Tag: fiction

Faith Readers Review: Gone to Ground

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

I let it slip by. I guess I’ve been busy. Whatever. Point is, I haven’t posted our book club’s review of Gone to Ground by Brandilyn Collins. Brandilyn writes Seatbelt Suspense and she’s one of my favorite authors in Christian writing.

Vacations, night school and various other obligations kept many of our ladies from attending, but they did read the book. We kicked off conversation with brownies–an assortment. Turtle, chocolate chip, white icing and brownie bites. It was only fitting since Cherrie May, one of the southern characters ate them with the victim before the police found her dead! Dun, dun, dun!

We chose this book and by us, I mean the ladies. I choose the genre and give about 5 selections, then I sit back and watch them duke it out on which one to read. Kidding. They don’t duke it out…much. And when the picks all seem good to the ladies, they just download the others on their Kindles anyway!

Here’s a few things that were said: NO SPOILER ALERTS!!!


“I liked that she set it in Mississippi. I think she portrayed a small southern town well.” (Uh, we live in MS near Memphis)


“I thought using three women in first person was a little confusing at first.”


“I did too, but then once I figured out who was who, it didn’t bother me anymore.”


“I thought the twists were great and I had no idea who the killer was!”


“Me either!”


“I did.” (that was me btw)


“I thought the way she unfolded everything was well done. I hate books that at the end, the killer tells how he did everything. Who would do that? I mean a sprinkle of something maybe, but to basically tell the whole thing, uh, that’s the author not able to write a good story.” (Take notes, writers. Readers want organic story, not the villain telling it all at the end.)


“I didn’t care for the written dialect. I could figure out how she talked after the author described her. That just irritated me.”


“I loved her descriptions and I was into the story from page one.”


 “I let my mom read it and she devoured it in a night.” 


“I’d like to read more of her books.” 


Rating: 1-5 stars. 4!


Here’s a peek at Gone to Ground:

Brandilyn Collins website
Amaryllis, Mississippi is a scrappy little town of strong backbone and southern hospitality. A brick-paved Main Street, a park, and a legendary ghost in the local cemetery are all part of its heritage. Everybody knows everybody in Amaryllis, and gossip wafts on the breeze. Its people are friendly, its families tight. On the surface Amaryllis seems much like the flower for which it’s named–bright and fragrant. But the Amaryllis flower is poison. 

In the past three
years five unsolved murders have occurred within the town. All the victims were
women, and all were killed in similar fashion in their own homes. And just two
nights ago—a sixth murder.
Clearly a killer
lives among the good citizens of Amaryllis. And now three terrified women are
sure they know who he is—someone they love. None is aware of the others’
suspicions. And each must make the heartrending choice to bring the killer
down. But each woman suspects a different man. 



Our next genre was Medical Thrillers and the ladies chose, Code Triage by Candace Calvert. (I’ve finished it already!)


I talked about my crazy dog the other day at Lisa Jordan’s blog. Due to what happened, we had her groomed. I asked the people to cut her like a Schnauzer. OMG. I came home and my husband said, “Hey, what’s with the old Japanese Kung fu do?” 


“What?” 


Yeah…this is what they did to my dog! But I didn’t take her back and demand they fix her because after what she did to me, she has the grandpa beard coming. Punishment.

Before
After LOL!!!!
Everybody Wang Chung
tonight! Oh wait,
they can’t because…
Everybody was Kung
Fu Fighting!

Go read the story…you’ll understand! 



Do you read suspense? Why or why not? Also, what do you think of my dog? LOL! 




Crafting a Plot

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

I’m not a serious plotter. By that, I mean I don’t know every single scene and how many words each chapter will be or how many chapters the story will actually have. 

I do know my major plot points, beginning and end. Everything in the middle is a discovery to me. I can fix any issues in the editing process. 

I’m plotting a new story (major plot points); it’s in the baby stages–not even ready to send to my agent to say, “What do you think? Should I run with this or call it a day?” 

Craft books have come in handy for sure, but truth is I like to apply that knowledge (mostly) when I go into the editing process. My first draft is all about imagination–seeing it play out like a movie in my head and exploring along with my characters. 

