Heartsong Connection

A Random Drawing Winner!!

2011-07-29T08:14:00.002-05:00

Congratulations Amber S., you are this week's random drawing winner!

Please send an email to heartsongblog @ gmail.com (without the spaces) and let us know if you want a copy of With Not a Spoken Word, Coming Home, or 10 Heartpoints to be used towards a future shipment of Heartsong books.

Thanks to Terry Fowler for being this week's guest author and to everyone who participated in this week's discussions. Have a wonderful weekend!

From the Vault

2011-07-28T08:24:00.003-05:00

This week's title from the vault is...
Coming Home by Terry Fowler
HP 793
978-1-59789-940-6
Contemporary

Maggie thought she'd finally found her home.

Maggie Gregory was pretty comfortable with the life she'd made for herself, until her elderly friend and landlord, Allene Rogers, passed away. Then Allene's son arrived and accused Maggie of taking advantage of his mother.

Dillon Rogers had been out of the States for years. Returning to handle his mother's estate proved stressful, especially when dealing with Maggie Gregory. He suspected that she was trying to cheat him out of his inheritance. But now Dillion wants Maggie's forgiveness and her love.

After such a rough start to their acquaintance, would God really bring these two independent people together in love? Will they follow His leading, or each follow their own wisdom?

Question of the Day
What are your plans for this weekend?

Day Two with Terry Fowler

2011-07-27T08:15:00.002-05:00

Almost nine years ago, my family visited Murphy, NC. We rented a house that slept a number of people and went as a memory trip for my oldest brother's 15th birthday. We spent five days roaming the mountains.

The house was beautiful and when I thought of a locale it struck me that the privacy of the area would indeed make the perfect hiding place. Lake Hiwassee surrounds the area as far as the eye can see.

Last year my sister and I journeyed back to the mountains. We visited Murphy again, Biltmore House, Chimney Rock and Lake Lure (that's where they filmed Dirty Dancing).

North Carolina has so much variety from the beaches to the mountains. God blessed us richly with our Carolina blue skies and so many other beautiful sights and I thank Him for allowing me to call North Carolina home.

This year's birthday is not too far away and I don't know whether I'll plan a staycation and do some of the things that never get done at home or maybe I'll do another wonderful research trip instead.

Question of the Day
What's your favorite vacation spot? Do you see God's hand at work when you visit?

Day One with Terry Fowler

2011-07-25T14:53:00.004-05:00

Have you ever considered what it would be like to not be able to speak? Ever gone an hour or a day without a word? Noticed the hoarseness of an elderly person who lives alone and rarely talks to others?

I found myself considering these things as I played with With Not a Spoken Word, my newest Heartsong Presents release.

Strangely enough the idea for the heroine's losing her voice dates back to my childhood.

I remember watching a Bonanza where the person couldn't speak and knew someone wanted to kill them and couldn't tell anyone. The person may have been paralyzed too. I can't recall, but I remember the fear I felt and the ultimate relief when the person regained their ability to speak and was rescued.

We've come a long way from those mildly frightening episodes of our childhood to the horror movies of today, but some of those things that frightened us are just as real to kids today as they were to us then.

One thing I do know is that God doesn't require spoken words to hear what we have to say. A silent prayer is okay with God. He answers those as well.

Question of the Day
Do you remember something that frightened you as a child? Do you feel comforted by prayers when you are afraid?

With Not a Spoken Word by Terry Fowler

2011-07-25T08:15:00.000-05:00

This week's featured title is...
With Not a Spoken Word by Terry Fowler
HP 962
978-1-61626-373-7
Contemporary

"My parents are dead."

Arianna Kent's last spoken words were heard by a 911 operator. Now in hiding, Ari and her brother Simon must process their grief and the fear of the killer on the loose. But since her traumatic discovery of the murder, Ari has not been able to speak.

As a psychiatrist, Mitch Ellis is intrigued with Ari's condition. When the opportunity arises for him to help on her security detail, he takes it; though not to analyze her, but because he personally understands her loss.

Details begin to emerge, but they only cause more confusion. When Ari learns the board of the family business plans to place someone other than her as CEO, she must return to the scene of the crime.

Can Mitch protect Ari when his own secrets are revealed? Can Ari forgive yet another betrayal from a person she loves? Only God can untangle the mess they're in, but will they let Him?

Book Excerpt
Stranger alert.

Arianna fumbled around on the table until she located one of the many whistles they owned underneath her napkin. They had rehearsed his plan numerous times, never expecting to carry it out. She sucked in a deep breath and issued the shrill warning that quickly brought Simon to his feet.

The seven-year-old stood there looking like David coming up against Goliath. Ari considered his options, wondering if he could make it to the stairs before the intruder came too close.

Where was Tom? Had this man overpowered him elsewhere on the property? Ari ran to the door and banged on the glass. Nana hurried over. She pointed, and the woman picked up the phone. Ari started down the stairs, praying God would deliver them safely from this man.

Noting the commotion, the stranger drew a halt. He lifted his hands and yelled, "I'm with Bishop Security!"

Key Verse
Fear of man will prove to be snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe. Proverbs 29:25 NIV

About the Author

Terry Fowler makes her home in North Carolina where she works for the city of Wilmington. The second oldest of five children, she shares a home with her best friend, who is also her sister. Besides writing, her interests include genealogical research through the Internet and serving her small church in various activities.

Question of the Day

What have you done to keep cool in this hot weather?

A Random Drawing Winner

2011-07-22T08:24:00.002-05:00

Congratulations Gail Pallotta, you are this week's random drawing winner!!

Please send an email to heartsongblog @ gmail.com (without the spaces) and let us know if you want a copy of Building Amanda's Future, Facing Tessa's Past, or 10 Heartpoints to be used towards a future shipment of Heartsong books.

Enjoy the weekend!

From the Vault...

2011-07-21T08:22:00.002-05:00

This week's title from the vault is...
Facing Tessa's Past by Mildred Colvin
HP929
978-1-61626-081-1
Contemporary

Tessa wants to forget the past.

Tessa Stevens has a past she would rather forget. But when she comes face-to-face with a part of her past while on vacation, she is forced to reevaluate her future. Then she falls in love with the man of her dreams once again, knowing that he is as unattainable as before, and knowing she must reveal a secret she has kept for years. Will she learn to trust God or will she remain in bondage to her memories?

Blake Donovan can hardly believe his eyes when Tessa shows up in his restaurant with her three boys. He's never succeeded in erasing Tessa's memory from his mind after he ran from her eleven years ago. And now that he sees the God-changed Tessa, he can't stay away from her. But in order to win her love he knows he has to change too. Will he yield to God's work in his life and regain the love of his life, or will he reject God an run again?

Question of the Day
When was your last reunion with family and friends?

Another Day with Mildred Colvin!

2011-07-20T08:18:00.001-05:00

In Building Amanda's Future, Amanda is the third friend to tell her story. Tessa came first as she faced her past head-on when her youngest son's father showed up unexpectedly in her life. Then Sarah's present takes a totally new direction when she kept an appointment to meet the baby she gave up for adoption and ran into the boyfriend she'd never forgotten.

Amanda's situation is a bit different from her friends', however. Unlike Tessa and Sarah, Amanda was married before and lost both her husband and her baby daughter in a car accident. As a result, Amanda has no interest in remarrying. She only wants to teach school and live an independent life. Then a tornado brings destruction, and Amanda's compassion brings her to help with clean up afterward. That's when she is reintroduced to Chad, the man she ran from fourteen years earlier when she believed he'd betrayed her love with another woman.

I love stories of reunion where the hero and heroine has a past problem so huge it seems insurmountable. Each book in this series is that way. Of course, their past isn't the only problem the hero and heroine must face. As they become reacquainted, the past and present merge to reveal even more emotional obstacles that must be overcome.

Route 66 plays an important part in Building Amanda's Future, just as it did in Facing Tessa's Past and Redeeming Sarah's Present. The Mother Road extends across the western half of our country from Chicago to Los Angeles. Like many Americans I've always romanticized the idea of Route 66 and feel privileged to have grown up close to a part of it. Although I understand the importance of the major highways and freeways that have replaced so much of the old road, I still long for the simplicity of the two-lane road that wound its way through every small town as it opened up new experiences for travelers.

In some way, Route 66 brought the three couples of this series back together and helped them find the answer to their greatest need - that of making things right with their Savior.

Question of the Day
Have you ever traveled on Route 66?

Welcome Mildred Colvin!

2011-07-19T08:17:00.002-05:00

photo © 2010 Mike McCune | more info (via: Wylio)

A lady commented to me the other day that she was amazed with the number of story ideas God gave me. I appreciate her comment, and it is true ideas often come as inspiration, giving me no place to point and say that's where this book began. Other ideas, however, come from something that is very easily recognized. Building Amanda's Future began several years ago when a tornado swept through a small town only 25 miles from where I live.

As I described in Building Amanda's Future, the sky over our home was nearly cloudless while first one tornado and then another swept through this town, leveling homes and businesses, lifting, breaking, and dropping debris in a wide path from the west edge of town to the east edge. We marveled that such a thing could happen.

This spring, just a couple of months ago, another tornado touched down and traveled in a wide path through Joplin, Missouri, a small city located on Route 66. A large hospital in the southwest part of town was severely damage, many home and businesses were destroyed while the funnel traveled at only ten miles an hour through this populated area.

The amazing thing when something like this happens is the reaction of the people. So many people are homeless in Joplin now, but others have opened their doors to provide a place for those without. Groups all over the area as far as two hundred miles away quickly organized collection places to help provide water, blankets, clothing, diapers, and so many things to be taken to Joplin within those first few days as thunderstorms and rain continue to pound the crippled town. Clean-up crews still work, giving without taking. And groups are still sending needed supplies.

One minister, whose church was damaged, told of many kindnesses offered by the local people even before the shock of the storm had passed. many more acts of benevolence continue as the need is still there.

When I wrote Building Amanda's Future, my only experience with a town suffering so much damage was the first one I mentioned. I hope to never again see the results of another tornado. However, in both instances, the loving concern of those who have great empathy for their fellowman is an example to us all. How wonderful to know that those in a community and even in surrounding communities will reach out in love and sympathy to "Bear ye another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ." Galatians 6:2

Question of the Day
Has your community ever experienced a natural disaster?

Building Amanda's Future by Mildred Colvin

2011-07-18T08:22:00.004-05:00

This week's featured title is...
Building Amanda's Future by Mildred Colvin
978-1-61626-374-4
HP 961

Contemporary

Amanda's past and future are colliding.

When Amanda Wilson returned to her hometown, she never dreamed her past and future would collide in the aftermath of a devastating tornado. She volunteers to help with cleanup and is assigned to the farm now owned by the man who broke her heart years ago. She's forgiven Chad, but as she learns more about the night she caught him with her college roommate, the hurt feels fresh.

Chad Randall returns to his hometown after his sister and her husband's tragic deaths. With Amanda's help, he spends the summer rebuilding and getting acquainted with his orphaned baby niece. He wants to explain to Amanda about the lies and deception that tore them apart. He wants Amanda's forgiveness, but mostly he wants her love.

Even if Amanda forgives Chad, will he ever understand he needs to ask God's forgiveness too?

Book Excerpt
"Sorry." He jumped back, his hands out. "I didn't mean to startle you."

His grin said otherwise. He reached past her, opened a drawer, and pulled out a hammer.

"You have tools in the kitchen?" Amanda couldn't resist asking.

"Sure it's called a tool drawer." His quick wink sent her heart pounding.

He turned and walked though the dining room to the deck. She held her hand over her heart to slow its beating, glad Linda stood behind her at the sink and couldn't see. No sense in letting everyone witness her in infuriating responses to Chad.

"Amanda." Linda's voice was soft, but firm. "Maybe this isn't a good idea."

"What?" She turned and looked at Linda with wide, innocent eyes. At least she hoped she looked Innocent. "Do you want me to work on the counters first?"

"That isn't what I mean, and you know it. Go ahead and sweep, but tell me something. Do you have feelings for Chad?"

Key Verse
Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13 - 14

About the Author
Mildred Colvin is a native Missourian with three children, one son-in-law, and two grandchildren. She and her husband spent most of their married life providing a home for foster children but now enjoy baby-sitting the grandchildren. Mildred writes inspirational romance novels because in them the truth of God's presence, even in the midst of trouble, can be portrayed. Her desire is to continue writing stories that uplift and encourage.

Question of the Day
Have you ever been part of an organization that provided help during a natural disaster?

AND THE RANDOM DRAWING WINNER IS...

2011-07-15T07:30:00.003-05:00

photo © 2010 Sandeep Pawar | more info (via: Wylio)
Congratulations Salena Stormo, you are this week's random drawing winner!

Please send an email to heartsongblog @ gmail.com (without the spaces) and let us know if you want a copy of Yankee Heart, Uncertain Alliance, or 10 Heartpoints to be used towards a future shipment of Heartsong books.

Thanks to everyone who participated in this week's Heartsong blog! Have a wonderful weekend!

From the Vault

2011-07-14T08:15:00.000-05:00

This week's title from the vault is...
Uncertain Alliance by Mary Davis
HP 788
978-1-59789-901-7
Historical

Alice can't trust another man.

Alica Dempsey's husband squandered the family's money. When he died he left her destitute and solely responsible for her aging grandfather, younger brother, and toddler son. Debt forces the family to move to Seattle tenement. When Alice is fired from her job, she becomes desperate. Will she and her family end up on the streets?

Ian MacGregor has loved Alice from afar for months, but he can't get past the wall of formality she has built around herself. When he learns of her job loss, he offers her employment in his pharmacy. She turns him down, suspicious of his motives. But when her younger brother gets into serious trouble and Ian is the only one who can help, Alice warily allows him into their lives.

Will Alice find love where she least expects it? Or will this uncertain alliance prove her fears of betrayal true?

Question of the Day
How have you spent your summer so far?

Ohio and the Civil War

2011-07-13T08:24:00.005-05:00

No, I didn't go back in time to take this picture! It is a reenactments of President Lincoln lying in state in the rotunda of the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus, Ohio. There is a scene in Yankee Heart where Daniel and Katherine go to the statehouse to pay their respects to our country's fallen leader and this is very nearly what they would have seen as they walked past. The statehouse hosts this event every year on or around April 29th, the anniversary of the funeral processions stop in Columbus. During my visit, a separate event was being held at the statehouse and I also got a picture of one of Ohio's favorite sons, former Senator John Glenn!

