Lynette Eason, stop right now. Go out
and buy ANY of her books (you’ll like them all)! I could gush the rest of the
day, but I won’t.
Lynette Eason
has written/contracted thirty-one books since 2007. She has fourteen Love
Inspired Suspense books on the shelf with more due to release soon. Lynette
also writes for Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. Her current
release, WHEN THE SMOKE CLEARS hit #8 on the CBA bestsellers list this year.
The sequel, WHEN A HEART STOPS will release October 2012. Currently, she is
working on her third series for Revell and just signed and eight book contract
for Love Inspired Suspense. She has been teaching for more than ten years and
is very happy to make the transition from teaching school to teaching writing
whenever the opportunity presents. She is married, has two children, and lives
in Simpsonville, SC.

JP: Impressive! God has blessed you with
such a gift and ministry. That makes me smile! Your tagline is Infinite
Suspense. Tell us why you chose to write this genre?
LE: Because it’s what I love to read.

JP: Well that makes sense! Your newest
novel (the first in this series), When
the Smoke Clears, is about a Smoke Jumper who goes back to her hometown
after several years. Where did you get the idea for this book and how much
research did you have to do before writing it?
LE: I watched a
movie about Smoke Jumping on Lifetime Television. It sparked (pun intended) and
idea for a story. I did A LOT of research on this. I read tons and talked to
several firefighters, including a retired fire chief.
JP: It paid off!
I felt like I was really there with them—through everything! Can you share with
us your favorite line or snippet of dialogue from this novel?







Conversation at
the lab between Rick and Hunter
  “It’s a
fast-acting drug that’s usually used for the treatment of seizures,” Rick
explained. “Sometimes it’s used for inducing sedation before medical
procedures.”
            “So, it’s a
knockout drug?”
            Rick rolled
his eyes. “In layman’s terms, sure, a knockout drug.”
            “But
nothing that would kill her?”
            Rick
shrugged. “Depends on how many darts hit her.”
            “Fortunately
none did.”
            “Then no,
they won’t kill her,” Rick deadpanned.
             Alexia
snickered.
             Hunter
rolled his eyes. “Wise guy.”
JP: Folks, you can obviously see besides suspense
and romance, there’s humor! Okay, now a couple of fun questions before you have
to go!
If you could be a character in any book
you’ve read, who would you choose and why?
LE: Oh my.
That’s a tough one.  Maybe Serena because
it would be cool to be able to do an autopsy without wanting to puke.
JP: Ha! For
real!
Fill in the
blank: A perfect day for me would be a trip to the mountains with
my family to eat at a great restaurant, followed by an
evening sitting on the front porch of a lodge working on my novel.

JP: That sounds fabulous! Thanks so much
for spending some time with us. Before you go, do you have a question you would
like to ask readers? They love to comment!

What kind of characters do you like to
read about? Do you have any good ideas for a next series?
You can connect
with Lynette on facebook, twitter, and her website! Now go buy her books! 
Here’s
a peek at her latest, When the Smoke
Clears:
As a member of
the North Cascades Smokejumpers, Alexia Allen always takes care of the
equipment that keeps her safe. So when she nearly dies in a fire due to
equipment failure, she knows something is up. Ordered to take time off while
the investigation continues, Alexia makes a last-minute decision to recuperate
at her mother’s home and attend her high school reunion. Yet trouble seems to
be following her, and within hours of arriving home she’s involved with murder,
arson–and a handsome detective. But the conflicts ahead are nothing compared
to the ghosts of her past. As she strives to remember and forgive her family
history, she must also decide if the secret she’s been guarding for the last
ten years must finally come to light.
Chock-full of the suspense and romantic tension readers have come to expect
from Lynette Eason, “When the Smoke Clears” is the explosive first
book in the Deadly Reunions series.

*I’ll be taking Monday off to celebrate the holiday with friends and family! See you Wednesday, with a guest devotion from Lindsay Harrel! 

Tea Time with Keli Gwyn!

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

Today, I am honored to have a Victorian tea with author,
Keli Gwyn! I even broke out my new tea set! If you’re around Keli for about two
seconds, you’ll fall in love with her sweet and gentle spirit. Keli is an
encourager and romantic! You can read about her real-life romance with Gwynly
on her blog! Always insightful and inspiring.