I’m looking forward to figuring out the middle main plot points so I can write up a synopsis and send to my agent. I haven’t written from a clean slate in over a year. Maybe two. I had so many mss under my belt, I’ve been taking them from first drafts to polished pieces.  Although I admit, after all the editing/polishing they are like new books. I’m finally about to send off the last ms to my critique partners and get a green light on this new book to write. Hopefully. I’m pretty excited about it!

I’ve been reading Story Structure Architect and it’s wonderful. I’ve been using it to plot out my main stuff and it’s been very helpful. I’m curious how much tighter my first draft writing will be compared to my previous ones. 

Check out my Pinterest page to see more craft books I’ve thanked God for! Also, you can catch a sneak peek at my new plot ideas for the book. I tend to develop ideas as I research, so I’ve been imagining a few things!

Writers: Are you plotters, pantsers or somewhere in between and what craft book/s do you recommend? 
Readers: Are you on Pinterest? Let me know in the comments and I’ll follow your boards!

Postcards, Smooching Llamas, and Beth K. Vogt!

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

Connect with Beth!
Twitter
facebook
blog

Today, I am ecstatic to hang out with the wise, lovely, talented author, Beth Vogt. I read her debut novel, Wish You Were Here and I gotta say, it was so much fun to read. I laughed out loud, I swooned, and I’m pretty sure I laughed and swooned some more!
Beth K. Vogt is a
non-fiction author and editor who said she’d never write fiction. She’s the
wife of an Air Force family physician (now in solo practice) who said she’d
never marry a doctor—or anyone in the military. She’s a mom of four who said
she’d never have kids. She’s discovered that God’s best often waits behind the
doors marked “Never.” Her inspirational contemporary romance novel, Wish You Were Here, debuted May 2012 (Howard
Books.) Her second novel, Catch a Falling Star,
releases May 2013. Beth is an established magazine writer and former editor of Connections, the leadership magazine for MOPS
International.
JP: You said
you’d never write fiction. The world is a better place because you do! Tell us
why you chose romance?
BV: God turned a
season of burnout into a bend in the writing road and I found myself on the
“Dark Side” writing a novel. I’ve always loved to read romances – contemporary,
historical, even some suspense – so it was a natural choice for me to try
writing one.
JP: In your debut
novel, one of your male characters, Daniel, has spent years sending your
heroine, Allison, postcards. Are you a postcard fan? Do you collect them? How
did this idea come to you? It was one of my favorite things about the book,
among so many others!
BV:The title Wish You Were Here came first – after several
misfires – and then the idea for the postcards came after that. It just seemed
natural that Daniel would send Allison postcards – glimpses of all his travels.
Most of the postcards are based on places that my family has lived or visited
through the years.
JP: Can you share
with us one of your favorite lines from this novel and tell us why?
BV:This is some
dialogue between Seth, Allison’s ex-fiancé, and her stepfather, Will:
“I’m sorry about how
things ended between you and Allison. But that doesn’t give you the right to
get physical with my daughter. Do I make myself clear?
Seth closed his
eyes, searching for a way to make amends. “Look, Mr. Denman, Allison and I had
a bit of a disagreement before Christmas. I assure you that I didn’t hurt—”
“The only thing you
can say at this time is ‘Yes, sir.’”
Seth gritted his
teeth. “Yes, sir.”
When I wrote this
scene I imagined what my husband would say if he were talking to Seth – I think
I even asked him. Will represents safety for Allison – and he comes through for
her again. I believe fathers can (should) play a crucial role in their daughter’s
life – and one facet of that role is to protect them.
JP: I remember grinning at this snippet! Daniel is a
big-time outdoorsman. What about you? Indoor girl or Outdoor? Have you ever
done any of the things he did in the book?
BV: I’m an indoor
girl who married an Eagle Scout-outdoor guy. I love to watch my husband camp.
My husband and I enjoy snowshoeing and we’ve gone snowmobiling. The scene where
Daniel breaks his knee cap? That one is taken from real life. Several summers ago,
my husband broke his knee while we were hiking. After our daughters headed down
the mountain to alert the rescue team, he splinted his leg with two tree
branches, bandanas and a rolled up T-shirt and with the help of two guys,
started hiking down the mountain. We met the rescue team halfway down.
JP: Oh, wow! You
married the real MacGyver! So tell us, did you try on wedding dresses for fun,
you know as inspiration for the novel!? What kind of research, hands-on/off,
did you do?
BV:The only one
trying on wedding dresses was my oldest daughter, who got married in 2011. I
did visit a llama ranch to get up close and personal with llamas. I even shared
a few kisses with some of them.
JP:  Um…I’ve done lots for research, never
smooched a llama! 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?
BV: Oh. My. Word.
That’s a tough one. I’ll go with Anne of Anne
of Green Gables. I love that girl’s spunk and intelligence and
imagination and sense of adventure!
JP: Fill in the
blank: If I were out for the day, I’d be lost without __________ and
__________, but I could make it without __________________.
BV:  If I were out for the day, I’d be lost
without my sunglasses and my iPhone, but I could make it without breakfast or
lunch..
JP: I could make it,
but I wouldn’t want to! Before you go, what would you like to ask the readers
today? They love to comment!
BV: I’ll offer them
two questions: If you could be a character in any book you’ve read, who would
you choose and why? And here’s an easier one: What 2 things do you need to make
it through the day?
Good questions!
Thanks, Beth, for hanging out today!  
Here’s a sneak peek of Wish You Were Here
Purchase
Wish You Were Here
HERE! 
 Kissing the wrong
guy days before her scheduled
wedding leads Allison to become a runaway bride. But can it also lead to
happily ever after?
Allison
Denman is supposed to get married in five days, but everything is all wrong.
The huge wedding. The frothy dress. And the groom.
Still,
kissing the groom’s brother, Daniel, in an unguarded moment is decidedly not the right thing to do. How could she
have made such a mistake? It seems Allison’s life is nothing but mistakes at
this point. Daniel’s adventures—chronicled through a collection of
postcards—have always appealed to Allison’s well-hidden desire for something
more. But how can betraying her fiancé’s trust lead to a true happily ever
after?
Can
Allison find her way out of this mess? Recognizing she doesn’t have all the
answers won’t be easy because she’s used to being in control. To find her way
again, she will have to believe that God has a plan for her—one outside her
carefully defined comfort zone—and find the strength to let Him lead.