Learning about the history of my home state was very rewarding and I particularly enjoyed learning about our role in the Civil War. Did you know the federal government called for a certain amount of men from each Northern state based on its population and Ohio exceeded that number by over 15,000 men? Ohio was also home to many of the conflict's prominent generals: Ulysses S. Grant, William "Tecumseh" Sherman, James A. Garfield, Rutherford B. Hayes, and William McKinley. Four of those men became U.S. presidents with two of them also serving as an Ohio governor. Which ones? Rutherford B. Hayes and William McKinley were Ohio governors and presidents while Ulysses S. Grant and James A. Garfield were U.S. presidents.

For more information about Ohio and the Civil War visit http://www.ohiocivilwar150.org/ and don't forget to check out http://www.discoverohio.com/ if you ever want to come for a visit. We have lots to see and do!

Question of the Day
What are some fun and interesting historical facts about your home state?

Trusting in the Lord

2011-07-12T08:13:00.002-05:00

Hello all! My name is Jennifer A. Davids and I'm very excited to be writing for Heartsong Presents. I hope you enjoy reading the stories I help the Father weave. Allow me to tell you a little about myself. I live in Central Ohio with my husband of 18 years and our two children. I am a proud graduate of The Ohio State University and a member of ACFW. Feel free to visit my online at www.jenniferdavids.com to find out more about me and my writing journey.

The book Ruth is a favorite of mine. During my younger days when youth services were yet to be invented, I would read her story over and over again during church. So it's hardly coincidental that Yankee Heart is based on Ruth's story. I've always admired her loyalty to Naomi and how God rewarded that loyalty. But until then she had to have had doubts. Did I do the right thin in coming here? How are we going to live? What will happen to us? We've all had times like that in our lives. Maybe you're dealing with a similar challenge right now. There are many good verses to turn to, but take a look at Proverbs 3:5-6, the them verse for Yankee Heart. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean no on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight."

There are things that happen in our lives we just can't understand. And I know it's hard. I know. There has been many times in my life when God whispered "trust me" in my ear and I've had to hold on and...well...trust Him. But I can honestly say He's never disappointed me, even when the outcome wasn't exactly what I had in mind. As Daniel and Katherine discover in Yankee Heart, He has good reasons for telling us to do things that don't make sense, at least to us. He sees the things us mere mortals can't possibly see or comprehend.

Question of the Day
So how about you? How is or how has God asked you to trust Him?

Yankee Heart by Jennifer A. Davids

2011-07-11T08:19:00.006-05:00

This week's featured title is...
Yankee Heart by Jennifer A. Davids
978-1-61626-362-1
HP 960
Historical

Katherine doesn't fit in the North or South.

Katherine Wallace has come north to escape her family's shunning due to her opposing slavery. But as a Southerner, she finds no welcome in Ohio except from a returning Yankee soldier.

Daniel Kirby arrives home after General Lee's surrender at Appomattox, weary from all the death and destruction of war. He longs to return to teaching at a university but feels a pull to remain with his family's farm and to be near the captivating Southern young lady staying with his aunt.

As Daniel and Katherine begin to fall in love, neighbors attempt to force Katherine to return South, while others plot to steal the Kirby farm. Midst the tumultuous aftermath of war, will Daniel and Katherine allow God to heal their hearts and bind them together as one?

Book Excerpt
"Are you Miss Katherine Wallace?"

Her eyes remained wide as she nodded. "How did you know...?"

He gave her an apologetic smile as he removed his hat. "My aunt mentioned you in her letter. I'm very sorry I frightened you."

"That's quite all right, Major Kirby. I'm...very glad you're home safe. Mary's...been so terribly worried."

He frowned and regretted he hadn't at least sent them a telegram before he left. "I'm afraid I received Aunt Mary's letter right as the siege at Petersburg ended. There was very little time to do anything. Then General Lee surrendered..."

"Of course! I...I understand perfectly, Major Kirby." Although her voice shook, it was gentle and reassuring. "And I'm sure Mary will as well."

Daniel looked at her curiously. She had to be one of the very few daughters of the Confederacy he had met who had not instantly hated him on sight. A Southern woman's zeal for the cause was almost legendary. He had been spit on, snubbed, and bad-mouthed a number of times. And unlike other young ladies he'd met, Northern or Southern, she made no attempt to flirt with him. In fact, judging by the way she stumbled over her words, she seemed painfully shy.

Key Verse
"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding." Proverbs 3:5

About the Author
Jennifer A. Davids has lived in Ohio all her life and her family are long-term residents of the state. Her mother's side of the family is from Central and Southern Ohio and her father has traced his side of the family tree back to the early eighteen hundreds. She is a graduate of The Ohio State University and feels blessed to have been called to a life of writing for the Lord. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two children and sings on the praise team at church. If she's not writing, she's reading, crafting, or watching a favorite movie or TV show - usually in that order!

Question of the Day
How far back can you trace your family tree?

A New Random Drawing Winner!

2011-07-08T08:15:00.002-05:00

photo © 2010 Steven Zolneczko more info (via: Wylio)

Congratulations Kaitlin , you are this week's random drawing winner!!!

Please send an email to heartsongblog @ gmail.com (without the spaces)and let us know if you would like a copy of Blues Along the River, The Columns of Cottonwood, or 10 Heartpoints to be used towards a future shippment of Heartsong books.

Have a wonderful weekend!

From the Vault

2011-07-07T08:10:00.003-05:00

This week's title from the vault is...
The Columns of Cottonwood by Sandra Robbins
978-1-60260-486-5
HP919
Historical

Cottonwood was supposed to be hers.

She grew up there; she lived through the war there; she lost her parents there. Even in its burned-out conditions, it's still home to Savannah Carmichael. But now it belongs to a stranger - a foreigner! - who paid the back taxes on it and bought it right out from under her.

Dante Rinaldi never expected that a culmination of his dream - to own some of Alabama's rich farmland - would mean the destruction of someone else's. He hasn't done anything illegal; in fact, he's worked hard for the privilege of land ownership. So why does Savannah Carmichael's plight affect him on such a deep level?

Both believe in the sovereignty of God, but how can this situation be orchestrated by Him? Can they find a solution...a compromise to benefit both?

Question of the Day
Do you have property or a heirloom that has been passed through your family?

Day Two with Sandra Robbins

2011-07-06T08:15:00.000-05:00

photo © 2010 Kheel Center more info (via: Wylio)

I have always loved history and couldn't understand it when my friends in school would complain about having to study it. I enjoyed reading about people and events that had happened in the past and thinking about how their lives were similar to mine even though they lived years before I did.

I suppose that's why I wanted to write historical romance when I first began to write. I wanted to take readers into a different time and place from their lives and give them a glimpse of what it was like for our ancestors. To me, the South offers many choices for stories that readers will enjoy.

In writing Blues Along the River, I did a lot of research about the changes that were taking place in the South in the years after the Civil War. With the end of slave labor, planters had to find another work force so the agriculture system could survive. This need brought about the advent of the tenant farm system which survived well into the twentieth century. In 1930, 1,831,470 tenant farmers lived in a sharecropping system across the South. The end of World War II saw a decline and finally an end to this way of farming.

This system, though it sounds good, often resulted in a different kind of servitude. Those who worked the farms were often entrapped and barely scraped by on what they earned at harvest time after repaying the landowner for the "share" they had been given during the year.

My grandfathers were both a part of this system, but they were fortunate. With a strong faith in God and a strong work ethic, they both emerged from a system that sucked the life out of others. One of my grandfathers was able to buy his own farm while the other attained elected office and served his country for years.

In Blues Along the River, the tenant farmer system is the backdrop of Marcus's and Victoria's story. I hope you enjoy reading about a time and place where a love of God, family, and land offered hope for a renewed future.

Question of the Day
Were any of your ancestors involved in a major historical event?

Day One with Sandra Robbins

2011-07-05T09:47:00.003-05:00

photo © 2008 Marion Doss more info (via: Wylio)

Happy day after the Fourth of July! I hope everyone had a happy and safe day. It's such a blessing to be able to celebrate the freedom that we as citizens have in this country, but we realize that freedom has come at a great price for many people.

Over the weekend I saw a documentary that told the story of the latest people who had become citizens of the United States. The reporter traveled from state to state as those who had come to our country for the freedom offered here received their certificate of citizenship. I was deeply touched by the stories these people had to tell of why they came to America and what they escaped in the countries they had left. It made me very thankful to have been born in this great country.

It also made me reflect on all this country has gone through since independence was first proclaimed. There have been wars fought here and in foreign lands that have formed us into the people we are today. As a life-long Southerner, I have grown up with the battlegrounds of the Civil War close to where I live. Visits to places like Shiloh continues to fascinate those of us who live in the 21st Century.

Perhaps this fascination with a war that divided a nation was the reason I selected the time period I did for my latest book in the Alabama Brides series. Blues Along the River is set in the Black Belt of Alabama sixteen years after the end of that war. Even though old attitudes and traditions are being replaced by new ones, there are those who find it difficult to give up an old way of life.

When a naive girl arrives in Wilow Bend, Alabama, and meets the handsome owner of Pembrook Plantation, all she sees is the chance to live a privileged life with a man who she thinks will fulfill all her dreams. Unfortunately, she doesn't look below the surface to see what hidden secrets may control her life in the plantation's big house.

Blues Along the River relates the story of a time and a people who struggle to rebuild their lives in the shattered society they had once known. I hope you will enjoy Marcus and Victoria's story.

Question of the Day
What is your favorite historical period?

Blues Along the River by Sandra Robbins

2011-07-04T08:15:00.000-05:00

This week's featured title is...
Blues Along the River by Sandra Robbins
978-1-61626-368-3
HP 959
Historical

Their marriage is not what they dreamed.

When Victoria Turner and Marcus Raines marry, they're both surprised to quickly discover they're not living happily ever after. Marcus continues to remember his late father's warnings about women betraying men, and he wonders if that is exactly what Victoria is doing when she refuses to abide by his wishes. Victoria is appalled that Marcus doesn't recognize how the South is changing after the war and that he can no longer treat his tenant farmers the way his father treated their slaves. Instead of being full of joy, their lives in their beautiful plantation home along the Alabama River reflect the blues sung by the workers.

Will Victoria and Marcus find the answers they need by turning to the Author of their love? Or will the pain of their pasts and their unwillingness to forgive leave their hearts empty and their home filled with bitterness?

Book Excerpt

He regarded her for a moment. "Your mother said you've always been impulsive. For now, I see I can't change your mind. As you get used to life here and see how the tenants need guidance, you'll change your opinions."

She shook her head. "I wouldn't count on it." Her gaze softened , and she reached up and stroked his cheek. "I don't want to argue with you, Marcus. I love you with all my heart, and I want us to be happy. Please try to understand how I feel."

His heart pricked at the sadness he detected on her face. How could he deny her anything? "I want us to be happy, too. I love you so much, Victoria, but you have to understand you've entered a different world."

Key Bible Verse

Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: For what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? 2 Corinthians 6:14

About the Author

Sandra Robbins and her husband live in the small college town where she grew up in Tennessee. Until a few years ago she was working as an elementary school principal, but God opened the door for her to become a full-time writer. It is her prayer that God will use her words to plant seeds of hope in the lives of her readers.

Question of the Day

What did you do over your 4th of July weekend?

This Week's Winner!

2011-07-01T09:07:00.002-05:00

photo © 2008 bayasaa | more info (via: Wylio)

This week's winner is Patsy!

Congrats, Patsy! Just email us at heartsongblog[at]gmail[dot]com and let us know if you would prefer a copy of Plainsong, The Prodigal Patriot, or ten Heartpoints to be used toward a future shipment of Heartsong Books!

Have a wonderful 4th of July weekend!

This Week's Book From the Vault!

2011-06-30T08:17:00.003-05:00

This Week's Book From the Vault is:
The Prodigal Patriot by Darlene Franklin
978-1-60260-904-4
HP911
Historical

The Reids will not be scared away.

Sally Reid's family decides on a dangerous course when the Tories of Maple Notch, Vermont, chase Patriot families from their land. They make a home in a secluded cave nearby and farm their land by moonlight, working hard and waiting for the day when they can safely return home.

When Josiah Tuttle discovers their secret and offers to help, Sally doesn't know if she can trust him. After all, Josiah's father is one of the Tories who forced her family into hiding.

The Tuttles have already lost one son to the hated Patriot cause. How can Josiah both honor his grieving father and protect the woman he loves? When called upon to take a stand, which side will he choose? How can Sally and Josiah battle through the barriers separating them from love and forgiveness?

What is your favorite historical event to read about?

Day Two with Darlene Franklin

2011-06-29T08:15:00.000-05:00

photo © 2009 James Hernandez | more info (via: Wylio)

I fell in love with Denver the day I arrived. Thirteen years earlier, I had left my beloved home state of Maine. I learned to appreciate New Jersey (college), Texas (seminary) and Oklahoma (marriage and ministry), but none of those sates captured my heart.

Colorado did. The majestic Rockies, rising two miles from sea level and framing Denver's western horizon, gave me the same eternal perspective as the Atlantic Ocean of my youth.

I spent the next two decades taking advantage of many of Denver's attractions. My only regret is that I never made it to a Bronco's game, but at least my children did.

I could think of no better setting for my tale of two hopeless romantics than my adopted city. Michelle and Joe meet at a Rockie's game; they spend time at the Cherry Creeks Art Festival, take in the Renaissance Fair, and watch fireworks from the top of Lookout Mountain.

In God's timing, Plainsong (and the third book in the series, also in Colorado, Knight Music) both have been published - now that I no longer live in Denver by in Oklahoma City, near family.

Have you ever visited Denver?

Day One With Darlene Franklin

2011-06-28T08:15:00.000-05:00

photo © 2008 pr1me | more info (via: Wylio)

Years ago, while zooming down the interstate somewhere in Tennessee, I spotted a castle on a mountainside. I snapped a picture of it and always wondered what is a castle doing in the middle of the American countryside?

I never did uncover the story behind that castle, but when I decided to write a story about two hopeless romantics, I decided my hero had grown up in a castle. His father had built the castle for his English bride. The legendary (and fictional) Cameron Innis holds a place in knightly lore equal to the Knights of the Round Table.

Poor Joe Knight, raised by a knight and protector, feels more like a bumbling squire when robbery interrupts not one, but two, different dates.

Michelle Morris, my heroine, is a hopeless romantic. She and Joe are made for each other - except for details like jobs, long distance dating, and robberies.

Plainsong is a fun collection of "what ifs"? What if a couple did fall in live at first sight? What if she hates the town where he lives? And he hates her home? What if his every attempt to act like a knight turns into failure?

Joe and Michelle must struggle through a lot of baggage before they can claim their own happily-ever-after.

Do you ever play the "What If?" game in your head?