JP:
Keli, what kind of tea are you sipping? How do you take it?
KG: My favorite tea is Bigelow’s Mint Medley. I add a
healthy dollop of honey.

JP: I
like mint tea as well, but I’m having Irish Breakfast tea with a splash of real
cream and Splenda! We’re also having an assortment of Keli’s favorite pastries:
shortbread and vanilla scones. You know, Elenora—your heroine in your debut
novel, A Bride Opens Shop in El Dorado, California, wasn’t much of a cook. How
about you?
KG: This is one trait Ellie and I share. I don’t like to
cook and am not much good at it, although I’ve managed to keep Gwynly satisfied
nearly twenty-five years. Of course, he’s very easy to please. In my defense, I
do make yummy enchiladas smothered in green sauce.

JP:
Enchiladas sound divine, but I’ll suffice with this delicious vanilla scone!
You know, I was telling my mom about your book and I believe my exact words
were, “Keli writes all things Victorian.” What do you find most fascinating
about the Victorian Era and why did you choose to write about it?
I’m having so much fun
using my new tea set today!
 KG: What a great
question, Jess. Even before I began writing, I gravitated to stories set in the
Victorian Era. Why? I’m not sure. I find the fact that the Victorians labored
under such rigid rules and societal restrictions intriguing. Being a
Californian, I enjoy the Westward Expansion aspect of stories set in that period.
And I do love the clothing of the time—all but the corset, that is.

JP: I
was shocked to learn how dangerous corsets were to women back then! I feel
suffocated just thinking about it!  Being
a woman has its setbacks for your female lead character, who wants a business
partnership with Miles Rutledge, but her tenacity is inspiring. What do you
think was the hardest thing for a woman during this time? Why?
KG: Aside from wearing corsets and wilting in the summer
beneath the many layers of clothing Victorian women wore, I think the
repression they experienced must have been hard on them. Thanks to the
suffragists, women were becoming more self-aware and eager to explore new
avenues, but they had a tough battle to convince men—and many traditionally
minded women—that they deserved the right to vote, own property, etc., rather than being considered property.
This isn’t to say that I’m a feminist, because I’m not. I’m happily
married, and I understand and accept the Biblical teaching that Gwynly is the
head of our family. But I like being able to voice my opinions. And I do like
the fact that I have a book out with my
name on it, a privilege that women writers in the past were often denied.
JP:  I agree with you, Keli, and I think you did a
wonderful job making Elenora strong minded, yet able to follow Miles’ lead when
needed. Well done! Since we’re having tea and chatting about A Bride Opens Shop in El Dorado, California,
can you share a few fun facts about a Victorian tea? Did women wear gloves? Was
there a proper way to “have” tea? Am I doing this all wrong today?
A Victorian love letter!
photocredit: freedigitalphotos
KG: Trust the Victorians to have rules for just about
everything. One of my etiquette books from the time devotes eighteen pages to
the Tea Party, and yet the chapter begins by saying this about the Afternoon
Tea: “Gone are the anxieties, the formality, and the etiquette of the dinner
table.”
Afternoon Tea took place between four and six p.m., with a
recommended maximum of six guests. The hostess could choose whether or not she
wanted her guests to bring their own teacups. A lady would wear a tea dress,
which could be worn without a corset. (Ah. Sweet relief.) She must, however,
wear gloves, which is why the food had to be prepared in such a way that
butter, fillings, etc. were not on the outside of the sandwiches and biscuits.
She would also wear her hat during the entire visit.

The Victorians were known for having lists of “do not’s.” With regard to Tea
Parties, three I find entertaining are: do not request more than one or two
spoonfuls of sugar, because that “is ill-bred and appears greedy;” do not quite
drain a cup or glass; and do not extend your ring and small fingers upward, for
that “bespeaks arrogance, not refinement.”