Guest Devotion: Katie Ganshert

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

Today, I’ve asked Katie to share a devotion that goes along with some of the spiritual themes in her debut novel, Wildflowers from Winter. 
Don’t forget to come back on Friday when we play Would You Rather with Katie and her main characters, Bethany and Evan!
Take it away, Katie, and thanks so much for sharing your heart with us today! 
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who
love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28
I have
to tell you, this verse used to confuse the crud out of me. I’d hear
well-intentioned Christians quote it at each other and my forehead would go all
wrinkly.
Because
in reality, Christians suffer. Their spouse has an aneurysm. Or they struggle
through infertility. Or they fall off a silo and end up in a wheelchair. Or
(insert any number of bad things here).
And the
whole idea of patting their shoulder and saying, “Don’t worry. God will work
this out for your good” feels a little insensitive to me.
Especially
since sometimes, the spouse doesn’t recover. Sometimes they’ll never get a
positive pregnancy test. And sometimes they never leave the wheelchair.
So how
can we possibly say God’s working for their good? It doesn’t make any sense.
At least
not by our definition of good.
And
there’s the crux of the verse. That one simple word.
What
is good?
We know
the world’s definition. To the world, good equals comfort. Good equals
prosperity and health and popularity and independence and getting what we want.
That’s how my main character, Bethany Quinn, sees it.
But
maybe that’s not what good means to God.
Maybe to
God, good means becoming more like Jesus. Relying more on Jesus. Discovering
that all we really need is Jesus.
And
maybe that doesn’t happen during times of prosperity. Maybe it’s during those
times of grief, or helplessness, or failing health, or unmet expectations, that
we take our eyes off the temporary things this world has to offer and draw
nearer to Him.
Let’s Talk: What do you think God means by
“good”? Have you grown closer to the Lord because of hard times?
Here’s a sneak peek at Wildflowers from Winter! Click HERE to purchase the novel!
A young architect at
a prestigious Chicago firm, Bethany Quinn has built a life far removed from her
trailer park teen years. Until an interruption from her estranged mother
reveals that tragedy has struck in her hometown and a reluctant Bethany is
called back to rural Iowa. Determined to pay her respects while avoiding any
emotional entanglements, she vows not to stay long. But the unexpected
inheritance of farmland and a startling turn of events in Chicago forces
Bethany to come up with a new plan.
Handsome farmhand
Evan Price has taken care of the Quinn farm for years. So when Bethany is left
the land, he must fight her decisions to realize his dreams. But even as he
disagrees with Bethany’s vision, Evan feels drawn to her and the pain she keeps
so carefully locked away. 
For Bethany, making
peace with her past and the God of her childhood doesn’t seem like the path to
freedom. Is letting go the only way to new life, love and a peace she’s not
even sure exists?
 I’m hosting Living by Grace today on facebook! Come over and let’s talk!  