Plainsong by Darlene Franklin

2011-06-27T08:07:00.006-05:00

This Week's Featured Title is:
Plainsong by Darlene Franklin
978-1-61626-363-8
HP958
Contemporary

Michelle longs for a storybook romance.

Homeless and jobless, Michelle Morris visits her friend Carrie in Denver to find a new job. She quickly envies Carrie's married life and wishes she could have a happily-ever-after of her own. What she doesn't realize is her knight in shining armor is about to sweep her off her feet - and love is much more complicated that she imagined.

Joe Knight lives by a code of chivalry and honor. As he spends more time with Michelle, he wants to protect her, fight her battles for her. He wants to be her strong knight, but feels more like a bungling squire. Does he have what it takes to be the man Michelle needs?

As their picture-perfect romance starts to hit reality, can Michelle and Joe overcome life's obstacles and find a love that truly ends in happily ever after?

Key Verse:

"It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in humans. It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes." Psalm 118:8-9

Book Excerpt:

"I don't know what's happened to me since I got back from Romania. I had the courage of a she-wolf when we were there. But after losing my job in Chicago, I'm scared I can't get the kind of job I need. Not with everybody downsizing."

A green bean snapped in the silence. "It's okay," Carrie said. "You're allowed to ask questions. Just keep trusting in the Lord."

The door opened, and Steve burst in with their boy, Viktor. He dumped a couple of bags on the table. "How's my favorite wife?" Steve hugged Carrie as if he hadn't seen her in days, not hours. Oh, God, will I ever find someone like that?

Joe. Michelle pushed the thought away. She had no business thinking like that about a man she only met last night - and certainly not with her other obligations. But when she remembered his infectious grin, ready laugh, and gentle touch, the idea thrilled her. Stop it, she scolded herself. Her heart didn't want to listen.

Award-winning author and speaker DARLENE FRANKLIN recently returned to cowboy country - Oklahoma, The move was prompted by her desire to be close to her son's family; her daughter Jolene has preceded her into glory.

Darlene loves music, needlework, reading and reality TV. Talia a Lynx point Siamese cat, proudly claims Darlene as her person.

Darlene has published several titles with Barbour Publishing. Visit Darlene's blog at http://www.darlenefranklinwrites.blogspot.com/ for information on book giveaways and upcoming titles.

Have you found your happily ever after?

This Week's Winner!

2011-06-24T08:35:00.002-05:00

photo © 2006 Josh | more info (via: Wylio)

Congrats, Merry! You are the winner of this week's random drawing!

Just email us at heartsongblog[at]gmail[dot]com and let us know if you would like a copy of Sunshine, Kind Hearted Woman or ten Heartpoint to be used toward a future shipment!

Have a great weekend!

This Week's Book From the Vault!

2011-06-23T08:15:00.000-05:00

This Week's Book From the Vault Is:
Kind-Hearted Woman by Janet Spaeth
978-1-60260-593-0
Historical
HP872

Colin hasn't always lived like this.

Colin Hammett is on the road, drifting, searching for meaning in life. Maybe 1935 wasn't the best year to do this - deep in the Great Depression - as it seems half the country is on the road with him. But this is his life now, and he's not sure where to turn next.

Lolly Prescott is feeling every moment of a hot, dry, penniless summer. Life was never exciting before, but now she's just. . .trapped. So when her brothers carry a half-dead man in the front door onto the couch, she doesn't know whether to run or just give in and give up.

As Colin struggles to regain his memory, the Prescotts' financial situation reaches the breaking point. Can the attraction between Colin and Lily grow into a relationship amid such uncertainty? Can it survive when all seems lost?

"Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord." Jeremiah 17:7

Have you heard family stories of the Great Depression?

Day Two with Janet Spaeth

2011-06-22T08:15:00.000-05:00

photo © 2006 Chad Routh | more info (via: Wylio)
Fishing plays a major role in both Sunshine and Kind-Hearted Woman. And here's how much I know about fishing:

Yup. Nothing.

Fortunately, with Kind-Hearted Woman, I was able to build the fishing part around what I remember from fishing with my grandpa. Now, I have to tell you that I never caught a fish, ever, but that didn't stop me from loving that time with him. I can still remember the sun-kissed smell of his work shirt, the soft fishy smell of the tackle box, and the gentle cooing of the mourning doves in the far distance.

My job was to wad up bread into bait. It was, he told me, an important job, and I took it very seriously, tasting the bread balls occasionally to make sure they were as good as they looked. They were.

For Sunshine, I needed more up-to-date information, so I ended up wandering through a sporting goods store, looking at the lures.

I was dazzled.

The lures looked like high-fashion jewelry. The colors! The glitter! The shine! Some moved. Some didn't. Some were shaped like worms, others like little fish. Orange. Pink. Green. Silver.

No bread-ball bait here.

A sales guy came over. Could he help?

Well, sure, I said. I need to know about lures. Like, ooh, this one! It was a metallic neon orange thing with plastic strings coming off it.

He asked what kind of fish I was trying to catch.

What kind of fish? What did that have to do with anything? Apparently it mattered.

Local fish. In a river. Would this lure work?

It turned out that the lure I was holding was for spotted one-gill game fish from the Amazonian rain forest. Not really, but I discovered that this was not something I could learn on the floor of Reed's Sporting Goods. Fishing was serious business.

So I asked a friend who fished, and he guided me through the rough waters of writing about fishing, answering every question I had about lures. I'm sure I made some mis-steps in writing, but remember, this writer was once a little girl, fishing with bread-ball bait with her grandpa, and who only caught memories.

Do you have any fishing memories?

Day One with Janet Spaeth

2011-06-21T08:15:00.000-05:00

photo © 2010 Nic McPhee | more info (via: Wylio)

North Dakota - it's a beautiful state.

On the eastern side, it's flat, and the trees that aren't along the rivers are family-planted shelterbelts. There isn't much to see except land and sky and more land and more sky.

People say there's nothing here.

Nothing? Land and sky are nothing?

Start driving west across the state, and the land will begin to change around you. There will be deep hills around the appropriately named Valley City, and then, as you near the western border, the land suddenly becomes amazing.

I don't know quite how to describe it, which is odd for a writer, isn't it? It's stark and glowing and primeval and overwhelming.

It's hard to judge distance in the Badlands. Only when a herd of wild horses gallop across the backdrop do you get the perspective to know how far things are from you.

You'll feel like you can't look enough when you're there. You want to look at all of it, from a close-up of a rock arrangement to a long view of the band of striated outcroppings.

And over it all is the Dakota-blue sky, an arch that is so astonishingly clear you think, "Yeah, that's PhotoShopped," before you realize, "It can't be!"

The solitude is spectacular, too, because you are alone - well, except for the elk and the bison and the wild horses and the prairie dog towns.

Remind yourself: This is just land. Land and sky.

You'll never think of them the same way again.

And you'll understand why I set Sunshine in the Badlands.

Have you ever been to North Dakota?

Sunshine by Janet Spaeth

2011-06-20T08:15:00.000-05:00

This Week's Featured Title is:
Sunshine by Janet Spaeth
978-1-61626-337-9
HP957
Contemporary

Olivia has a crazy dream.

When a page from a Bismarck, North Dakota, newspaper blew up against Olivia Moore's Boston-bound car, her only thought as she retrieved it was to get it into a recycle bin. But the advertisement on that page caught her attention. . .and her imagination. . .and her determination.

Hayden Greenwood isn't quite sure what to think of this adorable city slicker who shows up in an answer to his ad to sell the now-defunct resort his family has owned for decades. Does she really think she can remodel - rebuild, really - the place by herself? And to what end? To reopen a tourists attraction in the middle of nowhere? Shouldn't a realtor know the old adage "Location, location, location?"

But there's more to life than surface events. And while Livvy sees the possibilities in her new property, Hayden sees them in her. . .

Key Verse:

"A time is coming and in fact has come when you will be scattered, each to your own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me." John 16:32

Book Excerpt:

"It needs some work," Gramps said.

"The whole thing needs work," Hayden said. "I don't know, of course, what you plan to do here, but the fact is that except for Gramps and me and our friends, no one comes here. Sunshine hasn't had any customers for two years now."

It was such a difference from the hustle of Boston. There were no car horns honking. No radios blaring. No one talking.

Livvy stood motionless, letting the nothingness of it all overtake her. She felt tiny and yet part of all creation. The soft breeze lifted and dropped her hair around her cheeks and forehead.

And, as she listened to the sound of God Himself - the soft splash of the waves, the trill of the birds, the hum of the insects - she fell in love.

"I want it."

For as long as she can remember, JANET SPAETH has loved to read, and romances were always a favorite. Today she is delighted to be able to write romances based upon the greatest love story of all, that of our Lord for us. When she isn't writing, Janet spends her time reading a romance or a cozy mystery, baking chocolate chip cookies, or spending precious hours with her family in North Dakota.

Have you ever fallen in love with a place because it is the polar opposite of what you are used to?

This Week's Winner!

2011-06-17T08:11:00.002-05:00

photo © 2006 Ganesha Balunsat | more info (via: Wylio)

Congratulations, Regina Jennings! You are the winner of this week's random drawing!

Just send us an email at heartsongblog[at]gmail[dot]com and let us know if you would like a copy of I'd Sooner Have Love, With Open Arms or ten Heartpoints to be used toward a future shipment of Heartsong Books!

Have a great weekend!

Book from the Vault!

2011-06-16T08:15:00.000-05:00

This Week's Book from the Vault is:
With Open Arms by Janet Lee Barton
978-1-59789-375-6
Contemporary
HP730

Thad's evening was much more enjoyable with Dani sitting beside him.

There was just something about Dani Phillips he liked. She expressed her views in such a forthright way; it was refreshing. She was not happy about the possibility of tourists coming in and taking over her town, which came across loud and clear. But her opinion appeared at odds with what the city council seemed to want from him, and he could only hope that didn't cause a problem.

Dani had a job to do, and part of it was to show him around town. She'd already proven she could do it, even if she didn't agree with the council on their views on how to revive their town.

He had a job to do, and that was to decide if he could come up with a campaign to help draw tourists to this town. Potential problem? Not as long as he put a damper on his growing attraction to this feisty city manager. And dampen it he must. The last thing he needed was to fall for Dani Phillips.

What would you do if you were in Thad's shoes?

Day 2 With Janet Lee Barton

2011-06-15T08:15:00.002-05:00

As I walked the streets of Guthrie the idea of I'd Sooner Have Love quickly came to life. It's the story of Faith Anderson and Gabe Logan - two lonely people who believe they'll never have a family of their own.

A year after Faith's husband passes away; she's given up on having a good relationship with his parents. They never liked her because she was unable to give them a grandchild and they have made it clear that the only way she'll ever inherit her husband's share of their wealth is to let them control her life. She feels totally smothered by them and their unending lists of what is acceptable and what is not for an Anderson. She doesn't care about their money...nor does she really need it. Her husband must have known how his parents would treat her, for he'd made sure to provide her with enough to make a new start somewhere else.

Resigned to the fact that she can't have children and will never marry again, she takes her widowed brother, Ben Thompson, up on his offer to go to Oklahoma Territory with him and his two children. She takes the next train to Arkansas City where her brother and his children have been living for the last six months, waiting for land to open up. When Ben decides to go to the front of the line, Faith and her nephew and niece make the run alone to meet him in the town that begins with a sea of tents on the prairie.

Gabe Logan has been waiting for the government to open up land in Oklahoma for several years. The economic collapse in Kansas had taken a toll on his business as a builder in Wichita, and the death of his fiancee in a bank robbery had taken the joy out of his life. All that had mattered from that point on was finding the man. For a year, Gabe had hunted him down. When Gabe caught up with him, he wanted to take him in, but the man shot at him and Gabe shot back, wounding the man but not killing him. However, he'd spent several months in jail until a trial proved that the man was his fiance's assassin. Now, Gabe is more than ready to leave Kansas, start a new life and try to get over the pain of the past.

Gabe is certain no woman would want to marry a man who'd spent time in jail and Faith is just as sure that no man would want to marry a woman who couldn't give him a child. But the Lord might have plans of His own.

Have there been times in your life when the Lord has shown you He had a plan much different that your own - one that was so much better than anything you'd planned that you had no doubt that it came form Him?

Day One with Janet Lee Barton

2011-06-14T08:15:00.000-05:00

After we moved to Oklahoma, I was pleased to find out that Guthrie, one of the first towns settled in the 1889 Land Rush, is only about fifteen minutes from where we live. We've made several trips to the town that is a Historical District of over 2,000 buildings covering 1,400 acres. One can take a trolley tour and visit the Oklahoma Territorial Museum, The State Capital Publishing Museum and The Oklahoma Frontier Drugstore Museum. There are quaint places to eat and shop, antique stores that invite one to browse.

It didn't take but one visit for the idea of I'd Sooner Have Love to spring to life. And as I delved into research, all kinds of what-if story ideas to start coming to the surface to develop the Oklahoma Sooners series. With each visit since, I've come to admire those first settlers so much. I love going there and imagining what it was like to be one of the first to settle this area of the state, to see a town go from tents to frame buildings almost overnight. The planning for the first towns in Oklahoma were so well done, one can see why its so easy to find ones way around even now. I'm so glad Guthrie is still here, with so much of what it was then still here and being appreciated and taken care of.

Very soon the frame buildings quickly turned into brick ones, most of which have been well preserved. Four months after run, the City Directory included 6 banks, 16 barbers and at least that many blacksmiths and carpenters. There were 5 newspapers, over 20 grocers, 4 jewelers, 7 hardware stores, 19 pharmacists, 39 doctors, 7 hardware stores, 40 restaurants, 81 lawyers, not to mention dry goods stores, laundries, flour and feed stores, and the list goes on. Hotels went up and were quickly filled; boarding houses were started, sparking the idea for Faith's boarding house in I'd Sooner Have Love, and period homes still line residential streets.

Guthrie quickly sprung up on the prairie to become a city, and today it's like stepping back in time to visit there and see so much of the Victorian elegance that proclaimed it the capitol of Oklahoma until it was moved to Oklahoma City in 1910.

What part of preserved history is near where you live?

I'd Sooner Have Love by Janet L. Barton

2011-06-13T08:15:00.000-05:00

This Week's Featured Title Is:
I'd Sooner Have Love by Janet L. Barton
978-1-61626-335-5
HP956
Historical

Faith has given up.

Unable to give her husband children, Faith Anderson watched his love change to disappointment before he died in a riding accident. She's determined never to marry again, and instead plans to build a new life in Guthrie, Oklahoma, with thousands of other settlers who have rushed to the area.

