Tag: fiction

Talking Medical Drama with Author Candace Calvert!

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

Last month our book club read a medical drama. Out of the five choices, we picked Code Triage–the 3rd book in the Mercy Hospital series! You can read our review HERE! I emailed Candace to tell her how much I personally enjoyed the book and she offered to not only skype with us, but to send us bookmarks and host a drawing on the night of our meeting! She’s lovely, witty, charming and a fabulous author! So I’m honored to have her here today! 
Candace is a former ER nurse who believes love,
laughter and faith are the best medicines. Her Mercy Hospital and Grace Medical
series offer readers a chance to “scrub in” on the exciting world of emergency
medicine—along with a soul-soothing prescription for hope. Wife, mother, and
very proud grandmother, she makes her home in northern California.
JP: How
long were you in the medical field before you decided to write medical dramas?
CC: As Cha Cha (the parrot) in Code Triage likes to say: “Forever.”  I was an ER nurse for more than three
decades, and began writing seriously (for publication) in around the year 2000.  I caught an agent’s eye (Natasha Kern) and
signed with her in 2002—but didn’t begin to write medical drama until a few
years later. We contracted with Tyndale House (for the Mercy series) in 2008.
JP: Do
you use real-life ER experiences you’ve had in your novels?
CC: Oh, absolutely. 
Many of the dramatic (and humorous) scenes in my stories had beginnings
in my “scrubs” days.  I’m sure that’s
what makes readers say they feel like they are “dropped into the middle of the
ER.”  But my depictions of medical cases,
patients, and staff are fictional composites in order to protect privacy, of
course.  Though my husband is quite
certain that every hero is purely based on him.
JP:
LOL! My husband seems to think the same thing. Your novels have been compared
to Grey’s Anatomy, but with faith elements. That show is super popular. Have
you seen a spike in sales since the comparison? I watched ER, but I’ve never
seen Grey’s.
CC: When we pitched the idea for my medical fiction to the
publishing house, we did indeed describe it as “Grey’s Anatomy finds its soul.”
 It was something fairly new to the
inspirational market. And after three encouraging years, I think we’d all agree
that the popularity of TV medical programs really does carry over into
print.  I have quite a few readers who
first picked up my books because they were sad to see the series “ER” end—or
because they are now fans of “Grey’s Anatomy,” or “House.”  In addition, many of my readers are employed
in the medical, fire, rescue and law enforcement fields.  I’m honored by their enthusiasm.  I love being able to infuse faith into
medical drama; in real life, it’s always been there. But mostly, I’m delighted
when folks call me the author of “medical hope opera.”  That’s as close as it gets. 
JP: I’ve
always been a fan of medical dramas and books. I’m a huge fan of yours now,
Candace! If you could put one of your books on the big screen which one would
it be and why?
CC: Interesting question. Probably my current release, Trauma Plan. It’s set in San Antonio
during Fiesta, with colorful scenes down on River Walk, at the Alamo, in the
charming Texas hill country towns of Boerne, Fredricksburg . . . and on the
famous dance floor at Luckenbach.  Cinematographically,
it would be a feast for the senses: 
especially the breath-catching skydiving moments!  But the characters are richly drawn as well:
a “maverick” doctor, a beautiful and determined nurse-chaplain . . . along with
a big-hearted rodeo clown and his crippled doggy sidekick, “Hobo.”  The plot has a lot of action, warm romance,
and tear or two— elements perfect with buttered popcorn.