JP: I
chuckled on the “gone are the anxieties, the formality” part! Wow, that’s so
interesting. And pardon me for sticking out my pinky! Really, I’m not arrogant,
just uneducated! LOL Okay, tell us one thing you truly hope readers will take
away and forever remember about your debut novel?
KG: Oh. This is easy. I hope they remember how much fun they
had reading it. There are messages and themes in the story, of course, but to
me, those are secondary. As I see it, my job as an author of fiction is to
entertain, and that’s what I endeavor to do first and foremost.
JP: Well, you nailed it then! I was thoroughly entertained
and engrossed! I loved your book, Keli, and I anticipate reading your sophomore
novel. When can we expect to see that one on shelves?
photo credit: freedigitalphotos
KG: I’m glad you enjoyed the story, Jess. Hearing that warms
this debut novelist’s heart.
As to when readers can expect my next book… Soon, I hope. My
agent and I are working on that now. And you can be assured it will be a historical
romance set in the Victorian Era, since I’m smitten with it.

JP: I’d
expect nothing less! Well, whatever and whenever, I know I’ll be ready for it!
I hope you’ll pick up Keli’s debut novel and read it, if  you haven’t already. You won’t be
disappointed!

Thanks
for sitting a spell and having tea with me today, Keli! It’s been a treasure.
KG: Thanks so much for having me as your guest, Jess. What a
pleasure to spend time with you and your blog’s visitors. I have a question for
all of you: What is one thing you’ve
heard about the Victorians that you find particularly interesting or unusual?
To learn more about Keli, you can visit her Victorian-style
cyber home at www.keligwyn.com, where
you’ll find her parlor, study, carriage house, and more, along with her blog
and her social media links.
Purchase this book! (kindle)
Purchase this book! (nook)
And all book stores! 
Here’s a peek at A Bride Opens Shop in El Dorado, California:
An ever-resourceful
widow, Elenora Watkins arrives in El Dorado ready to go into partnership with
Miles Rutledge. When he refuses, Elenora becomes the competition across the
street. Is this town big enough for the two of them? Miles can’t help but stick
his well-polished boot in his mouth whenever he comes face-to-face with
Elenora. Can he find a way to win her heart while destroying her business?
Miles’s mother, Maude, is bent on Elenora becoming her new daughter-in-law
while Elenora’s daughter, Tildy, thinks Miles would make a perfect papa. How
far will these meddlers go to unite this enterprising pair?

Coffee with Lisa Jordan and a Giveaway!

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

Good Monday
everyone! Today, I’m hanging out with the ridiculously talented author, Lisa
Jordan! Married 23 years to her real life hero, Lisa  knows a thing or two about romance. She
and her husband have two college-aged sons and will be facing an empty nest
soon. By day, Lisa is an early childhood educator, and by night, she is a
contemporary romance novelist with Love Inspired. Lakeside Reunion, her debut
novel, is a 2012 Carol Award Finalist. Lakeside Family, her second novel,
releases in August 2012. She is represented by Rachelle Gardner of Books &
Such Agency. In her free time (ha!), Lisa enjoys good books, chick flicks,
crafting with friends and feeding her NCIS addiction. To learn more about Lisa,
visit her website at www.lisajordanbooks.com.

