Wishing ACFW-ers the best!
Right now is the annual ACFW Conference and hundreds of writers, agents and editors converge for networking, learning and more!
Two of my critique partners are attending, one of whom is pitching her manuscript! I’m wishing her, and everyone looking to sell their novel, the very best! I know all the feelings and nervousness they are experiencing.
Good luck to everyone! I’m looking forward to stories and great things!
Read MoreBook Review: Mockingjay
I can count on one finger the times I’ve waited in line for the midnight release of a novel. And that was Mockingjay.
The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins (Book 1 & 2 reviews) is a masterpiece of pure heart-gripping storytelling. From the very first page of Hunger Games, you’re inside the head of Katniss, a young girl whose only goal is to survive and protect her family.
In the Hunger Games and Catching Fire, Collins takes her readers on an emotional rollercoaster in this futuristic world of Paneam – the former continent of North America. In Mockingjay, the stages of revolution are set, and the icon of the revolution – the girl who unwittingly set the wheels in motion.
Katniss is a complex character you root for and at the same time, wish to shake by the shoulders. There were a few times I wanted Collins to do a bit more with Katniss and her perspective, but the character is still brilliantly handled.
Mockingjay is fitting finale for this incredible series. It is even more tumultuous than the first two, full of dubious characters, plot twists and moments of sheer awe. Collins’ imagination knows no bounds and her writing sings.
I highly, highly recommend this series. While the level of violence plants it firmly for audiences 12 years or older, it contains a powerful message about the effects of violence on young adults and what society views as entertainment. This series is something families should read together and discuss. Then, pass it along to a friend and encourage him or her to read it. And have him or her pass it along when finished. It’s that good.
Read MoreStory Behind the Story: Margaret Brownley
Margaret Brownley
The idea for my September 2010 release, A Suitor for Jenny, the 2nd book in my Rocky Creek series, lurked in a dusty Kansas museum. While rifling through old newspaper clippings I came across a meeting notice for “The Society for the Protection and Preservation of Male Independence.” I don’t know what ever happened to that group or even if its members succeeded in remaining single and independent but I know a story idea when I see it and I pounced.
From that clipping came the idea to have my heroine Jenny Higgins breeze into town looking for husbands for her two siblings. Jenny soon finds out that “The Society for the Protection and Preservation of Male Independence” is the least of her problems. Rejecting her sisters’ choices for mates and riding herd on her growing feelings for a certain handsome marshal, she refuses to give up–with unexpected results.
The battle of the sexes has never been so much fun to write. However, I can’t help but wonder what happened to the real “Society for the Protection and Preservation of Male Independence.” We may never know, but my guess is that its members dropped out one by one in tune with wedding bells.
Thank you for stopping by, Margaret!! Check out her beautiful website here.
Read MoreStory Behind the Story: Amanda Cabot
Amanda Cabot
Inspiration. In my experience it can strike anywhere, anytime. I got the idea for one story from a song that was being piped into a restaurant. Another one came from the tourist information room in a highway rest area, still another from a nightmare. As I said, anywhere, anytime. I’ve explained a bit about the background to the Texas Dreams books on my website (www.amandacabot.com), so today I thought we’d talk about the inspiration for the book I’m currently writing, my 2012 release from Revell.
Those of you who’ve read my bio know that I’m an avid traveler, and so you probably won’t be surprised to learn that this book, which is tentatively titled When Summer Ends, was inspired by a trip. When my husband and I moved to Wyoming, one of our first trips was to Fort Laramie. It had the advantage of being close enough to Cheyenne that we could make it a day trip, and it was a place that had intrigued me for years. As someone who watched westerns as a child (yes, I know that’s dating me), I’ve always been interested in the pioneers who traveled west in covered wagons. What you may not know is that although there were a number of routes, Fort Laramie was a key stop on all of them. It was there that travelers rested and stocked up on supplies before crossing the Rockies.
At the time that we planned the trip, I had no intention of setting a book there. It was simply a chance to escape the seemingly unending work associated with moving into a new house. But inspiration strikes when you least expect it.
Fort Laramie
When we arrived at the fort, I was struck by several things. First of all, it didn’t look like my image of a western fort. There was no stockade surrounding the garrison. Instead, it’s open and seemingly unprotected.
The second surprise was that the buildings didn’t fit my picture of army construction. The barracks and the officers’ housing were constructed of a variety of materials and, combined with the central parade ground, made the fort look like a New England village. The third surprise was that, although this was once a military installation, it felt peaceful. In other words, it wasn’t what I had expected.
Prior to that day, if someone had asked me to write a book set at Fort Laramie, I would have assumed that it would take place during the great migration and that the heroine would be part of a wagon train. But as I walked around the fort and learned more about its history, I became fascinated with its final days. During its last decade of existence (the 1880s), Fort Laramie saw no wars, and not even much in the way of conflict. Instead, it was a place where officers lived in relative luxury, where their wives held teas and balls, and where the parade ground boasted gaslights and birdbaths. Yes, birdbaths.
I was intrigued. I could picture my heroine strolling around the parade ground, her parasol unfurled to keep the bright Wyoming sun from spoiling her complexion. I could envision my hero being frustrated with the number of men who deserted the army and the sheer boredom of military routine during peacetime. I could see them both adapting to a land that can appear harsh as well as breathtakingly beautiful. And so, in the space of an afternoon, when all I had expected was a little recreation, I had the beginning of a story. Anywhere, anytime.
Thank you for stopping by, Amanda! Check out my reviews of her two novels, Paper Roses & Scattered Petals!
Read MoreReview: A Memory Between Us
Book Description
Major Jack Novak has never failed to meet a challenge–until he meets army nurse Lieutenant Ruth Doherty. When Jack lands in the army hospital after a plane crash, he makes winning Ruth’s heart a top priority mission. But he has his work cut out for him. Not only is Ruth focused on her work in order to support her orphaned siblings back home, she carries a shameful secret that keeps her from giving her heart to any man. Can Jack break down her defenses? Or are they destined to go their separate ways?
My Review
I has been more than six months since Sarah Sundin’s first release, A Distant Melody, came out and I had the pleasure of reading. (See my glowing review here.) In that time, I’d spread the word of her stellar storytelling skills and witty writing. But in that time, I’d also forgotten what a true delight it is to read Sundin’s writing.
Sundin’s story is an effortless read and a pure delight. Like A Distant Melody, A Memory Between Us is rich in historical detail and riveting emotion. The reader is just along for the ride and what a ride it is!
Lt. Ruth Doherty is a stout-hearted, fiery heroine with a dark past that unravels throughout the book. She’s stuck between her duty to her family and those around her who take advantage of her dedication. While she struggles to make amends for past sins, she meets wall after wall. All of the situations are believable and heart-wrenching. Sundin shares the amazing story of Army nurses serving in a violent war.
On the other hand, Major Jack Novak is the confident fly boy looking forward to the next challenge and the next mission. He struggles with his own pride and faith in finding God’s path for his life. His devotion to Ruth sends both he and Ruth for a loop.
Sundin’s writing is witty and delightful. We see so many dimensions of the lives of the pilots and nurses in World War II in this book and Sundin does true honor to those who served. Entertaining, gripping and at times, delightfully surprising, A Memory Between Us is one that will make you swoon. (Moon…June…babooon…)
PS – Visit Sarah’s website and blog here – she has fascinating information about her research and the final book in the Wings of Glory trilogy!
Read MoreConnect with me