But that was before she met Gabe Logan, a man whose simple presence makes her heart face and whose kindness to others begins to warm her heart - in spite of her best efforts to remain cold. Gabe himself has secrets in his past that he's convinced will keep any self-respecting woman from wanting to marry him. But that doesn't stop his traitorous heart from falling for Faith.

If the past were different, Gabe and Faith would sooner have love. But now they must decide: will they let fear of disappointment and rejection keep them from accepting the love God has placed in their paths?

Key Verse:

"Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before." Philippians 3:13

Book Excerpt:

"Ready, Faith?" Ben called from outside the wagon.

"I'm ready." Hope had cleaned up after breakfast but still was finished dressing long before Faith, and now everyone waited for her. Faith hurried out and took Ben's helping hand to climb down.

"Are you alright, Sis? You were awful quiet at breakfast."

"I'm fine." And she would be. It was a beautiful Sunday, and she would think on all the good things in her life and rejoice in them.

When she saw Gabe striding over in their direction, her heart warmed because he was taking her up on the invitation to join them.

"Thought I'd join you in church this morning," he said.

Her heart did a triple flip as he smiled at her, and Faith was glad when Ben answered for her.

"We'd be glad for you to join us. It's the best way to start a week that I know of."

Gabe only nodded as he fell into step beside them. Faith had wondered if he would ever go to church with them, and now that he was, her heart felt about ready to burst with joy.

Faith never thought any other man would be able to claim her heart after her Noah, but Gabe Logan seemed to be making his own place. And she couldn't let that happen. It would only serve to bring heartache - for she would never marry again.

JANET LEE BARTON has lived all over the southern U.S., but she and her husband plan to now stay put in Oklahoma. With three daughters and six grandchildren between them, they feel blessed to have at least one daughter and her family living in the same town. Janet loves being able to share her faith through her writing. Happily married to her very own hero, she is ever thankful that the Lord brought Dan into her life, and she wants to write stories that show that the love between a man and a woman is at its best when the relationship is built with God at the center. She's very happy that the kind of romances the Lord has called her to write can be read and shared with women of all ages, from teenagers to grandmothers alike.

Do any of you have a long distance separating you from your children and grandchildren?

And The Winner Is...

2011-06-10T08:15:00.002-05:00

photo © 2011 Steven Worster more info (via: Wylio)
PATSY!

Congrats, Patsy! You are the winner of this week's random drawing! Just send us an email at heartsongblog[at]gmail[dot]com and let us know if you would like a copy of White River Dreams, A Girl Like That or ten Heartpoints to be used toward a future shipment of Heartsong books!

Have a great weekend!

Book From the Vault!

2011-06-09T08:15:00.002-05:00

This Week's Book From the Vault is:
A Girl Like That by Frances Devine
978-1-60260-355-4
HP847
Historical

Katie can't wait to get on stage.

Katie O'Shannon is excited to finally be in Chicago, working with her father in show business. And when she's given the opportunity to perform on stage herself, she's sure her dreams are coming true. But then God awakens her to the plight of the immigrants, and she realizes the spotlight may not bring her what she truly seeks.

Sam Nelson works diligently to make partner in his father's law firm. He is thrilled to receive an important case. . .until he discovers the client may be using unethical means to win. Now Sam must decide what true justice is.

When Katie and Sam meet, sparks fly. But as Chicago ignites around them, will they turn to God for guidance or will their dreams - and love - burn to ashes?

"And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me." Psalm 50:15

Has anyone ever visited Chicago?

Day Two With Frances Devine

2011-06-08T08:15:00.001-05:00

photo © 1900 Powerhouse Museum more info (via: Wylio)
My mother, Josie, was a twin. Her sister died at birth. My dad had twin sisters, Bessie and Chessie. So, I always dreamed of twins. Didn't happen. But two of my nieces have twins. I guess it really does skip a generation.

White River Song is Abby's story. Abby is rather an independent girl who in spite of Lexie and Aunt Kate's training remains a little bit rough around the edges. She goes by the nickname of Tuck, short for Kentucky. Tuck falls for the handsome and sophisticated new doctor while her childhood friend Rafe suddenly realizes he cares for her a lot more than he knew.

Addy, who is featured in White River Sunrise has always been a very proper child and young lady. But secretly, she dreams of adventure. Her favorite memory is when she sailed downriver on her dad's steamboat. She's torn between her desire to stay close to her family, especially her twin sister, and her longing for romance and faraway places.

I hope you will enjoy reading this series as much as I loved writing it. And I hope you fall in love with Missouri, just like I did.

Do you have a favorite place? A place where all your cares just drift away? I'd love to hear about it.

Have a wonderful and blessed summer.
~Frances Devine

Day One with Frances Devine!

2011-06-07T08:15:00.000-05:00

photo © 2005 Angela Thomas | more info (via: Wylio)
Hi. I'm Frances Devine. Mother, grandmother and late-in-life author.

I was born in Donna, Texas, a town in the Rio Grande Valley, and they tell me my name was supposed to be Donna Delores. I've heard several different versions of how that morphed into Frances Lee and have no idea which one is correct. I grew up feeling like I'd been robbed of my true name. To me, Donna Delores seemed much more romantic and mysterious than plain old Fances. I was also jealous of my sister, Edith, who was old enough to learn how to say "much, aqua, no?" before we moved to Dallas when I was nine months old.

In Dallas I met a girl named Glenda who lived across the street, I still consider her my best friend although I haven't set eyes on her since we were in our early twenties. We used to sit on the curb in front of my house at dusk and tell ghost stories. We'd get so scared that we'd both bolt for our houses. Those were the days.

At the early age of eight, my family moved to a little community in East Texas called Brushy Creek. Pine Tree country. This little city girl was afraid of everything from chickens to the little bull calf who stared at me from his pen. A low well stood on our back porch and each time I had to draw water I was afraid I'd be pulled in.

My brother and sisters, except Edith, were all grown and married before we moved there and Edith left a year later, so there I was stuck in the country all alone. I made new friends, but none like my best friend Glenda. But that's when I learned to dream big. I remember sitting on the seat of the farm wagon and living out a whole wagon train adventure inside my head.

When I was nine I wrote my first story. My inspiration was a picture that hung on my mother's wall of The Lone Wolf featuring the wolf called Two-socks. I had recently read Silver Chief, Dog of the North, so I'm not sure how many of the ideas for my story came from that great book, but if I plagiarized or came close to it, I didn't realize it. From that moment, the dream of my heart was to become a published author.

As they say, "You can take the girl out of Texas, but you can't take Texas out of the girl." That's very true, but I found there was room in my heart for other places as well. In 1983, I moved with my husband and younger children to southwest Missouri. At first I felt like I was going to suffocate from all the trees and hills, and after a while, I grew to love my new state.

Through the years of raising my seven children and delighting in my grandchildren, I'd given up on my dream, but God hadn't. In my mid-sixties, I signed my first contract.

My latest series is about historical Branson. When I first discovered Branson and Silver Dollar City, I was mesmerized. Since I'm about a hundred miles north and east of the area, I didn't get there as often as I'd like, but while writing this series my heart grew even closer to the Missouri Ozarks.

White River Dreams is about a young woman named Lexie who was also transplanted to the area when she and her brother were orphaned and came to live with their Aunt Kate. Already restless, when her brother decides to marry, the thought of living with him and his new bride is more than she can take.

The hero of the story is the captain of a steamboat, transporting supplies up and down the White River. These two are thrown together to care for eight-year-old orphaned twin girls, Addy and Abby. Their stories will be the focus of books two and three. I'll talk a little bit about those in tomorrow's blog.

Do you have a dream of your own that has been fulfilled or is still on hold? If you'd like to, leave a comment and share it with us.

See you tomorrow.

Blessings,
Frances

White River Dreams by Frances Devine

2011-06-06T08:57:00.005-05:00

This Week's Featured Title Is:
White River Dreams by Frances Devine
978-1-61626-338-6
HP955
Historical

Lexi needs a change.

With her brother prepared to bring his new bride home to their Missouri farm, Lexie Rayton desired to make a change in her life. She is delighted when given the opportunity to care for two orphaned girls on a neighboring farm. But it is the girls' caregiver, Jack Sullivan, who captures her interest.

Jack Sullivan is willing to give up his beloved riverboat and enter into a marriage of convenience with Lexie in order to adopt the twin girls he adores. But when dreams of something more awaken his heart, will Lexie return his love?

Just when Jack and Lexie may achieve their hearts' desires, the girls' stepmother returns to claim them. Can faith and love restore Jack's and Lexie's White River dreams?

Key Verse:

Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.

Proverbs 16:3

Book Excerpt:

Jack groaned and opened his eyes. Severe pain shot through his arm and shoulder, and his whole upper body was one big burning ache. He blinked and shook his head, then tried to sit up. Agonizing pain gripped him and he gasped.

"Woah there, pardner. I wouldn't try to get up just yet if I was you."

A blurry face bobbed in front of Jack's eyes and he blinked to try to clear his vision. "The fire. You were at the fire." The words weren't much more than a croak escaping Jack's raw, sore throat.

"That's right. You were shot. By the Bald Knobbers, I'd guess. My sister and I brought you home after you passed out."

A flash of blue and a cascade of black curls assaulted Jack's memories. Sister. No she wasn't just a dream and she wasn't the man's wife. Confusion swirled around his mind. Somehow he'd linked the woman from last night with the one who'd stepped in front of his horse.

Jack resisted the heaviness that pressed against his eyelids. There was something else he needed to remember. What? "The twins," he whispered.

"The girls went home with my sister. Don't worry. They'll love our farm. Lexie and Aunt Kate with take good care of them."

A niggling worry wormed its way around in Jack's head. He wasn't sure why.

FRANCES L. DEVINE grew up in the great state of Texas, where she wrote her first story at the age of nine. She moved to Southwest Missouri more than twenty years ago and fell in love with the hills, the fall colors, and Silver Dollar City. Frances has always loved to read, especially cozy mysteries, and considers herself blessed to have the opportunity to write in her favorite genre. She is the mother of seven adult children and has fourteen wonderful grandchildren. Frances is happy to hear from her fans. Email her at cozymysteries[at]aol[dot]com.

Does it finally feel like summer where you live?

A Random Drawing Winner!

2011-06-03T08:15:00.001-05:00

photo © 2010 Andrew Blight more info (via: Wylio)

Congratulations Roanna, you are this week's random drawing winner!

Please send an email to heartsongblog @ gmail .com (without the spaces) and let us know if you would like a copy of Game of Love, Maid to Love, or 10 Heartpoints to be used towards a future shipment of Heartsong books.

Have a lovely weekend!

From the Vault!

2011-06-02T08:15:00.000-05:00

This week's title from the vault is...
Maid to Love by Jennifer Johnson
978-1-61626-005-7
HP 922
Contemporary

Nick and Addy have some history.

Nick Martin and his four friends made a bet - the last guy to marry wins. The losers have to help plan and pay for the winner's wedding. No way is Nick going to lose. But when Addy Wilson comes home to River Run, Nick's interest in winning the silly bet begins to wane.

Addy Wilson's plans aren't working out. Six months after graduating college, she still has no job prospects. When her aunt is injured and can't clean her clients' homes, Addy temporarily moves back to her tiny hometown to help. Nick Martin, the guy she had a crush on when she was an awkward teenager, is one of Aunt Becky's clients. But Addy is determined not to make a fool of herself over Nick again.

Will Nick and Addy let the childish things of the past stand in their way to love?

Did you ever have a childhood crush?

Welcome Jennifer Johnson!

2011-06-01T08:25:00.007-05:00

Day 1

Hello Everyone,

I had so much fun writing Game of Love. Authors always try to do something a little different something that allows the story to have a touch of unique. What I incorporated in this story isn't overly unique; as I have a lot of family and friends who participate in this "uniqueness". What in the world am I talking about?

Homeschooling

My heroine was homeschooled. I wasn't homeschooled when I was a girl, but five of my younger siblings were! As a public school teacher, I've experienced both sides of the public school vs. homeschool debate. To me, it's not really a debate. It's a matter of what God is guiding each family to do.
Lots of people homeschool for lots of reasons. Lots of people also send their children to public schools for lots of reasons. There are good points about both. What do you all think? (Please be sensitive to the beliefs/feelings of others.)

Day 2

Hello Everyone,
How many of you believe in love at first sight? When you read about it in a book or watch it on a movie, do you think, "please, that never happens." Guess what, it does!

The year was 1988. I was cheering in the very first football game in a brand new school. I thought I knew pretty much everyone. I mean, I'd gone to middle school and high school with my classmates. The only reason for the new school was overpopulation at the old one. Essentially, they just split us all up.

Well, like I said, I was cheering for my brand new team. Boy, I loved cheerleading. I was giving it all I had when suddenly one of our football players was hit in the back after the whistle. Our guy gets the breath knocked out of him, but he stands up, walks to the bench and kinda plops down on the side of it. He takes his helmet off, and I notice his red hair.

"Who's that?" I asked one of my cheerleader friends.

"Albert Johnson."

There was something about him. I don't know how to explain it. I didn't even get a good look at his face. I just knew and even said, "I'm going to marry him."

And you guessed it, I did. Poor guy didn't stand a chance. He and I had the same Spanish class. I'd send him little notes with footballs and pom poms drawn on them telling him what a great game he'd had. (He was our amazing quarterback.) It took a couple weeks, but he finally found out who the chick was sending him all those goofy letters. I found out later he thought I was a bit immature, but that I'd probably be fun to be around, so he asked me on a date.

I was crazy about him. C-R-A-Z-Y!

Twenty years of marriage later...I still am. I suppose we've both gained a few pounds. He's lost a little hair. We've birthed and almost finished raising three girls. He put me through college and sent me to writing conferences. Our relationship started with me being his cheerleader. In life, he's been mine.

Do I believe in love at first sight? Does it last? Well, I'd have to say I do, and it does. Of course, there is one key ingredient. Can you guess it? Jesus! He's the key. Jesus!

Al & me in Cancun in celebration of our 20th anniversary! :)

Game of Love by Jennifer Johnson

2011-05-30T08:15:00.000-05:00

This week's featured title is...
Game of Love by Jennifer Johnson
978-1-61626-369-0
HP 954
Contemporary

Mike needs to make his move.

After three years, it's about time Mike McCauley stopped pining over the waitress at his favorite diner and just ask her out. All his buddies are married, so he'd won the no-women bet they'd made years ago. So why does he feel like the loser?

Librarian Johanna Smith's family is determined to see her wed Gavin Mitchell, her best friend since their baby days. But Johanna and Gavin aren't in love - at least, not with each other.