Now, guess where we
are?
Cuppa
Josie’s!
Can’t you smell the
cinnamon tangoing with the sugar while banana nut bread turns golden in the
oven! Spiced teas and rich dark roasted coffee tease us to give in to the
caffeine rush, while the herbal teas challenge us to be healthier!
This is Cuppa
Josie’s and it can only be found in Shelby Lake, the setting of Lisa’s second
novel in the Lakeside series, Lakeside Family.
JP:
Lisa, tell us a little bit about Cuppa Josie’s so readers will know where they
are today! And what’s on the menu?!
LJ: Cuppa Josie’s is
a coffee café that invites guests to sit on the comfy couch to sip their
coffee, eat their lunch at the window bar and watch people pass by, or pull up
one of the chairs at the round tables to chat with friends or do work.
Josie opened a
coffee café because coffee and food bring people together. Inspired by her
Italian grandmother, Josie bakes all of the desserts in her bakery case from
scratch.
photo credit: freedigitalphotos
JP:
As I read the scenes with Josie in the kitchen, my mouth watered. Chocolate
chip muffins, lemon poppy seed muffins, apple crisp and delicious flavored
coffees! How many sweet delicacies did you eat while writing this?
LJ: Hehe, funny
thing is I didn’t eat any of them! When I’m in the mood, I love to bake—usually
in the winter when the temps dip, but I haven’t had a lot of baking time. I’ve
found inspiration in my cookbooks, online recipe sites and the tasty treats offered
at our local coffee shop that sort of inspired Cuppa Josie’s.
JP:
Josie had an allergy to caffeine. Which broke my heart, poor thing. But what a
neat trait to give her. I’ve never read of anyone having this particular
allergy. I’m on my second cup of Butter toffee and chocolate coffee, by the
way. What are you sipping on?
LJ: Josie loves
people more than she loves coffee, but she knows how many people enjoy a fresh
cup.
I love the smell of
coffee, but hate the taste. Drinking coffee makes me sick…literally, but I
loved hanging out with my friends at our favorite coffee spot. In fact, several
colleagues and I kept meeting at our local coffee shop, and that started our friendship.
We now call ourselves the Coffee Girls.
Photo credit: freedigitalphotos
I love tea. Chai tea
is a favorite, as well as Good Hope Vanilla. I drink a lot of green tea, both
hot and cold. In the summertime, I drink a cup of hot tea in the morning, then
switch to iced green tea. In the winter, I will drink caffeine-free tea throughout
the day. I have enough tea to drink 2 or 3 cups a day and not run out for over
a year.
JP:
I love the Chai tea latte, but I can’t seem to enjoy Green tea. I love Shelby
Lake it’s truly a special place, too bad it’s fictitious because I’d definitely
put it on my vacation list. Or live list. You made it fun, friendly, full of
community. Did you base it off any particular place? If so, how much of Shelby
Lake is fictional?
LJ: Shelby Lake is
fictional. It’s set in the northwestern part of Pennsylvania, which is where I
live. Our area is simply breathtaking with mountains, rivers, multicolored
leaves in the fall. I live in a national forest with one of the great lakes
within a 90 minute drive. When I created Shelby Lake, I wanted a lakefront
community similar to what I’m familiar with. And the experts tell us to write
what we know. Friends and family will mention certain parts of my book and
compare it to an area in our town. I’ll simply smile and say something like,
“Imagine that.”
photo credit: freedigitalphotos
JP:
I need to come visit you then! Lisa, my favorite recipe is the zeppole. Tell
readers what that is and how they can get the recipe for this wonderful pastry!
LJ: Zeppole is an
Italian doughnut-like pastry. It reminds me a little of a cream puff. They can
be baked or deep fried like doughnuts. In Lakeside Family, Josie bakes hers and
it’s a treat saved only for family and special friends. She doesn’t offer it to
her customers at Cuppa Josie’s. Readers can Google the recipe and find
variations. I will be including the recipe in my September newsletter, so if
you want Josie’s secret recipe, you need to subscribe to my newsletter on my
site. Go to www.lisajordanbooks.com
and click on the envelope icon on the right side of the navigation bar or
scroll to the bottom of the home page and fill in your email address in the
“Stay in Touch” box.
JP:
If I’m not signed up, I will be! Since Lisa is so awesome, she said she’d share
another recipe here today!
Photo credit: freedigitalphotos
LJ: I’m sharing
Josie’s Glazed Lemon Poppyseed Strawberry Crumb Muffins
1½ cups flour
½ cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking
powder
1 teaspoon ground
cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup plain nonfat
yogurt
1 stick melted
butter
1 egg
1 cup chopped fresh
strawberries
1 teaspoon lemon
zest
Crumb topping:
¼ cup chopped
almonds
¼ cup packed brown
sugar
2 Tablespoons flour
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon lemon
zest
1 Tablespoon melted
butter
Mix together with
fork.
Glaze:
Combine 2/3 cup
powdered sugar with 1 ¼ Tablespoon fresh lemon juice in a small bowl until
smooth
Preheat oven to 350˚
F. Grease or line with papers 12 muffin cups. Mix crumb topping and set aside.
Mix glaze and set aside.
In a large bowl,
combine flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. In a small bowl, mix
milk, butter and egg until well blended. Stir milk mixture into flour mixture
until just moistened. Don’t worry about lumps. Avoid overmixing. Fold in
strawberries and lemon zest. Spoon mixture into prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle
crumb mixture evenly over tops of muffins. Bake in oven for about 25 minutes or
until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove muffins from pan and
cool on a wire rack. Drizzle the glaze over warm muffin tops. Serve with
favorite beverage.
JP:
Yum! I should bake these for book club! One last thing before you go. One of
the most fun things about Cuppa Josie’s is her word wall. Lisa, after you snag
another muffin, tell readers what that is and then leave us with our very own
virtual word wall today!
LJ: Each month Josie
puts up miscellaneous words on a community word wall and challenges her
customers to write something unique. At the end of the month, they’re voted on
and the winner receives a free drink.
photocredit: freedigitalphotos
Your
word wall challenge—use these words in a paragraph… trust, lake, kite, muffin,
umbrella, elephant, Thursday.
JP:
Since Lisa is so awesome, she’s giving away a copy of her novel, Lakeside Family! All you have to do is leave
your email address if you want to be entered to win! Sharing on facebook and
tweeting gets you added entries. (but tag me so I count them as added entries)
And that’s not all! (Wow, for a second I
thought I was about to give away the shamwow! Can you say infomercial voice!?)
If you take the word wall challenge, Lisa will choose the
person with the best paragraph and they’ll get a
$10.00 Starbucks card! (US residents only for both contests.)
Lisa is celebrating
the release of Lakeside Family with a month-long party of
giveaways, including Coffee Lovers and Tea Lovers baskets. For more details and
to enter the gift basket giveaways, leave a comment here.  
The
book released at the beginning of the month, so readers can find it in their
favorite bookstore or online retailer.
Thanks
again, Lisa, for letting me and everyone else hang out with you at Cuppa
Josie’s! It’s been worth the calories! You can hang out with Lisa in other places too, like FACEBOOK and TWITTER and her BLOG! 
Here’s a peek at
Lakeside Family:
The one man she never wanted to see again is the
only who can save her daughter’s life.
In the
space of a minute, Nick Brennan learns he has a nine-year-old daughter— and
that she desperately needs his help. All this time, his high school sweetheart,
single mother Josie Peretti, thought he knew about their child. And that he
just didn’t care. About the ill little girl—or Josie, the woman he’s never
forgotten. But Nick made a long-ago promise never to forsake his family the way
his father did. A promise he vows to make good on now… if only Josie will bless
him with a second chance.
*The winner for the God of All Comfort goodie basket, including Donna Pyle’s study and a Kindle touch is…. Loree Huebner!