JP:
Ooooh that does sound wonderful!  And
lucky me I have it sitting on my desk to read! Okay, now a few fun questions!
What do you like to do for entertainment?
CC: Hubby and I love to hike, birdwatch, and are in love
with travel: simple day trips to glorious nearby destinations like Lake Tahoe,
San Francisco, Napa wine country, or the Pacific coast (all settings for the
Mercy Hospital series). Our grander journeys have found me swimming with
stingrays in the Caribbean, hiking an Alaskan rainforest, atop a camel at the
pyramids, kissing the Blarney Stone in Ireland . . . and gazing in awe at the
ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.  We’ve
worn out some luggage.
JP:
That all sounds so perfect! Would you fit me in your suitcase? J Fill in the blanks: If I had a weekend
with no obligations and I could go anywhere in the world, it would be:

CC: …a
spiritual place with complete solitude, a few days of peace and reflection because our everyday world is noisy and
far too hectic. And I think it’s easier to hear God’s voice when we step away
from all of that. “Be still and know . . .” Amen.
JP:
That’s perfect, Candace! Thanks so much for taking time to come and visit with
us today.
CC: Thank you, Jessica for hosting me here. I’ve SO enjoyed
having this chance to connect with your readers. I’d be honored to have them “scrub
in” with my stories of hope.
You can connect with Candace through her website, facebook,
and twitter!
Question for you? Have you ever had to go to the ER? And did you watch ER or Grey’s Anatomy?
Here’s a peek at her newest novel: 

Sidelined
by injuries from a vicious assault, nurse chaplain Riley Hale is determined to
return to ER duties. But how can she show she’s competent when the hospital
won’t let her attempt even simple tasks? To prove herself, Riley
volunteers at a controversial urban free clinic despite her fears about the
maverick doctor in charge.

Dr.
Jack Travis defends his clinic like he’s commander of the Alamo.
He’ll fight the community’s efforts to shut its doors, even if he must use
Riley Hale’s influential family name to make it happen.

As
Riley strives to regain her skills, Jack finds that she shares his
compassion—and stirs his lonely heart. Riley senses that beneath Jack’s rough
exterior is a man she can believe in. But when clinic protests escalate and
questions surface about his past,
Jack
goes into battle mode, and Riley wonders if it’s dangerous to trust him with
her heart.

*You still have time to enter the contest for the Kindle Touch along with Donna Pyle’s new Bible Study, The God of All Comfort (and other goodies)! Contest closes Sunday, August 19th! Check out the awesome prizes HERE and ENTER to WIN! 

Faith Readers Group Review: Code Triage

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

Avgolemono soup in the crock pot!
Today’s another
Faith Readers Book Club review of Code Triage by @CandaceCalvert, but before I
dish the goods I’m pleased to announce the winner of the $5 Starbuck/Amazon
card (winner choice)! Urban Fun Word Contest.
Drumroll……….
Erynn! Congratulations!
They were all really good and hard to choose from! 
Find my email
address on the “Connect” page and send me your address! I’ll make
sure to get it in the mail ASAP!
The night started
out with pre-excitement when our very own Jan Kerley aka Rockstar decided to be
brave and make the famous Greek soup, Avgolemono, that our hero cooked. Here’s
the link: Avgolemono soup! As a former chef with a Greek heritage obviously his specialty was the
Greek lemon soup that he made for the heroine before they were ever married. It
was a lovely way to meet and the soup itself was  yummy! Definitely a summer soup with the
lemon flavor, making it light! Jan also brought huge yeast rolls and since the
hero (former chef) is now a cop–we had doughnuts in honor of the stereotype!
Ha!
Here are some of the
things we chatted about over dinner and before we talked with Candace through
Skype!
“I
could identify with all the characters in one way or another. I didn’t like
what Sam was doing, but with her background, I could see it.”
“I
wanted to smack Sam and Nick at times!”
“I
loved the symbolism in the story through the lemon tree, the dining room table
and even the horse.”
“The
medical facts intrigued me. Made it feel very real.”
“My
favorite scene was the luau they put on for the neighbors’ anniversary. I could
see it in my head like a movie. It made me laugh.”
“I’d
like to read about Riley and her story.”
Our overall rating: 4 out of 5 stars!
Candace Calvert
We had so much fun
skyping with Candace. It felt like she’d been one of our friends forever! She
was chatty, personable and interested in what everyone had to say. She talked
about a few of her favorite scenes to write!
At the end, she did
a drawing and gave her current book, Trauma Plan (Riley’s story) to the lucky
winner! She also sent us book marks which was really cool. Especially for this
chick who loves them (even if I normally read from my Kindle)!
Here’s a peek at the
3rd book in her Grace Medical Series, Code Triage.
*We hadn’t read the
first two book when we chose Code Triage, but we had no trouble at all jumping
into the story and understanding everything until the short epilogue to give
the reader a glimpse into the other characters from the first two books!
Dr. Leigh Stathos
likes her ER shifts fast, furious, and adrenaline-infused—“Treat ’em and street
’em”—with no emotional complications. Life’s taught her a soul-rending lesson:
nothing lasts forever, including marriage. And the clock is ticking toward the
end of hers. Then an unwelcome confrontation with “the other woman” begins a
whole new set of lessons. 
San Francisco police
officer Nick Stathos never gives up, whether protecting his patrol
neighborhood, holding fast to faith—or trying to save his marriage. Seven days
is all he has to reach Leigh’s heart. But when a desperate act of violence
slams Golden Gate Mercy Hospital into lockdown, it starts a chain of events
that will change lives forever. 
Do you read medical dramas, suspense or thrillers? And do you ever make recipes from novels? 