Johanna accidentally gives Mike a fat lip the day before his friend's wedding. On the street, she elbows him off the sidewalk. Days later, her grocery cart slams into his ankles. How many times does Johanna have to run into Mike - literally - before God gets their attention?

Book Excerpt

Her cart jolted. She looked and saw she'd bumped into someone. Someone wearing tennis shoes. Which probably meant the back of his ankles would really hurt. "I'm so sorry."

The man lifted his right foot a bit as he turned to face her. "No prob-You?"

It couldn't be. It simply was not possible. There stood the same man she'd run into at the barn and on the sidewalk. She was normally a very careful person, but it seemed as if some weird force propelled her to wound this man in some way.

Her cheeks warmed and her hands shook slightly until she gripped the cart handle. "I - I don't now what to say."

A smile bowed the man's lips, and Johanna couldn't help but admit how cute he was. He extended his hand. "I think I'd better introduce myself to you before you need to notify my family."

Johanna frowned. "Notify your family?"

"Yeah. Next time you run into me you may put me in the hospital."

Key Verse

"Let the morning bring me word of Your unfailing love, for I have put me trust in You. Show me the way I should go, for to You I lift up my soul." Psalm 143:8

About the Author

Jennifer Johnson and the world's most supportive redheaded husband are happily married and raising the three cutest girls on the planet. Jennifer is an 8th grade math teacher in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. (Pray for her.) She is also a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. Jennifer loves to read, write, and figure her checkbook - when the numbers match. She also likes to scrapbook and chauffeur and cheer for her daughters' soccer, basketball, singing, and youth events. Blessed beyond measure by her heavenly Father, Jennifer hopes to always think like a child - bigger than she can imagine and with a complete faith.

What did you do during your holiday weekend?

A New Random Drawing Winner!

2011-05-27T08:07:00.002-05:00

photo © 2009 epSos .de more info (via: Wylio)
Congratulations Holly Armstrong, you are this week's random drawing winner!!

Please send an email to heartsongblog @ gmail .com (without the spaces) and let us know if you would like a copy of No One But You,The Thing About Beauty, or 10 Heartpoints to be used towards a future shipment of Heartsong books.

Have a safe and wonderful weekend!

The Thing About Beauty by Donna Robinson

2011-05-26T08:15:00.001-05:00

This week's title from the vault is...
The Thing About Beauty by Donna Robinson
978-1-61626-113-9
HP 926
Contemporary

Being beautiful has its drawbacks.

Tonya Brandt wants to marry a man who will complement her own beauty. But she's dated every good-looking guy in town without finding someone who loves her mind and talents.

Murray Twichell knows his chances with Tonya aren't good, but somehow he can't get her out of his mind. Although her self-absorption drives him crazy and she doesn't give him the time of day, something about her keeps drawing him back. If only he could get to know the real Tonya without her discovering who he is.

When a secret admirer begins sending Tonya gifts and letters, her heart melts. But who is this mystery man? She loves his personality, but what does he look like? When Tonya finally discovers her secret admirer's identity, will she reject him? Or will she learn that true beauty is more than skin deep?

Have you ever had a secret admirer?

Another Day with Donna Robinson!

2011-05-25T08:15:00.001-05:00

Day Two with Donna Reimel Robinson

No One But You has a picture of "Old Faithful" on the cover since Derek and Cheyenne take a group of orphans to Yellowstone National Park. Old Faithful erupts approximately every 91 minutes, and Derek explains (in order to impress a pretty girl named Cheyenne) exactly how a geyser erupts in Chapter 15. (You'll have to read the book to get the details!)

Yellowstone was America's first national park, established in 1872,and located in the Northwest corner of Wyoming. It is the home to a large variety of wildlife including bison, elk, grizzly bears, and wolves. The park also includes a number of geysers and hot springs, three deep canyons, 390 waterfalls, and Yellowstone Lake. Visitors can go hiking, camping, and fishing.

I hope you enjoy reading No One But You, and be sure to visit my website at: http://www.donnarobinsonbooks.com/.

Have you ever visited Yellowstone National Park?

Welcome Donna Robinson

2011-05-24T08:10:00.006-05:00

Day One with Donna Reimel Robinson

In this third book about Fort Lob, Wyoming, the Brandt family attends Cheyenne Frontier Days, a famous rodeo known among cowboys as "The Daddy of 'Em All." The city of Cheyenne, Wyoming sponsors CFD every July. (Our family lives in Denver, and there's always an article or two in the Denver newspaper about CFD since it's such a huge event.) The rodeo includes cowboy contests, barrel racing, and bull riding, among other things. But the rodeo is just one part of CFD. They also have an old western town known as Wild Horse Gulch, an Indian village with Native Americans dressed in full Indian garb, and the Old West Museum. And they sell lots of souvenirs.

One thing I didn't mention in the book - CFD holds a cowboy church service on the two Sunday mornings during the festivities. The Fellowship of Christian Cowboys, located in Canon City, Colorado is in charge. Of course, CFD also includes some rock concerts on a few evenings, so they cater to everyone. But I was impressed that they let the Christian cowboys hold Sunday services, taking an hour from the busy rodeo schedule to honor the Lord.

Have you ever attended a rodeo? Where was it held?

No One But You by Donna Robinson

2011-05-23T08:31:00.007-05:00

This week's featured title is...
No One But You by Donna Robinson
978-1-61626-336-2
HP 953
Contemporary

God's plans are worth waiting for.

At least that's what Cheyenne Wilkins has been telling herself. But since her grandmother died, time is running out! If only grandmother didn't have those stipulations in her will, Cheyenne could wait for the man of her dreams.

Derek Brandt has made it living at home, helping his dad run the family ranch. He's free to serve God at any time in any way. If he had a wife he wouldn't be able to do half the things he does! And even if his heart does thump a little harder when Cheyenne gets close, he's busy serving God. He'll think about Cheyenne later.

When a new man enters Cheyenne's life, she thinks he's the answer to her prayers. But if he's really the one she should marry, why does Derek still make her heart race? Will Cheyenne discover God's will in time?

Book Excerpt

"You still have a spot of mascara under your eye."

I do?" He studied his reflection in the rear view mirror. "Yeah, so I do."

Cheyenne rummaged in her purse. "Let me clean that off." She pulled out a tissue.

Derek threw his arm across the back of the bench seat and leaned toward her.

She dabbed the tissue under his eye, feeling his gaze on her. Their faces were so close - a little tingle went up her spine at his nearness. She wiped the tissue under his lashes one last time, wishing she could stay a few more minutes, but her job was done. "There, that's better." She looked into his eyes.

His gaze held hers. "Much better." His eyes dipped down to her lips.

Cheyenne caught a quick breath. He was going to kiss her!

But Derek suddenly cleared his throat and sat back. "Thanks." Placing a fist against his mouth, he coughed. "Uh, guess I'll see you Sunday at church."

Key Verse

Colossians 1:9, "...That ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding." (KJV)

About the Author

Donna Reimel Robinson is a member of the JOY Writers, a local critique group. As a pastor's wife, she heads up the music ministry of their church. In her spare time, Donna enjoys sewing, reading, and watching DVDs of Murder, She Wrote. The Robinsons have four children, two children in-law, and six grandchildren. They live in Denver, Colorado. Visit Donna's website at http://www.donnarobinsonbooks.com/

It's Monday which means the end to a relaxing weekend. What were some ways you relaxed over the weekend?

A New Random Drawing Winner!

2011-05-20T08:15:00.001-05:00

photo © 2008 John Brennan more info (via: Wylio)
Congratulations V.V. Denman, you are this week's random drawing winner!

Please send an email to heartsongblog @ gmail .com (without the spaces) and let us know if you want a copy of Revealing Fire, The Engineered Engagement, or 10 Heartpoints to be used towards a future shipment of Heartsong books.

Thanks to everyone who commented this week. Have a fun weekend!

From the Vault

2011-05-19T08:15:00.000-05:00

This week's title from the vault is...
The Engineered Engagement by Erica Vetsch
978-1-60260-882-5
HP 907
Historical

A Kennebrae keeps his word...

But grandfather made the promise, and Eli Kennebrae is expected to carry it out. And maybe grandfather got lucky with Eli's brothers' brides, but there is no way Eli is going to participate in an arranged marriage, or is he?

Josie Zahn admired Eli from a distance for years, but he hardly knows she exists other than as just "one of the Zahn girls." If only she could get his attention. When father announces her older sister Clarice's engagement to Eli, both girls are crushed. Is there no way out of this nightmare?

Deception, intrigue, and danger make life miserable for the Zahns and the Kennebraes as they learn that Divine engineering is far better than human manipulation.

Does your family history have any arranged marriages?

Another Day with Erica Vetsch

2011-05-18T08:15:00.000-05:00

photo © 2008 Isabelle Palatin | more info (via: Wylio)
What's in a Name - Part 2:

Yesterday we talked about the importance of choosing the right character names. If anything, choosing an appealing title is even more crucial. An intriguing title might be the difference between a potential reader taking your book off the shelf for a close look or passing it over for something more interesting. When I browse the fiction section of my local bookstore, I look first at the title. (Then at the cover art, though I try not to judge a book by its cover.) Does the title appeal to me? Does it indicate what the story might be about? Is it memorable?

So, how do authors chose titles for their novels? (One big caveat here is that the publisher almost always reserves the right to change the title, and the author is often asked to come up with several alternatives. This can be particularly painful if the author struggles with coming up with titles or is certain her title is the perfect one and no change is necessary. Best to go into the process knowing you'll probably be asked to adjust the title to fit the publisher/marketing.)

My current release, Before Dawn, stared out with a different title. The Darkest Hour. That doesn't exactly scream Historical Romance with a Happily Ever After Ending, does it? The Darkest Hour would fit a thriller or suspense or mystery, but not an uplifting romance.

My friend Mary Connealy (who has given me permission to share this here) told me that her mega-hit/amazing/really fun (my description) novel Petticoat Ranch started out as Room for God's Wrath. (Blink.) Lemme say, the first time I saw the title Petticoat Ranch (about six months before it released) I knew I was going to buy that book. If it had remained titles Room for God's Wrath, I probably would've passed on the book and missed not only a great story, but a precious friendship, too! I am soooo glad she changed it!

So, how does an author go about choosing a title? Here are some methods I employ:

1. Consider genre and mood. The examples above illustrate this. The Darkest Hour and Room for God's Wrath don't fit inspiring romance or romantic comedy with cowboys.

2. Consider a common theme when writing a series. In my first series, each title has something to do with a wedding. Bride, Marriage, and Engagement all feature in the titles. In my second series, each one has to do with the Old West. Cowboy, Lawman, Maverick. In this current series, each book title has to do with light. The words Dawn, Light, and Stars appear in the titles.

3. Consider alliteration. The Bartered Bride, Maggie and the Maverick, The Marriage Masquerade, Clara and the Cowboy. I love alliteration in titles. It makes them easy to remember.

4. Brainstorm ideas and themes in the book. While helping a friend brainstorm titles, I told her that sometimes I make lists of words that pertain to the book I'm writing. Then I experiment with how they might fit together.

5. Lines from hymns, Bible verses, famous plays/poetry/sayings, etc. can also inspire titles. Before the Dawn comes from the old saying 'The darkest hour is always before the dawn.' And the next book in this series is entitled Light to my Path from Psalm 119:105.

So question for you - Have you ever been drawn to a book solely by the title? What interesting titles have you seen lately?

Welcome Erica Vetsch!

2011-05-17T08:15:00.000-05:00

photo © 2009 TMAB2003 | more info (via: Wylio)
What's in a Name - Part 1:

As I sit here at Caribou Coffee writing this blog post, the trivia question of the day is: Which famous actor cut the first syllable - Bum - from his/her last name? A) Brad Pitt B) Jennifer Aniston C) Sally Field D) James Garner (If a customer gets the trivia question correct, they get $.10 off their order.)

Would we view Brad Pitt differently if his name was Brad Bumpitt? (Makes me think of the hair accessory.) Or if Sally Field was Sally Bumfield?

Face it, the name Cary Grant evokes a much different image in our minds than someone named Archibal A. Leach, and William Pratt doesn't it sound the least bit scary, but Boris Karloff sure does.

Marion Morrison or John Wayne?
Alan Alda or Alphonso D'Abruzzo?
Barbara Stanwyck or Ruby Stevens?
Chuck Norris or Carlos Ray?
John Denver or Henry John Deutschendorf, Jr. (Yeah, really!)

Just as actors change their names to fit their personas, authors choose character names that portray the type of person they are trying to create. Naming characters can be difficult as finding a title for your novel (which we'll talk about more tomorrow.) Every author has a different method of naming characters, but here are a few of the issues I take into consideration when making these decisions.

1. The setting. This is first and foremost in my mind when naming characters because I write historical fiction. While Madesyn Skylar, Xoe, and Marley are fine names for little girls in the 21st century, they were not popular names in the 1870's. My favorite place to find names that are historically accurate is history books. Famous people (and not so famous people) who were adults when my story is set. Census records are helpful here, too. Biblical names are always good in historicals.

2. Ethnic background. If my characters are Irish Scot, Norwegian, or Russian that will influence what their names are, both first and last. And if they are of mixed heritage, I get to be even more creative. I have a character in an upcoming novel whose mother was Irish and her father was Norwegian. She bears the name Meghan Thorson.

3. Economic status. The income level/education level of the characters influences their names quite a bit. Would you believe credible a dirt-poor backwoods girl name Patricia Octavia Montmorency-Fotheringham? Probably not. My first series of Heartsongs was set amongst the affluent class of the Gilded Age. Heroines named Melissa, Anastasia and Josephine. My next series was set in Idaho Territory thirty years before, and the heroines were named Clara, Lily, and Maggie.

4. Characteristics and connotations. Some names automatically evoke certain feelings. It would be hard to consider a manly hero whose name was Periwinkle Pearl Littleton. And what about heroines? It's hard to envision a heroine named Mabel Clutterbuck in a glorious evening gowning waltzing Mrs. Astor's Manhattan mansion.

5. Exceptions. This is where a bit of fun comes in. An author can always make exceptions if she properly explains/motivates the name choice. What if Periwinkle Pearl was a family name and he spent his whole life defending it. Or hiding it behind a nickname/fake name? Or if Mabel Clutterbuck has come into a fortune and must overcome her pedestrian roots in Papillion/My Fair Lady type of story? There are exceptions to every rule, and as long as the author explains the chasm between the name and the situation, it's okay to be a bit unconventional.

What about your name? Do you think it fits your personality? Or how did you come up with names for your kids?

(The correct answer to the trivia question is D) James Garner was born James Bumgarner. I guessed correctly and got my $.10 off.)