It’s not too late for those of you who didn’t win! Hop over to Gabrielle Meyer’s blog; Donna’s over there sharing about her study and giving away:

  • A signed copy of The God of All Comfort
  • $50 Amazon card
  • $15 iTunes card
  • Coffee mug w/ the study’s logo
  • And a DVD set of Your Strong Suit (fab study by Donna)

Must Read Monday: The Shadow of Your Smile by Susan May Warren

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

“If God would start playing by the rules, it would sure be easier to trust Him.”


I’ve had the opportunity to read Susan May Warren’s The Shadow of Your Smile. If you’re a Susan May Warren fan and stories from Deep Haven, you won’t be disappointed in this novel.

Plot and subplot are rich with drama, romance, and humor.

This novel is about a couple in their mid-forties, who’ve already had a tragedy strike their lives, now–Noelle Hueston is thinking about leaving her husband and starting over. One last kiddo to graduate and she’s making a new life, but an incident leaves her injured and her memory past college is gone. Funny, when she wakes up, she truly thinks she’s twenty-one! Which is sad and hilarious at the same time.

This main plot is about loving, forgiving, and starting over. A beautiful story of two married people who’ve grown apart through time and unfortunate circumstances.  I thought the ending to this plot was well done and I closed the book with satisfaction.

The subplot involved the couple’s oldest son, Kyle, and his love interest, another local from Deep Haven, but the tragedy that wrecked the Hueston family reached into Emma Nelson’s family as well. 