Faith Readers Review: Wildflowers from Winter by Katie Ganshert

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

The excitement was over-the-top! Not only was our rockstar, Jan Kerley, bringing Surprise Strawberry cupcakes (the surprise was a cream cheese and chocolate chip center…uh yeah, awesome) but we had the amazing opportunity to skype with author, Katie Ganshert–her first book club group to chat live with! Yay! You can see our picture on her book club page HERE! She has the cake from the story (which had I been on my A game, I’d have baked) as well as discussion questions and a youtube video for bookclubbers! So cool!  

We spent the first 30 minutes of our time discussing the book–yah know before Katie’s turn! 🙂  
Our rating 1-5 stars: 4 stars!

I think for the first time ever, everyone liked this book! Here’s some of the things we said pre-Katie:
“I connected with Bethany from the very get-go.”

“I didn’t connect with her at first but then I realized how insecure she was, and by the end I forgot she was a fictional character.”

“I loved the romance! It wasn’t too much but just enough that it didn’t overpower the real story.”

“I want to meet Evan! Whoo–that kiss!”

“Whoo–that dance!!”

“I thought Robin’s grief was real, too real. It hit home and that’s all I could focus on.” 

“I think the author wrote beautifully but not over my head.”

“I want that cake recipe!”

“I’d like Evan!”

And then we had the chance to skype with the beautiful, smart, and funny Katie Ganshert! She was very personable and interactive with us which is fabulous!  She even asked us questions! I loved that and so did our Faith Readers. It made us all feel valuable. I can’t quote everything said because I don’t want to give anything away! But here’s a few things I can share!
Katie sent us a picture of who she thought Evan looked like! 

She explained some of the changes her editor asked for, which was amazing how she pulled off those feats! 

She talked about some of her inspiration, people she talked to about grief and a book she read.

Everyone took turns on the camera asking questions and laughing. It was a great night! 


Katie’s debut novel, Wildflowers from Winter is an amazing book and I encourage anyone to read it! In honor of her release, I’ve invited Katie to spend the rest of the week on the blog!
Wednesday, she’ll be sharing a powerful devotion with you and on Friday we’ll play Would You Rather with Bethany and Evan, her main characters and Katie herself! It’s going to be lots of fun so make sure you come back and visit! 
Here’s a sneak peek at Wildflowers from Winter! 
A young architect at
a prestigious Chicago firm, Bethany Quinn has built a life far removed from her
trailer park teen years. Until an interruption from her estranged mother
reveals that tragedy has struck in her hometown and a reluctant Bethany is
called back to rural Iowa. Determined to pay her respects while avoiding any
emotional entanglements, she vows not to stay long. But the unexpected
inheritance of farmland and a startling turn of events in Chicago forces
Bethany to come up with a new plan.
Handsome farmhand
Evan Price has taken care of the Quinn farm for years. So when Bethany is left
the land, he must fight her decisions to realize his dreams. But even as he
disagrees with Bethany’s vision, Evan feels drawn to her and the pain she keeps
so carefully locked away. 
For Bethany, making
peace with her past and the God of her childhood doesn’t seem like the path to
freedom. Is letting go the only way to new life, love and a peace she’s not
even sure exists? 
What’s your favorite cupcake? Have you ever made a recipe an author included in the novel? 