Before the Dawn by Erica Vetsch

2011-05-16T08:34:00.012-05:00

This week's featured title is...
Before the Dawn by Erica Vetsch
978-1-61626-329-4
HP 952
Historical

There's nothing left for David.

In the depths of a collapsing mine shaft, David Mackenzie lost everything. Even his sight. But not his life. no, God didn't take that. Determined not to rely on anyone else to get along, David wraps himself tightly in folds of bitterness as dark as his new world.

But Karen Worth will not give up, and through a series of maneuvers she manages to convince David to marry her anyway. She quickly discovers, however, that though she loves him unconditionally, she shouldn't have stepped ahead of God - who also never gives up.

God's love is a light that can break through any darkness, but Karen and David must turn toward the light in order to experience it. As they learn the truth behind the accident and face a darkness neither expected, will they make the right choice?

Book Excerpt
"When the time comes that you realize your mistake in marrying me, you can apply for an annulment."
The air rushed out of her lungs and her head spun. An annulment? "When are you going to understand that I have no intention of leaving you? Did you not hear me today? I promised to love, honor, and obey you until death parted us."
"I heard your promise. Now obey me and take your things to the next room. I'm tired, and I'd like to go to bed. It's been a long day." He stepped farther into the room and waited.
Numb at this turn of events, Karen gathered her valise and straightened. "David, can't we talk about this?"
"This is not a matter for discussion. Go to bed."
She gathered the lamp and stepped into the hall. He closed the door behind her, shutting her out as effectively as putting out a cat for the night. The final humiliation came when he turned the key in the lock.
Key Verse
If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.
Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.

About the Author
Erica Vetsch was Kansas born and raised, but this award-winning author now make her home in Minnesota. This wife and mother of two teens is thankful God gave her a wonderful imagination that helps to weather the storms of life and contributes to great stories set in mostly the Nineteenth Century.
Tragic events can put people in a dark place in life. What do you think would be a good way to bring someone back to the light in this situation?

A New Random Drawing Winner!

2011-05-13T08:15:00.001-05:00

photo © 2007 Jesus Solana more info (via: Wylio)
Congratulations Patsy, you are this week's random drawing winner!

Send an email to heartsongblog @ gmail .com and let us knw if you want a copy of Revealing Fire, Leave Me Never, or 10 Heartpoints to be used towards a future shipment of Heartsong books.

Enjoy the weekend!

From the Vault

2011-05-12T08:15:00.001-05:00

This week's title from the vault is...
Leave Me Never by Connie Stevens
978-1-61626-017-0
HP 936
Historical

Does God keep His promises?

Mama always said He did, but Teresa isn't too sure. How many times did Mama tell her God would never leave her or forsake her? Yet, here she is - stuck in Willow Creek, Iowa with no food, no money, no home, no job. No future. Mama is dead and Papa left in the night without a word of farewell. Where are God's promises now? Maybe Papa's right, and she really is worthless - so worthless even God doesn't care about her.

When Gideon rescued a girl from a beating by her own father in the middle of the street, he never expected to fall in love. His own problems are overwhelming - his business is failing and his dreams look more doubtful by the minute. But he can't get Teresa out of his mind.

Maybe the promise to look to is that God works all things together for good for those who love Him - even when it seems like evil is winning.

It is hard to move forward when things get tough. What are some things you do to help you overcome obstacles?

Another Day with Connie Stevens!

2011-05-11T08:15:00.000-05:00

photo © 2009 Ny more info (via: Wylio)
Day 2

One of my favorite things about writing historical novels is the research. I became so absorbed one day in digging into the details of the construction of the 19th century windmills and irrigation systems that I was startled when the phone rang because for a moment I didn't know what that noise was. Historical details, portrayed correctly, don't have to read like a textbook. Hinting at things past can transport the reader back in time. It can be a simple act, like having my character bank the fire in the stove or blow out the oil lamp. Other distinctions can be intricate, such as the specific parts of a wagon into the story so the reader finds them perfectly natural.

One of the things I had to research for the writing of Revealing Fire was the treatment of burns in the 19th century. Some of the information I uncovered made me shudder. Did you know that one of the accepted treatments involved holding a flame close to the skin to further blister it? Burns often resulted in death from either infection because of unsanitary conditions and lack of antibiotics, or hypothermia because the body has difficulty regulating its temperature if portions of skin are missing.

Another thing I found interesting in my research was the way law enforcement tracked information on bad guys. Without databases or modern means of communication, officials often had to wait for weeks to receive requested information. I found the history of the Pinkerton National Detective Agency particularly fascinating.

Researching family genealogy has become a hobby for many folks, uncovering facts about long lost uncles or discovering a great-grandmother who was honored for a special accomplishment. One of my most treasured possessions is a cameo brooch that my grandfather gave to my grandmother the day my mother was born. Grandma gave it to my mother on her wedding day, and my mother handed it down to me the day I married. When I hold the brooch in my hands and study the old-fashioned profile of the Victorian lady craved in ivory and set in seed pearls, I like to imagine my grandmother's face. What did grandfather say to her when he presented his gift? Did she gasp softly at the brooch's beauty? Did she get tears in her eyes? Did they kiss? Some history can't be researched, but rather only imagined. It's my job as a writer of historical Christian fiction to present the details, both real and fictitious, in a way that the reader cringes at the archaic medical practices, wonders how bad guys were caught, and feels the tingle of a soft kiss.

Can you remember keepsakes that made you dream of another time and place?

Welcome Connie Stevens!

2011-05-10T08:15:00.000-05:00

photo © 2008 Carolyn | more info (via: Wylio)
Day One

The main characters of Revealing Fire, Pearl and Hubert, are older than the usual hero and heroine. They appear in my first book, Leave Me Never, as minor characters, and I fell in love with them during the writing of that book. I knew I had to give them their own story. The fact that they were both in their mid-fifties made them special to me. Over the years, I have had the privilege of seeing more than one "older" couple fall in love and marry. Who says love is only for young folks?

Pearl and Hubert both have more silver in their hair than dark strands. I like to pull back the curtain of time and see what experiences have tempered and shaped the heart and soul of a person who has lived for more than four or five decades. A fifty year relationship with God deepens that person's character, and carves lines of laughter and sorrow into their face. They have learned through their mistakes, and if they allow God to use them, they can become mentors for a younger generation. These are the kinds of characters I wanted to write about in Revealing Fire.

I turned the sixtieth page in my own life last year, and since I have walked through some dark valleys as well as some mountaintops, I called on some of those experiences and gave them to my characters with a different twist or two. I found that hard times and sorrow don't have to destroy your ability to love. On the contrary, as a craftsman refines and purifies silver by carefully putting it through the fire and precisely gauging its purity during this process, so God refines us over the years. Passage of time enhances one's capacity to love rather than decaying it.

My husband and I have been married or almost thirty-eight years. Once in a while, when I least expect it and for no apparent reason, he brings me a rose. Such a trivial thing, some might say. But it's not trivial to me. That rose tells me he's thinking about me, he cherishes me, I'm important to him, we share something deeply grounded and intertwined together. We can communicate as much through a look as with words. He still makes me heart flutter. We still hold hands. His smile is the one that matters to me.

Do you know an older couple who are in love? What can you learn from them and apply to your own life and relationships?

Revealing Fire by Connie Stevens

2011-05-09T08:15:00.002-05:00

This week's featured title is...
Revealing Fire by Connie Stevens
978-1-61626-330-0
HP 951
Historical

Pearl feels too old to fall in love.

Pearl Dunnigan is in her September years, well beyond the age when most women fall in love. She married her childhood sweetheart years ago. Now as a widow, she operates the only boardinghouse in Willow Creek, Iowa, and is content with life until Hubert dares to convince her to dream again.

During Hubert Behr's youth, blind ambition and careless actions destroyed his family and his marriage. Have the lessons he's learned since then made him worthy of a second chance, or has his past made him unsuitable for love? Hubert is willing to try again, but what will Pearl say when she learns his secrets?

Hubert's estranged son arrives in town, and his anger and scorn threaten to undo Hubert's and Pearl's plans. When all the truth is revealed, will their love be destroyed or refined by fire?

Book Excerpt

"I suspect this woman is -"

"Her name is Pearl." The muscles in Hubert's neck tensed, but he forced his tone to remain even. "When you speak to her or refer to her, please do so respectfully."

Everett's eyes narrowed but he didn't retort. Instead, he appeared to take a deep breath - whether to sigh in resignation or calm himself, Hubert couldn't tell.

"All right, I will be respectful. But, Father I can't help but feel you are marrying beneath you. Mrs. Dunnigan likely doesn't make a great deal of money running a boardinghouse for people who can't afford a home of their own" He paused before making his point. "Have you considered that she might be seeking marriage of comfort and position?"

The tightness in Hubert's neck extended to his jaw muscles. He clenched and unclenched his fingers. Allowing his temper to erupt would not only destroy the fragile relationship between him and Everett, it would also negate any chance to speak of his faith with his son. He certainly didn't want to start out by setting parameters, but he couldn't allow Everett to voice such speculations about Pearl. Distress burned in his chest. Unless Everett changed his attitude, the possibility loomed of having to make a choice between his son and the woman he loved.

Key Verse

"Every man's work shall be made manifest because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is." I Corinthians 3:13

About the Author

Connie Stevens lives in north Georgie with her husband of over 35 years, John. She and John are active in a variety of capacities in their home church. One cantankerous kitty - misnamed Sweet Pea - allows them to live in her home. Some of Connie's favorite pastimes include reading, sewing, browsing antique shops, collecting teddy bears, and gardening. She also enjoys making quilts to send to the Cancer Treatment Center of America. Visit Connie at http://www.conniestevenswrites.com/.

Do you think a person can fall in love at any age?

New Random Drawing Winner

2011-05-06T08:15:00.001-05:00

photo © 2007 Jerry Downs more info (via: Wylio)

This week's random drawing winner is Julie Pollitt!

Congratulations Julie, please send an email to heartsongblog @ gmail .com (without the spaces) and let us know if you would like a copy of Shades of the Past, If the Dress Fits, or 10 Heartpoints to be used towards a future shipment of Heartsong books.

I hope this weekend brings beautiful weather for everyone to enjoy!

From the Vault!

2011-05-05T08:15:00.001-05:00

Today's book from the vault is...
If the Dress Fits by Debby Mayne
978-1-59789-900-0

HP 785
Contemporary

Cindi no longer believes in happily-ever-after.

Cindi is helping brides and living her dream by owning a bridal boutique and helping brides choose dresses for their unforgettable day. But her world crumbles when her parents announce their intentions to divorce. Bitter and disillusioned about marriage, Cindi decides to throw in the towel and sell her business. When Cindi's lost love from high school reappears as the potential buyer, her jaded heart warns her to stay away.

Jeremy Hayden is a changed man. Now a successful entrepreneur and business flipper, he jumped at the chance to own Cindi's store and her heart. Can he prove to Cindi he cares about more than just the business? Can Cindi forgive him for breaking her heart so many years ago?

As Cindi and Jeremy face their unresolved past and troublesome present, can they overcome the odds to make a lasting commitment?

The Spring season is a popular time for weddings. The bride-to-be tries her best to make her special day unique from other weddings. What are some unique ideas you have seen at weddings?

Another Visit with Debby Mayne!

2011-05-04T08:15:00.001-05:00

Day 2

photo © 2009 Richie Diesterheft more info (via: Wylio)

Something I realized as I got to know some of the Mennonite people in Sarasota was that their needs are not that different from everyone else's. They suffer from similar conflicts, illnesses, and tragedies as everyone in the outside world. Their faith is a way of life that helps them deal with their struggles.

The conflict I chose for the first book in this series, Shades of the Past, is based on the back-story of the heroine, Mary Penner. When Mary's mother learned she was pregnant with Mary at 16, she ran away rather than face her parents and members of the church. She acted out of desperation to support herself and her child, which led to her being murdered during a drug bust. With her mother gone, the only family Mary had was her Conservative Mennonite grandparents in Sarasota. Going from the seedy world of her early years to the simple life in Pinecraft as a teenage, Mary dealt with self-imposed guilt and inner turmoil that caused her to form a shell around her heart. One of her classmates, Abe Glick, returned from college to run his family's farm. He has always had a heart for Mary, and he's very persistent, chiseling away at her hard facade, one layer at a time.

As I wrote this story, I tried to show the love the people in this community have for family and friends, as well as their imperfections and recognition of the need for salvation. The characters develop and grow through experience from both their own community and the outside world. You'll also get to meet the people who come back later in the second and third books of this series.

What are some similarities you know of between the outside world and the Mennonite and Amish communities?

Please Welcome Debby Mayne!

2011-05-03T08:15:00.005-05:00

Day 1

photo © 2008 deeptrivia more info (via: Wylio)

When I first started thinking about writing a Mennonite series in Sarasota, Florida, I realized I needed to do quite a bit of research. Once I got started, I became intrigued by the culture of this blend of a variety of Mennonite groups that have come together as they migrated from other parts of the country.

The delightful year-round moderate weather has attracted groups of Mennonites and Amish who started out taking their vacations in Florida and then decided to make Sarasota their home. Over time their numbers have grown, and there is now a thriving community of people who life the "plain" life in a town that is also known for sandy beaches and the Ringling Circus, Center for the Cultural Arts, and Museum. Some of the Mennonites and Amish people purchased land for farms, while others started businesses or worked in town. Many of them live in Pinecraft, a community of small rental homes.

Sarasota is a bustling beach town, so rather than use horse-and-buggy transportation, most of the Conservative Mennonites and Amish residents ride adult-sized three-wheelers, often called "bikes" for short jaunts around the community. They attach baskets, boxes, and wagons if they need to haul groceries or other items. For longer trips, they take advantage of public transportation or hire private independent drivers.

Since there are several order of Mennonite and Amish groups from different states, visitors may be surprised to see that new traditions have formed from a blend of the different cultures. Some of the businesses run by Mennonite and Amish families are popular restaurants featuring home-cooked meals, souvenir shops, roadside produce stands, and a weekly Farmer's Market.

In order to bring more authenticity to my stories, I went down to visit the Pinecraft community, since it's not far from where I live. I spoke with a few Mennonite and Amish people who guardedly answered some questions. After I returned home, I made some calls to more contemporary Mennonite churches, and I was fortunate to find a man named Lee Miller who had come from the Conservative Mennonite background. He tirelessly answered all my questions because he knew I wanted the details to be authentic.

What fascinates you about the Mennonite and Amish communities?