Susan May Warren has a unique way of describing using all the senses and when I read one of her books, including this one, I feel like I’m transported to Deep Haven. I live there as long as it takes me to read the book. I had lots of time yesterday, so I read it in one long stretch. 

This book is set to release in 2012. I recommend you nab it up when it does. You’ll enjoy winter in Deep Haven, the crackling fires, fresh powdered snow blanketing a story of lost love, found. 

I appreciate Tyndale giving me the chance to review it in return for my honest opinion.
Here’s a sneak peek at The Shadow of Your Smile: 

A beautiful blanket of snow may cover the quaint town of Deep Haven each winter, but it can’t quite hide the wreckage of Noelle and Eli Hueston’s marriage. After twenty-five years, they’re contemplating divorce . . . just as soon as their youngest son graduates from high school. But then an accident erases part of Noelle’s memory. 
Though her other injuries are minor, she doesn’t remember Eli, their children, or the tragedy that has ripped their family apart. What’s more, Noelle is shocked that her life has turned out nothing like she dreamed it would. As she tries to regain her memory and slowly steps into her role as a wife and mother, Eli helps her readjust to daily life with sometimes-hilarious, sometimes-heartwarming results. 
But can she fall in love again with a man she can’t remember? Will their secrets destroy them . . . or has erasing the past given them a chance for a future?

When it comes to romance, what season do you think is the most romantic? A hot steamy summer, spring with new blossoms sprouting, fall when nights are cool and the leaves are turning, or in winter when sleigh rides and hot cocoa beckon you to snuggle up with your honey? 

Some stuff…and my review of The Colonel’s Lady!

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch
This is the sign inside our
favorite place to eat, The Flying Fish.
  I laugh every time I see it!
You can see why this is my
kind of establishment! 
So Saturday night, to end my birthday week, DH took me downtown to eat at our favorite place, but when I got there…SURPRISE! He’d been sneaky and invited our friends who made a fun spectacle of me! We ate lots of seafood and birthday cake.   


AND…

I’ve been blogging an entire year since last October! Truth is I wasn’t sure I’d even like blogging. “What would I say?”  “Do people really read blogs?” “What if no one likes me?” Turns out, I find all kinds of stuff to say whether it’s important or not, people do read blogs, and I’ve made some lifelong friends because of it! I love y’all! I appreciate you taking time to stop by and read whatever it is I’m writing about and then taking more time to actually comment! You’ve made it so much fun! And for you lurkers, keep lurking. I hope you laugh at times, are ministered to at others, and keep coming back. If you don’t like leaving comments, send me a private email! I’d love to know you’re hanging around. 🙂  




NOW…. A review of….


THE COLONEL’S LADY by Laura Frantz


In the last six months, I’ve just begun branching out of my normal genres of reading. I’ve only read a handful of historical romances. Most of them I’ve liked, but NOT The Colonel’s Lady.

I LOVED The Colonel’s Lady.

Laura Frantz grabbed me from the first page with a heroine who was fragile, yet strong. Naive, yet intelligent and I fell in love with her instantly.

Her hero, Colonel McLinn, well… sigh, dream, wow! Interesting thing about Colonel McLinn; he’s a red head. You don’t see that often with heroes. An Irish tall drink of water with red hair.

The tension between the two was superbly written, the angst for them to be together at an all time high and the twists, fun and delightful…and surprising!

The soft themes of forgiveness and trust blanketed each page in a way that was far from preachy. 

I sighed, swooned, and at the very end…in the words of Casey Herringshaw at her goodreads review “I couldn’t write this book review right after closing the final page of “The Colonel’s Lady”. Why? My heart was too full.” 

I lived at the Fort in Kentucky and near and in the stone house for days after reading this book. 

A romance to read. A book to keep. An author to follow.

My rating: 5 perfect stars

author, Laura  Frantz

Here’s a peek at The Colonel’s Lady. 
In 1779, when genteel Virginia spinster Roxanna Rowan arrives at the Kentucky fort commanded by Colonel Cassius McLinn, she finds that her officer father has died. Penniless and destitute, Roxanna is forced to take her father’s place as scrivener. Before long, it’s clear that the colonel himself is attracted to her. But she soon realized the colonel has grave secrets of his own–some of which have to do with her father’s sudden death. Can she ever truly love him? 