Going Old School: Sweet Valley High

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

 Have you ever thought you had… say, sweet tea, in your glass–you’re craving tea–but you take a big swig and it’s lemonade? 

You turn your nose up because it wasn’t what you expected in the least. It’s a shock at first. It’s not what you wanted, but you drink it anyway because you like lemonade and you’re thirsty. 

That’s how I felt about Sweet Valley Confidential.

If you know me well, you know I loved the Sweet Valley High books growing up. While many girls were reading Babysitter club books, or Anne of Green Gables, I was all up in Elizabeth and Jessica Wakefield’s business.

When my mom told me I could go to B. Dalton books, the only bookstore in our small town, I remember being giddy all day. I’d march straight back and buy 2 or 3 books. Sometimes, I’d get to purchase 4! I couldn’t read them fast enough. I’d trade with friends, if we were missing one of the consecutive book stories. 

I fell in love with the Wakefield twins and their lives. I was always partial to bad-girl sister, Jessica Wakefield, but I adored Elizabeth and her boyfriend, Todd’s romance and true love. When the series ended, I knew they’d be together forever. They’d endured so many things, for so long. 

I could relate to a little of each character. I was invested in their lives and what they went through. I knew what it was like to have a sister to occasionally…or often, fight with. Stealing clothes, shoes, and jewelry from a sibling made sense. I swooned over Todd and even Bruce. Which is really odd saying that last statement because my dad’s name is Bruce and something about the word swoon with his name in the same sentence freaks me out slightly.

When I found out that Francine Pascal was writing a ten-years-later book, I thought I’d come out of my skin, but so much was going on I didn’t have time to nab it. Last night. I did. Sent it right to my kindle, and it’s so odd how quickly it all came back as I started reading. Things I thought I’d forgotten, nope. All there. Right back into their lives and you know, it brought back memories of my youth that I enjoyed. 

But it was like drinking lemonade when I thought I was getting sweet tea. Can you be disappointed in something and yet still like it? I dare say…you can. Because it happened to me. Those teenage dreams of having true love, all those books that I sighed with satisfaction, gone. Doused with the ice-water of reality. Fictional reality. 

I was angry for half the book, yet I kept reading because I’d poured half my teenage life into those books and that young girl had to know what the heck was going on and why? 

Sweet Elizabeth wasn’t so sweet anymore. In fact, she made her away around men more than Jessica ever did. Friends with Benefits. That’s not Elizabeth! I did love reading what happened to everyone, especially the way Pascal did it at the end. I smiled because I remembered those crazy kids. Not all of them had happy endings, but let’s be honest. The stars sometimes don’t go on to do these amazing things we think they will. In fact, some of them do very little. She resolved the conflict, and while I was happy to see them sisters again and Elizabeth happy, I could still taste the lemons and not the sugary goodness of southern sweet tea. 

I did learn something new about my writing from this book. I have another author besides Nora Roberts to blame for my former head-hopping. LOL I had no idea that’s what she was doing all those years ago, but I caught it quick last night and I thought, “So you did this to me! You and Nora.”

Here’s a small peek:

The Wakefield Twins—and the whole gang from Sweet Valley High—are back!
What terrible secret has torn Jessica and Elizabeth apart?
Ten years after graduation, the Wakefield twins have had a falling out of epic proportions. When Jessica commits a complete and utter betrayal, Elizabeth flees to New York to escape the pain and immerse herself in her lifelong dream of becoming a serious journalist.
“A perfect storm of decades past, and we are LOVING it.” —MTV
Jessica remains in California, dealing with the consequences of her heart-wrenching choices. She’s built a full life for herself but dearly misses her sister. With Elizabeth as her enemy, Sweet Valley is no longer the idyllic town of their youth.