Shades of the Past by Debby Mayne

2011-05-02T08:15:00.002-05:00

This week's featured title is:
Shades of the Past by Debby Mayne
978-1-61626-331-7
HP950
Contemporary Romance

Mary can't escape the past.

Born out of wedlock to a former Mennonite girl, Mary Penner lived on the edge of society until the day her mother was killed in a drug bust. Sent back to her grandparents at age fourteen, she found fitting in with their simple society very difficult. As an adult now, she enjoys the security and peace her faith gives her - even if the people still hold grudges against her and whisper about the notorious shunning of her mother.

Abe Glick has been fascinated with Mary since the first day she walked into his life. Different from the rest of the girls, she captured his imagination and his heart. But capturing her heart will be a difficult task since Mary keeps it locked up tight, hidden behind walls of self-imposed guilt and pain.

When her past confronts her, will her world come tumbling down, or will she finally see herself free?

Book Excerpt

"That's a lot of bread and grease for one person at one time."

"But that's what I want." Abe challenged her with a stare down.

She finally took a step back, nodded, and jotted his order on her pad. "Then that's what you'll get, Abe Glick, along with a big spike in your blood sugar to go with your clogged arteries."

"Are you saying you're worried about my health?" He had forced himself not to show his amusement.

"No, of course not. I was just calling it to your attention, that's all. If you want to go on to an early grave, who am I to top you?"

He blew out breath. "Then what do you suggest I have?"

"It's not my place to suggest what you should have. If you want - "

"Tell you what, Mary. I'll change my order if you'll consider going out with me after work."

"Why?"

"Because I want to get to know you better. I like you, Mary Penner."

Key Verse

How good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! - Psalm 133:1

About the Author

Debby Mayne has published more than 30 books and novellas, 400 print short stories and articles, more than 1,000 web articles, and a slew of devotions for women. She has also worked as managing editor of a national health magazine, product information writer for HSN, a creative writer instructor for Long Ridge Writers Group, and a copy editor and proofreader for several book publishers. For the past eight years, she has judged the Writers Digest Annual Competition, Short-Short Contest, and Self-Published Book Competition. Three of Debby's romance novels are top 10 favorites with Heartsong book club and one of her books earned 4-1/2 stars and a Top Pick from from Romantic Times.

Sometimes it is hard to not hold grudges against people. What are some methods you use to avoid holding grudges?

This Week's Winner

2011-04-29T08:24:00.002-05:00

photo © 2010 Vinoth Chandar | more info (via: Wylio)

Congratulations, Mary C. You won this week's random drawing!

Please just email us at heartsongblog[at]gmail[dot]com and let us know if you would like a copy of Canyon Walls, Special Mission or ten Heartpoints to be used toward a future shipment of Heartsong books!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Today's Book From The Vault

2011-04-28T08:15:00.000-05:00

Today's Book From the Vault is:
Special Mission by Debby Mayne
978-1-60260-709-5
HP889
Contemporary

She thought he was the one.

Kim thought David was her knight in shining armor. But can she compete with the blinding passion he has for his military career? Will David realize that in making life-changing decisions without consulting Kim, he is pushing his finacee out of his life?

Brian and Kim have been best friends since childhood, but as he watches her romance fall apart, Brian finds his own heart changing. How can he continue to comfort and support her only as a friend when he longs to love her fully instead?

All three must examine the true meaning of loyalty, of friendship, and of love - and whether being "honorable" means being false to oneself. Will they find the answers within their own desires, or look to God for guidance and release?

What is the last book you've read?

Day Two with Julie Jarnagin!

2011-04-27T08:15:00.003-05:00

My debut novel, Canyon Walls, touches on the delicate female relationships within a splintered family. Cassie, the heroine of the story, has strained relationships with her mother and sister that are full of past hurts, initiated by a difficult season in their lives.

Like any family my sister, my mom, and I have also gone through many difficult seasons together, including losing my father when I was a teenager and walking through my mother's breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. She's been cancer free for two years. Praise God! I'm blessed to say that although painful to go through, these things have brought us closer together.

Through the hard times, I've clung to the truth that the Lord is able to use those times for good. Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that in all things God works fr the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (NIV)

I'm thankful to have these two amazing women in my life. My sister, Amy, is a grade school counselor who is truly passionate about working with her students. My mom, Rosemarie, loves her three grandsons to pieces and spends much of her time tending to her gorgeous flowerbeds.

I truly believe we're at our strongest when all three of us are together, and we certainly have a lot of fun.

How have you been blessed by the women in your family?

Day One with Julie Jarnagin!

2011-04-26T08:15:00.000-05:00

photo © 2009 Markus | more info (via: Wylio)

I'm extremely excited to share my debut novel, Canyon Walls, with the Heartsong Presents readers. I didn't realize until after the book had been contracted that the spiritual theme of the book mirrored my journey to publication.

In Canyon Walls, the director of a summer camp fights to save the camp that changed her life. The tighter the heroine, Cassie, holds on to the camp, the further it slips away from her.

I had strived for publication for years before I felt God calling me to stop writing and give my dreams to him. Stop writing? I couldn't fathom how I would let it go. After a few tears and a lot of questions about why God would ask me to let it go, I submitted to Him.

I soon realized I had been spending so much time and energy on my dream of publication, I didn't know what to do with my free time. I had a single submission out to an editor, but I didn't give it much thought. I had truly handed it over to God. I had a new baby at home, so I obviously spent most of my time focused on my beautiful family. Outside of my family and my job, I didn't have anything to do.

I prayed about it, and I volunteered to lead the 6th grade girls' small group at my church. I learned to crochet by watching videos online. I took a knitting class. I joined the YMCA and started taking care of my body. I still missed writing, but slowly, I found other ways to fill my time and I was thankful for my life and all my blessings. God taught me so many lessons during that time.

About a year after I had handed my writing over to God, I opened my inbox and there it was - an email from JoAnne asking if my book was still available and congratulating me because she wanted to publish Canyon Walls.

God had reopened the door for me to start writing again, and this time, I had a whole new outlook. Sometimes we hold so tight to our dreams or the things we love here in this world when the only thing we need to do is give our hopes and dreams over to the one who created them - God. Psalm 37:4 says, "Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart."

My writing journey taught me I had to put my life and my dreams in His hands, and I had to do that through actions, not through words or empty prayers. I'm so thankful for the journey.

As for Cassie, you'll just have to read the book to see if she was able to save the camp.

Have you ever clung tightly to something and ultimately found freedom from handing it over to God?

Canyon Walls by Julie Jarnagin

2011-04-25T08:00:00.004-05:00

This week's featured title is:
Canyon Walls by Julie Jarnagin
978-1-61626-332-4
HP949
Contemporary

Sunset Camp changed Cassie's life, and she is determined to keep it alive.

Cassie Langley gladly accepts the iterim director position of the church camp she loved as a child. As the camp's financial mess comes to light, Cassie feels she must singlehandedly pull the camp out of near bankruptcy and make it viable again. But it seems there are forces working against her every step of the way.

Will Overman's dad has a plan for the camp, too. As the family's real estate firm is approached about brokering the sale of the camp, Will is given an opportunity to finalize this deal and move up the ranks of the family business. But as Will falls in love with the camp - and Cassie - the deal doesn't seem so cut-and-dried.

Can Will help Cassie save the camp and win her heart, too?

Key Verse:

Psalm 18:32-33 (New International Version)

It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he enables me to stand on the heights.

Book Excerpt:

"That's crazy. . .Isn't it?"

"You've said yourself Mr. Hartley has threatened to shut us down. Word can get out pretty quickly. Maybe he's here scouting."

"Like a spy?"

Beth shrugged. "It could happen."

What if Will had been snooping in the kitchen? Maybe he was planning to turn the camp into a resort. The room with the Ping-Pong table would be turned into a spa and the cafeteria into a restaurant with white tablecloths and votives on tiny tables.

Cassie chased the thoughts of her mind. "Will seems pretty harmless."

Beth looked behind her and then leaned in close again. "I've heard his father had his eye on this camp for years, ever since he made so much money on the campgrounds south of town. He had meetings at the church headquarters in Oklahoma City, but they turned him down."

Cassie shielded her eyes from the sun.

"Be careful around him, Beth said. "His family is powerful."

JULIE JARNAGIN grew up in a rurla community where her family farmed and raised cattle, inspiring her to set much of her fiction in small towns. She earned a B.A. in Journalism/Professional Writing from the University of Oklahoma and is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. Her articles have appeared in local and national publications. Through her writing, she hopes to share stories that reflect God's love. She lives in Oklahoma with her husband and young son.

This is Julie's first Heartsong Book...let's all welcome her!

Today's Winner!

2011-04-22T06:58:00.003-05:00

photo © 2010 Louise Docker | more info (via: Wylio)

This Week's Winner is:
Ane Mulligan!

Congrats, Ane! Just email us at heartsongblog[at]gmail[dot]com and let us know if you want Promise of Time, Promise of Tomorrow or ten Heartpoints to be used toward a future shipment of Heartsong Books!

Have a great Easter everyone!

This Week's Book From The Vault!

2011-04-21T08:06:00.003-05:00

This Week's Book From The Vault Is:
Promise of Time by S. Dionne Moore
978-1-60260-905-1
HP912
Historical

Alaina just needs Jack to love her.

Alaina Morrison loves Jack Kelly. With her whole heart. So why won't he realize that all she wants is to get married and begin their new life together? She doesn't need a large home or new clothes or other things. She only needs him to actually spend time with her and to show her how much he loves her.

Jack Kelly loves Alaina Morrison. With his whole heart. So why won't she realize that he needs to work long hours to provide for her - and their possible future family - the things she deserves? He only needs her to be patient and understanding.

As dangerous floodwaters threaten their home of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, will Alaina and Jack allow God to bridge their growing differences with His unifying love?

Do you have fun Easter plans?

Day 2 with S. Dionne Moore!

2011-04-20T07:58:00.004-05:00

In my past blogs for my books, I've talked at great lengths about the historical facts used to make stories come to life. But what about my characters? Who are they and how do I develop them? Evolve might be a better word. My characters generally develop traits based on what will be happening in the plot and what hurdles they will have to jump in order to reach a satisfying ending.

For Promise of Time the idea of two people falling in love across the lines that divided our nation in 1863 fascinated me. Ellie is a Northerner, Theo a Southerner, but Theo is first and foremost a man. A young man thrust into the atrocities of war because of the things he saw his family and friends suffer at the hands of the Yankees. He had watched the North wreak havoc on everything in the South and he wanted to fight to protect what was left.

From this I delved deeper into who I wanted this man to be. How did the realities of war affect him? Theo would, like many, be unprepared for the stark realization that it had become his job to shoot at a man just like himself, but labeled his "enemy."

But what if the months of war, of death and destruction became too much and he couldn't take it anymore? What if, on the eve of watching yet another friend die, he also saw a man who was his "enemy," but also a relative, murdered. . . ?

You can see the mire of questions I used to develop Theo into the character he became for Promise of Time. I wanted Ellie to be understanding of his mental anguish, thus she had experience working with the wounded in the aftermath at Gettysburg. But in spite of her compassion, wouldn't the idea of falling for a Rebel be repugnant to her. . .or could she see what others could not. That Theo was a man first, then a soldier.

How do you develop characters?

(Photo Credit: Google Images)

Day One With S. Dionne Moore!

2011-04-19T08:15:00.000-05:00

One of the most interesting elements of my research for Promise of Time was discovering that Abraham Lincoln was not the featured speaker at the Gettysburg National Cemetery dedication ceremony. Edward Everett was so honored, and he was scheduled to speak before the president on that cloudy day in November of 1863. Everett was a man noted for quality speeches and deliveries, his reputation for excellence in speech-making already established, as well as his tendency toward being long-winded. President Lincoln must have known this, for he planned his speech to be short, coming in at about two minutes compared to Everett's two hours.

Even with two hours of talk time, Abraham Lincoln's speech became the most well-remembered of the two, probably in great part because of its brevity.

In this picture, the only know photo showing Lincoln at Gettysburg, the president is shown in the circle. His bodyguard is on his right.

Did you know that the Gettysburg Address was just over two minutes long? Such a short speech left such a large impact!

This Week's Featured Title!

2011-04-18T08:15:00.000-05:00

This Week's Featured Title is:
Promise of Time by S. Dionne Moore
978-1-61626-285-3
HP948
Historical

Ellie is sure her heart will never heal.

Ellie Lester sees time stretching endlessly after the death of her husband in the war that is tearing her country apart. She manages to find some purpose in helping slaves escape through the Underground Railroad. When her husband's cousin arrives, however, time seems to stand still. Is her heart awakening to something new?

Theodore Lester is determined to reach his cousin's widow in the North with the truth of her husband's death, even if he must flee from the Confederate Army. Seeing her again sparks something in his heart and makes him want to stop running. But he can't escape from his dreams. . .or himself.

Time promises to heal all wounds, but will Ellie and Theo allow God to work His timing in their lives and bring a new promise of love?

Key Verse:

Isaiah 60:20 Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the LORD shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended.

Excerpt from Promise of Time

Dim light streamed through the open cellar door and he could just make out the hole in the stone wall before the rustle of material forced him to retreat a step. He dared not take the path back to his corner in the dark, lest he know something over or disturb a jar. He stood, stock still, fear of discovery pressing down on his spine.

He heard the rush of breathing and the scraping of the stones. When he inched his head around the corner, he saw the outline of a woman, her dark clothes making her nearly invisible, only the soft sounds of the stones giving away her presence.

Ellie? He wanted to say the name but knew he must bide his time. Whatever she was doing, he must not startle her.

When the scraping of stones stopped, the woman retreated up the steps and lowered the cellar doors, leaving him encased in blackness once again.

S. DIONNE MOORE is a multi-published author who makes her home in Pennsylvania with her husband of twenty-one years and daughter. You can visit her at http://www.sdionnemoore.com/.

Were any of your ancestors involved with the Underground Railroad?

This Week's Winner!

2011-04-15T07:56:00.002-05:00

photo © 2008 Mike Baird | more info (via: Wylio)

Congratulations, Carla Gade! You are this week's winner!

Please email us at heartsongblog[at]gmail[dot]com and let us know if you would like a copy of Love's Raid, The Prodigal Patriot or ten Heartpoints to be used toward a future shipment of Heartsong Books!

Have a fantastic weekend!

This Week's Book From The Vault!

2011-04-14T08:14:00.004-05:00

This Week's Book From the Vault is:
The Prodigal Patriot by Darlene Franklin
978-1-60260-904-4
HP911
Historical

The Reids will not be scared away.