Unrelated to the post, what is your favorite fall candle scent? I just bought Yankee Candle scents: Farmer’s Market & Pomegranate Cider!

Faith Readers Book Club Review: Edge of Grace by Christa Allan

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch
Faith Readers
Book Club
(we were missing some)

First off, let me say a big thank you to Marji Laine for awarding me with the Versatile blogger award Yay! I blame it on my MPD and so do I! Me too!

I’ll follow the rules for it on Friday. Now, on with the show this is it!


I love books! I love talking about books. And that’s why I enjoy Faith Readers! An inspirational fiction, book club. Forming friendships through faith and fiction.


We kicked our first book off with Christa Allan’s the Edge of Grace. A book that will definitely make you talk!

Dunkin Donuts, homemade desserts and coffee, along with our cool Cornerstone Church Cafe made for great food & atmosphere. So many women, all ages, various backgrounds. I wasn’t sure what everyone would think.

After some dessert, we set up skype and had the chance to chat with the lovely Christa Allan. She made us feel at home by telling us up front that there was nothing we couldn’t ask or say to her. 

Her book is controversial and I’ve never read anything like it in the Christian market. (CBA) The big question was: 
“Can you be gay and be a Christian?”
Many answers came to that question!

“Absolutely not.” “It’s rebellion.” “I don’t know.” “Yes.” “I think you can, just like you can have sex outside of marriage and be straight, you still love God, but you struggle.” “We’re not supposed to judge.”

These are just some of the answers among our book club.

I asked, “Would you ladies recommend this book?”


One said, “I already gave mine away. A lady is dealing with an issue like this in her life, and starting a book club at her church. I thought this would be good for her.”

Another said, “No. I didn’t agree with the issue and I didn’t particularly like the main character; I thought she was whiny.”  

A reply came. “Wouldn’t you be whiny if you found out your brother was gay, you lost your husband to death, and you could barely pay bills?”

“I think that was the point, ” another said. “She whined about her brother because how it affected her. Everything revolved around her, but she evolved toward the end. We have a hard time loving people because we’re selfish.”

“I would recommend the book because this kind of issue isn’t going to go away. It needs to be out there for us to discuss.”

“We need these kinds of books! As Christians, we don’t have anguish for the lost, and we need these books to remind us to love.” 

What did you take away from this book?

“I had more compassion for homosexuals than before.”

“I’m still confused.”

What are some things you liked about the book?


“I liked that she didn’t stereotype them. The brother and his partner watched football and didn’t act like we assume they would. They were regular guys.”

Did the question get answered? No. Did we express our opinions and have a great time doing it? Yes!


Bottom line is this, the main character, Caryn, had a choice: Never speak to her brother again, never darken his door or…love him unconditionally. 


Christa said she had to come to terms with the fact that her own brother wasn’t going to stop being gay. He just wasn’t. So she chose to love him anyway. That’s what Caryn, the main character chose to do too. 

In  a controversial, yet touching novel, Christa Allan weaves a story of love, forgiveness, and family. Even if it isn’t the family that the main character asked for. Her wit and humor was exactly what you expect out of her, if you’ve read her debut novel, Walking On Broken Glass. Spot on. 

It’s a book that will make you stop and think, pray, and remind you that people are people and they deserve agape love, no matter what they look like, or which sex they prefer. 

You can analyze it all day long (and we did): Are they born that way? Were they molested? Did they have a bad home life? You think they have too much testosterone or estrogen? And so forth and so on. 

And at the end of all that debate, when answers did not come, it boiled down to one simple word: LOVE.

Christa Allan

Here’s the back cover:
“An early morning call shatters Caryn Becker’s world. Unable to cope with her brother’s news that he is gay,  Caryn rejects him and disappears into her own turbulent life as a young widow and single mom. But when David is attacked and nearly killed, Caryn is forced to make hard choices about family, faith, and her own future; choices that take her to the very edge of grace.”

Care to weigh in with your thoughts, opinions, or experiences? And, have you read the Edge of Grace? 


*We chose The Chair by James Rubart as our October book!