What series books did you read as a teenager? Did you read Sweet Valley? Who was your favorite character/s? 

Get out of Dodge with Erica Vetsch!

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch
I’ll start off with a secret. I’ve never read a Western. But I won A Bride’s Portrait of Dodge City, Kansas by my friend Erica Vetsch and how could I not read it?
You know what? It was good. Really good. Another secret? I didn’t realize this was where we get the phrase, “Get the heck out of Dodge.” Also? I said this for days after reading it! My husband nearly told me to get the heck out of the house!
So…let’s talk Erica Vetsch. She writes one of my favorite blogs. I always learn something and I always leave smiling. Her Friday Five proves we have tons in common! If you don’t follow her blog, you won’t regret popping over there and joining the site!
 Erica is a transplanted Kansan now residing in Minnesota. She loves history and reading, and is blessed to be able to combine the two by writing historical fiction set in the American West. Whenever she’s not following flights of fancy in her fictional world, she’s the company bookkeeper for the family lumber business, mother of two terrific teens, wife to a man who is her total opposite and soul-mate, and avid museum patron.
JP: Minnesota? Wow that’s gotta be cold right now! But enough about weather. Your novel includes real historical figures, which is so neat. How much research did you do for those people, setting, and the occupation of Addie?
EV: I did a boatload of research. I knew nothing about photography in the 1870’s, so I had to start from ground zero. I also read lots of biographies of Bat Masterson and histories of Dodge City. There is so much folklore surrounding Dodge, thanks to Gunsmoke, that it was difficult to wade through what was true and what wasn’t.
JP: Gunsmoke! That was in Dodge City? I droned when my dad watched that!  I did NO droning when reading your book! Which character did you relate to most and why?
EV: Probably Miles, because we both want to please people and we’re less than bold about sharing our faith.
JP: I could identify with him very much and I keep wanting to correct the spelling of his name! My son’s name is Myles. Okay, moving on.  What one thing other than writing are you passionate about?
EV: At the moment, homeschooling. I’ve homeschooled for many years now, and I’m down to one child at home. We’re deep into his 10th grade year, geometry, biology, American Lit, etc. Also basketball which is ruling our lives at the moment. He’s having a great time, and so am I, except for a serious case of bleacher-butt.
JP: OMG! I so know! Karate bleachers leave me walking like Frankenstein and trying not to cry when I stand up. It bugs. Speaking of, when did you get the writer’s bug?
EV: I’ve always been a story-lover, reading copiously and spinning stories in my head. A few years ago, I tried my hand at writing some stories down, and I was well and truly caught. I can’t imagine not writing now.
JP: Tell us your favorite line from the story and tell us why?
 Spoken by Bat Masterson “…If you don’t bring in the killer yourself, Miles, you’ll never have the respect of this town or the cowboys who ride in here. You might as well hang up your badge and get out of Dodge.” I LOVED being able to use “get out of Dodge” as originally intended.
JP: Loved that line! A lightbulb went off in my brain at that moment. Though, I added heck for some reason. LOL Name one place you’d like to go that you’ve never been and why?
EV:  I’ve always wanted to visit New Zealand. When I was about 14 I discovered Essie Summers romances. They are all set in New Zealand, and I’ve read every one of her 51 novels. I would love to visit the settings of her stories. She was a big influence on me and my dream of wanting to be a writer.
JP: Wow! That’s like me reading all of Francine Pascal’s Sweet Valley High books! But not really. What genre do you like to read? Do you write that genre?
EV: I love to read historical romance and mystery and the best of both worlds for me is historical mysteries with a touch of romance. Authors like Ellis Peters, Elizabeth Peters, Anne Perry, Kathy Lynn Emerson. I would love to write more mystery, but it’s so hard to keep track of all the criminals and clues!
JP: If you could pick one villain from any book to be for a day, who would you choose?
 EV: Probably Moriarty because how cool would it be to match wits with Sherlock Holmes and be able to hold your own?
JP: That could possibly be the best villain pick yet.  Well played, Vetsch! Since we’re talking characters, who would play your characters?
Miles Carr
EV: I didn’t use to use pictures, but with the last few novels, I’ve found it very helpful. Easton Corbin was the template for Miles Carr, Amy Adams played Fran Seaton, Dylan Bruno was Jonas Spooner, and once I saw the cover art for A Bride’s Portrait, Alyssa Milano (but with blue eyes) became the template for Adeline Reid.
Fran Seaton
 JP:  Was it Alyssa? I thought it looked just like her! Well, I’ll be! Great choices, Erica. What would your characters say about you if they had the chance?
EV:  Probably “Stop being so mean to us!”
Bat Masterson for real
JP: LOL! Well in their defense, you were! Tell us what you’re working on now?
EV:  My next novel is called A Bride Sews With Love in Needles, CA. Here’s a brief overview:
Jonas Spooner
With her brother already on the front lines in France, Meghan becomes a Harvey Girl in Needles, California. Ready and willing to wait on the hundreds of doughboys heading for Europe, Meghan deems this service her way of contributing to the war effort. When her brother is injured in battle, she enlists the Harvey Girls into sewing a Red Cross signature quilt to raise money for wounded soldiers.
Horse breeder Caleb McBride makes his living by selling stock to the US Calvary and keeps his pride by remaining a loner. When Meghan meets Caleb, she senses something mysterious and wounded about him, piquing her curiosity. But when the townsfolk scorn him as a coward and profiteer, Caleb feels her pity and becomes even more guarded.
When Needles is hit with an influenza epidemic, the Harvey Girls’ hotel is made into a temporary hospital. While tending a stricken Caleb, Meghan discovers his shameful secret. Will both Caleb and Meghan find a way to kill their pride before their chance at love rips apart at the seams?
JP: Sold! That sounds intriguing! Thanks so much for coming by today, Erica. I truly loved your book–the plot, the solid characters, their quirks. I’ve already loaned it out! 
 Here’s a sneak peek at A Bride’s Portrait of Dodge City, Kansas.
Quench your craving for good fiction with this wonderfully written Old West adventure. Hoping to leave the shadows of her shady yesteryears behind, Adeline Reid is focusing on her photography career. But when her ex-boyfriend’s compatriot in crime shows up in Dodge City her entire past is threatened by exposure. Can Addie keep her secrets while helping to catch a killer? Deputy Miles Carr’s investigation into a shopkeeper’s murder leads him to Addie’s door. Will his attraction to this female photographer keep him from catching the true culprit? Or will Addie lead him off course in more ways than one? 
Before you go, Erica, would you like to ask everyone a question?
How do you feel about finding historical characters mixed in with your fiction? Love it, hate it, depends on the story?
You can connect with Erica on her blog, facebook, twitter, and the web! 