And the Winner Is…

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

 

 
I have chosen the
name for my contest! My new WIP (work in progress) has a Saint Bernard that
belongs to a detective.  I didn’t give
much information about the hero of the story other than his occupation, on
purpose.
 
He’s had a
relationship turn sour, he sees a lot of negativity in the world with his job.
Unable to avoid the cliché, this story is about how the grass isn’t greener on
the other side. It’s full of irony and deceit. It is a romantic suspense,
whatdaya expect?!
 
How I chose the name
was pretty simple. I read it, then I closed my eyes and tried to see if I could
pull off a humorous scene using the name. This dog will be the way my
hero/heroine meet.
 
All the names were
great! So I’m going to give you my top five names and then the winning name!
 
5. Mr. Darcy
If my detective had a poetic side, the irony would be awesome. And I laughed several times thinking about it.
 
4. Bootsie
Big white feet look
like boots and I could come up with some dialogue but not enough humor.
 
3. Lipstick
Seriously, look at
that mutt’s mouth! I could see this dog as a puppy eating the detective’s ex’s favorite
tube of lipstick and the name, well…sticking.
 
2. Komere
Sounds like Come
here in an exaggerated southern accent and had my novel been set in the south,
I’d have probably went with that! Cracks me up!
 
1. Edith
“You named your dog, Edith?”
“Yeah, it
reminds me of my grandma.”
“Gentle and
soft?”
“No, rotund and
hairy.” LOL I could see my character so saying that! He’s a bit of a
wiseacre!
 
But I chose the following name because not only is it ironic and ridiculous, but I can actually weave
some truth about life into the dialogue and the name.
 
So
the winner of the $10.00 Amazon/Starbucks card (winner’s choice) goes to…..drum roll……
 
Jeff
Redding for the name:
 
Kitten!
 
Congratulations, Jeff! 
 
Here’s a tiny
snippet of dialogue I concocted on the fly after hearing the name.
 
After
dusting herself off, she took a good look at his dog. “Your boy dog’s name is Kitten?” The puzzled look on
her face made him grin again.
 
“I got her
at the beginning of an ironic stage in my life.”
 
She
crossed her arms. “Did you ever think you’d come out of it and be stuck with a
horrible name for a dog?”
 
“I’ll let
you know when I’m out.” He’d brought Kitt home the same day Miranda said she
wasn’t going to marry him. That God had another plan for her. It didn’t include
him.
 
He’d been
sure God had told him it had.
 
“You know
that’s mean really. Labeling someone as something they’re not is destructive.”
She glared at him and gave him a take-that look.
 
Thanks to everyone
who participated! I read every single one and I tell ya, it was hard to choose.
I valued all of your input.
 
What’s the silliest pet name you’ve ever heard?

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?