When Characters Meet

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

Wow me, please. Yes! Thank you! 
I’m talking about introducing the heroine and hero in a story. If you know me at all or follow this blog regularly, then you know I rarely write about writing. There are too many good writing blogs out there with people who can explain things much better than I, so I leave it to them.

But a comment left on my blog last Friday, the four books I’ve read over the last week and two days, and digging into an old ms of mine (polishing rewriting) has me thinking about how characters in stories meet for the first time.

The comment was left by Beth Vogt and she talked about when she met her husband, in a Karate studio, and he put her on the ground–also she was engaged to someone else. Of course she hooked me right there. My heart actually fluttered. 

There are a billion ways to introduce a hero and heroine, the earlier the better they say, but sometimes it may come fifty pages in. I wouldn’t personally go much further than that and some will disagree with even fifty pages. But as a reader, I think if things are moving fast…say a murder…then finding the hero a few chapters in is okay and it doesn’t bother me.

But when they do, it better be with a bang.  I want sparks the minute they walk on scene together. 

I finished up Love on the Line by DeeAnne Gist. When her hero,who’s working undercover as a telephone repairman, meets the heroine, the switchboard operator, sparks fly. He is demanding and she’s a woman who doesn’t want to be told what to do or what to hand over (a key and a desk) to a man. The attraction is there, but the attitude is off the charts. And it sold me.  The other 2 books I read have wonderful introductions as well, but for sake of time I chose the last book I read of hers.

In Save the Date, (another book I just finished) by Jenny B. Jones, the hero was mean to the heroine in the past and she hasn’t forgotten, but she can’t deny that he seems different and it helps that he’s delicious to look at it! The witty, and super sarcastic, banter between the two right off the bat…sold me! 

When there’s ZERO tension between two characters–when they’re both nice to each other but otherwise unavailable, nothing moves in me. It’s boring. Sadly, I have read a few books where the beginning is much like this. Some I’ve pushed through simply because I hate not to finish a book. A couple picked up about halfway (but really, shouldn’t we start off that way between two characters?) and the others never did pick up and as bad as I hated it, I dropped the books. But I don’t want to talk about books that failed, and honestly, it’s not like I’ve read dozens that have. So…

What are some of your favorite “meeting” scenes in books? Share the scene or just the book and author if you’re in a hurry. What was it about their first encounter that hooked you?

Faith Readers Group Review: The Christmas Note

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

Laughter, the smell of coffee brewing, a hint of chocolate in the air, and a mystery cake! What a great way to start off the new year with the Faith Readers women’s book club. Debra teased us on the facebook page and offered up a prize if we could guess what she was bringing. The hint: It’s from the book.

No one guessed it. 🙁 BUT…we still got to eat it! Hummingbird cake! Yummo and she even told us the story behind the Hummingbird cake.  

Our December pick was The Christmas Note by Donna VanLiere. Many of her books can be found as Lifetime TV movies. After reading this book, we know why! It was made for a warm, fuzzy holiday flick.

It’s the kind of book you can cozy up on the couch with a quilt, a cup of coffee, hot tea, or cocoa and smile.

As we discussed the book, some of the comments were comical, some serious, others insightful. Here are a few:

Could you identify with any of the characters?
 “I could identify with the mom. She was a good mother, but she wasn’t Suzie Homemaker. They had cookies, but they were slice and bake. I can handle that.”

“I could sort of relate to Gretchen, but I don’t know if I could be as nice as she was when Melissa kept acting so rude. In fact, that would be the point I told the kids, ‘We don’t talk to the neighbors keep moving.'”

What character did you least identify with?


“Melissa because she came from such an abusive background. My heart broke for her.”

“Gloria, the mom’s friend. She was kind of out there. I’m not sure anyone acts like that.”

A few shook their heads. “No, we know people like that.”

What theme did you take away from the book?


“God’s hand is at work no matter happens in your life.”

“Sometimes you have to look back to see where God was.”

“I think she got her point across, but she overdid it. I mean one or two coincidences are fine. But every time you turned a page it was a new one. Not believable.”

“Yeah, that was ridiculous.” 

*Note to writers: Pay attention to these reviews! They aren’t from writers who joined a book club; they’re die-hard readers and they know what they like. I make notes every month! Don’t put too many coincidences in your  work! And by the way, they’re totally right! There were waaaaay too many!

Our rating out of 1-5:  
3 1/2 stars

Our next book for the month of February is in the romance category. We’ve voted on Save the Date by Jenny B. Jones.

Here’s a peek at The Christmas Note. 

“Gretchen Daniels has recently moved into a condo with her two children to be closer to her mother, Miriam. As they build a life together in their new community, they notice a mysterious young woman, Melissa McCreary, who lives next door. She has few possessions, little personality, and keeps to herself. One day a local landlord who is looking for Melissa knocks on Gretchen’s door for assistance. Melissa’s mother has died and in the coming weeks the landlord needs Melissa to empty her mother’s apartment. Gretchen reaches out and offers to help Melissa, but the apartment is a gut-wrenching shamble of a home. There is little worth saving except for a few photos and a note that is discovered on the crate beside the bed. It is unfinished, but in the two scribbled lines, Melissa discovers secrets about her family that she never could have imagined. Can two very different women embark on a journey that explores a long-buried need for forgiveness, hope, and redemption?”
Have you ever read a Christmas novel? Any favorites?