Sally Reid's family decides on a danger ous course when the Tories of Maple Notch, Vermont, chase Patriot families from their land. They make a home in a secluded cave nearby and farm their land by moonlight, working hard and waiting for the day when they can safely return home.

When Josiah Tuttle discovers their secret and offers to help, Sally doesn't know if she can trust him. After all, Josiah's father is one of the Tories who forced her family into hiding.

The Tuttles have already lost one son to the hated Patriot cause. How can Josiah both honor his grieving father and protect the woman he loves? When called upon to take a stand, which side will he choose? How can Sally and Josiah battle through the barriers separating them from love and forgiveness?

Would you be willing to live in a cave and farm by moonlight?

Day Two with Darlene Franklin

2011-04-13T08:15:00.000-05:00

photo © 2004 Ken Traub | more info (via: Wylio)

A TRIP THROUGH VERMONT

With Love's Raid, I bid a fond adieu to the town of Maple Notch and the state of Vermont. I have dealt with these hardy New Englanders for almost ninety years of their time and not quite two years of my time.

I started out with my limited knowledge of Vermont: maple sugar candy (best stuff on earth!), covered bridges, northern New England, Green Mountains, Ethan Allan and the Green Mountain Boys. As a native New Englander, I understood something of the hearty nature of the early pioneers. To that I added a survey of Vermont's history and read several fantastic folk stories: Ann Story lived in a cave and farmed her land while her husband was away fighting the Revolutionary War (see Prodigal Patriot). Nathaniel Foster managed to grow a crop during 1816, the infamous Year of No Summer (when frost or snow killed crops every month of the year) by burning his tree stumps. His distribution of seed corn earned his community the name of "Egypt" (see Bridge to Love).

Another factor I hadn't considered initially was Vermont's proximity to New York. The Green Mountain Boys fought at the battle at Fort Ticonderoga in New York, a major part of the story in Prodigal Patriot. In Love's Raid, the heroine Clara Farley makes a pilgrimage to Seneca Falls, New York, the birthplace of the women's movement, while still in school.

Thanks to the readers of Heartsong Presents for coming along with me on the trip into Vermont's storied past. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.

Have anyone ever visited Vermont?

Day One with Darlene Franklin!

2011-04-12T08:15:00.000-05:00

photo © 2008 liz west | more info (via: Wylio)
THE RAID BEHIND LOVE'S RAID

The story for Love's Raid was inspired by a little know (at least to me) battle of the Civil War: St. Albans Raid.

Several Confederate soldiers drifted into the town of St. Albans, Vermont, over the course of several days in October, 1864. On Wednesday the 19th, they held up three separate banks in St. Albans and claimed the town for the Confederacy.

By that point in the war, Sherman's Army had rolled through Atlanta. The Confederate Army came up with a daring plan: take refuge in neutral Canada and raid northern New England - sting the Union army enough to divert attention from the southern campaign in order to defend its northern borders.

The plan never went further than the single raid on St. Albans. After claiming the town, the soldiers took over $200,000 back across the border into Canada with them. The Canadians authorities refused to extradite the soldiers, and they were never brought to justice for robbing the banks.

When I read about the raid, I immediately asked myself "what if. . .there was a copycat crime after the raid?" That question led to Love's Raid. Constable Daniel Tuttle, a wounded Civil War veteran, seeks the men who rob his grandfather's bank - with the help of an inquisitive schoolmarm, of course.

It didn't hurt that I got to weave a little bit of mystery into the romance.

Have any of you heard of the St. Albans Raid before?

Love's Raid by Darlene Franklin

2011-04-11T08:21:00.007-05:00

This Week's Featured Title Is:
Love's Raid by Darlene Franklin
978-1-61626-288-4
HP946
Historical

Clara is resigned to be a spinster.

While other women in Maple Notch, Vermont, are married and raising children, Clara focuses her energies on creating an academy for girls so they can get a better education. She dreams of being able to vote and imagines a world where women could even run for office, an idea that evokes laughter or fear in all the men she knows. . .except for Daniel Tuttle.

Having returned from war missing part of one arm, Daniel is convinced no woman would want him. So he keeps his focus on his job as town constable. But even as he searches for the men who are robbing area banks and threatening his community, he cannot shake the vision of Clara's steady gray eyes, the challenge of her quick mind, and the strength of her faith in God. Will Clara and Daniel succeed in keeping love at arm's length? Or will their defenses fall to love's raid?

Key Verse:
Jeremiah 9:23-24 "Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me."

Excerpt from Love's Raid:
For a moment, Daniel lost himself in the depths of Clara's charcoal-rimmed, gray eyes. He saw intelligence, and humor, and a liveliness she kept far too hidden. He was drawn to her, as helpless against the tug as metal drawn to a magnet, and he wanted to see more and more of her. "You have made some excellent observations about the robbery."

A pleased surprise lit her face, and he continued. "I would appreciate hearing your insight into this crime. Your feminine intellect" - her eyes flared at this turn of phrase - "approaches the problem from a different angle."

The glare softened.

He plunged ahead. "Are you willing to meet with me from time to time to discuss my progress in the investigation?"

She studied him, one gloved finger on her pursed lips, as if judging the genuineness of his request. The hand lowered and covered her heart. "I believe you mean it, Captain Tuttle."

He held back a smile and nodded.

She shook her head. "Few men of my acquaintance would ask a woman for advice on a criminal matter." She held out her hand. "It would be my honor, sir."

Honor. The word rang hollow in a heart wanting. . .what, he couldn't bring himself to put into words. He took her hand. "To our endeavor. May we find quick success."

Award-winning author and speaker DARLENE FRANKLIN recently returned to cowboy country - Oklahoma. The move was prompted by her desire to be close to her son's family: her daughter Jolene has preceded her into glory.

Darlene loves music, needlework, reading and reality TV. Talia, a Lynx point Siamese cat, proudly claims Darlene as her person. Darlene has published several titles with Barbour Publishing.

Visit Darlene's blog at http://www.darlenefranklinwrites.blogspot.com/ for information on book giveaways and upcoming titles.

Do you know anyone who is a strong-spirited woman, like Clara?

This Week's Winner!

2011-04-08T08:05:00.002-05:00

photo © 2008 Craig ONeal | more info (via: Wylio)

Congratulations Jackie! You are the winner of this week's random drawing!

Just email us at heartsongblog[at]gmail[dot]com and let us know if you would like a copy of Redeeming Sarah's Present, Joanna's Adventure or ten Heartpoints to be used toward a future shipment! Have a great weekend!

This Week's Book From the Vault!

2011-04-07T08:15:00.000-05:00

This week's book from the vault is:

Joanna's Adventure by Mildred Colvin

978-1-59789-890-4

HP779

Historical

Life in Cedar Bend, Kansas, has become one predictable day after another. Joanne Brady helps her father with his patients, smiles sweetly at her beau, and secretly chafes over the boredom of it all. She wonders, is this really all life is meant to be? Where is the romance? The adventures? And then one day she asks God to send her someone exciting and unpredictable...and dangerous. Clay Shepherd has been on the road all his life, moving from one wrangler job to the next, never staying long enough to put down roots. Unexpected events draw him back to the one place - and one girl - he remembers fondly. When Clay arrives in Cedar Bend, Joanna finds herself drawn to the charisma and excitment that surround him. But she knows he isn't a Christian and she shouldn't be unequally yoked. So why does she feel clay might be the answers to her prayers?

This sounds like a great story! What is your take on being unequally yoked? Is it an istant dealbreaker, or do you think people can change?

Day Two With Mildred Colvin!

2011-04-06T08:15:00.001-05:00

photo © 2006 gabi menashe | more info (via: Wylio)
Have you ever known anyone who was adopted? Or have you ever known an adoptive mother or father? When I wrote Redeeming Sarah's Present, I knew it would become one of my favorites because I'm an adoptive mother. So this story of adoption and second chances is very close to my heart.

Sarah gave up a baby for adoption while she was still in high school. She and Kevin, as teenagers, thought they were in love until a wrong choice shattered their dreams and they had to sign away their parental rights. They broke up and Sarah chose to hate Kevin to ease the pain within. But Sarah did something that I believe should be a part of all adoptions. She asked the adoptive parents to correspond with her and send a picture once a year near their son's birthday. She went a step beyond by asking for a visit on his eighteenth birthday. Of course, she didn't know Kevin found out about this and requested the same for himself. You can read the book to see what happened at that meeting on Trey's eighteenth birthday.

I'm so glad that God made adoption an acceptable means of becoming a member of His family. People have often made comments about my children's "real" parents and I always ask if they mean their biological parents. My children are my children. 100%. I'm their mom. My husband's their dad. 100%. Isn't it the same way with our heavenly adoption? Aren't you glad we can know that God is truly, completely our Father? We have come from the world, but sin and death are no longer our real parents. Thank God that through adoption, we can enter into His home as His true children. Romans 8:15 says: "For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father."

Do you know any families who have adopted children?

Day One with Mildred Colvin

2011-04-05T08:15:00.000-05:00

photo © 2009 indichick7 more info (via: Wylio) When I was asked to write a blog about my newly released book, Redeeming Sarah's Present, I thought about the ideas authors get for books and how they evolve into the stories that will be read. The process of writing a book can be as varied as the number of authors, or even the number of books written. I do believe each of my books take a different path before arriving at the final story. Sarah began as a minor character in another book. In fact, she wasn't mentioned much at all in the first book. Then she got a little bigger role in the first book of this series, Facing Tessa's Past. That was when Kevin Nichols received his first mention by name.

Sarah Maddox and Kevin Nichols are characters in a series of three books set along Historic Route 66. I started these stories within a single thought of Route 66. I believe once, the setting even crossed the state line. As the characters settled in Illinois, and Heartsong Presents editor, JoAnne Simmons, suggested that the setting for the series be regional rather that confined in one state, I then considered placing each along Route 66 but still in Illinois. The next thought was that three stories, not limited to one state, could and probably should stretch out to include the entire length of the road. Since I grew up not far from a portion of that old road, I've always been interested in the many stories that must have happened along the entire length. So I welcomed the chance to make up and tell three of those stories.

Redeeming Sarah's Present, the second book, is set in Chicago, Illinois, where Route 66 began. Many years ago, I visited Amarillo, which is the setting for the first book in the series. Then a few years later, I visited Chicago and remember stopping at the beach by Lake Michigan. My, how impressive that huge lake is! Just as Sarah has never seen the ocean, neither have I, but looking out across that vast body of water, I imagined how the ocean must look. What I didn't know at that time was that I had been at the beginning of Route 66. We drove along South Lake Shore Drive where the Mother Road began just as Sarah did in her story. And while the beginning point of the road has moved as much as the rest of it has over the years, making it very hard to pinpoint, we were in the right area.

While I'm a small-town girl and usually set my stories in small towns, I must say that Chicago holds a wealth of potential for an author to write about. You will notice that Buckingham Fountain is mentioned more than once in Redeeming Sarah's Present. Sarah and Kevin visit the fountain twice with the second time being their most memorable. I can't believe how close I was to that fountain during my visit there, yet I didn't see it simply because I didn't know it existed. Sarah and Kevin had lived in Chicago without running into each other partly because they didn't know the other was there and partly because they were afraid of the emotions such a meeting would bring out. Maybe we miss wonderful experiences in life by not talking the time to learn new things or to step outside our comfort zone. That's something to think about.

What do you think? Do we miss out because we are unwilling to step outside of our comfort zones?

Redeeming Sarah's Present

2011-04-04T08:15:00.000-05:00

This week's featured title is:
Redeeming Sarah's Present by Mildred Colvin
978-1-61626-286-0
HP946
Contemporary

Will Sarah give Kevin a second chance?

Eighteen years ago, Sarah Maddox and Kevin Nichols gave their baby son up for adoption and went their separate ways. Now Trey Miller is graduating from high school and has agreed to meet the birth parents he never knew. Sarah, eager to see the eighteen-year-old boy she remembers as her tiny newborn is unprepared when Kevin shows up, too, and their lives become entangled once again.

Kevin wants to pursue a new relationship with the girl he's never forgotten, but how can he convince Sarah to give him a chance? He's just purchased and old building to tear down that happens to be Sarah's pet project, a home for pregnant teens, and he can't help stop the demolition of the building. Has he also destroyed his one chance to win Sarah's heart again?

Key Verse:
I Peter 1:18-19 - For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver and gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.

Book Excerpt:
"Bye, Trey. Tom. Mavis." She gave a brief wave and walked away before the tears came. While she could still see where to walk without making a fool of herself.

As she ran a fingertip under one eye, she bumped into a man standing at the edge of the grouping of tables. She swung to face him. "Oh, excuse me."

He touched her arms to steady her and jerked back as if she'd burned him. "No problem, although I hadn't expected to run into you. Literally or figuratively."

Sarah's gasp caught in her throat, as she looked up into the clear gray eyes of Kevin Nichols. She stepped back and in a low voice ground out, "What are you doing here?"

MILDRED COLVIN is a native Missourian with three children, one son-in-law, and two grandchildren. She and her husband spent most of their married life providing a home for foster children, but now enjoy baby-sitting the grandchildren. Mildred writes inspirational romance novels because in them the truth of God's presence, even in the midst of trouble, can be portrayed. Her desire is to continue writing stories that uplift and encourage.

I'm curious: did anyone play any good April Fool's Jokes this year?

And the Winner is...

2011-04-01T08:15:00.002-05:00

photo © 2006 William Cho | more info (via: Wylio)

Congratulations CatMom, you are this week's random drawing winner. Please send an email to heartsongblog @ gmail .com (without the spaces) with your address and let us know if you want a copy of Perfect Peace, Perfect Ways, or 10 Heartpoints to use towards a future shipment of Heartsong books.

Thanks to everyone who participated this week and to Jeri Odell for being a guest author. Everyone have a wonderful weekend!

From the Vault

2011-03-31T08:03:00.006-05:00

This week's title from the vault is...
Perfect Ways by Jeri Odell
978-1-60260-885-6
HP 906
Romance

Adelaide needs a fresh start.

I can't do this. Forced to sell all her possessions upon the death of her husband, Adelaide English suddenly finds herself moving cross-country, enrolling in college at forty-five, and landing a job as the new freshman resident director. But starting fresh isn't easy - especially when Adelaide finds herself in the crossfire of college scandal and romance.

I will never love again. Dr. Isaiah Shepherd has never looked at another woman since his wife died until Adelaide enters his world. Something about her fragile, caged spirit draws him, even against his better judgement. But as scandal unfolds, Isaiah must make a choice. Fight for the woman he's falling for, or just let her go?

As rumors fly, will Adelaide find forgiveness, freedom, and even love?

This sounds like a book that could be turned into a movie. What is your favorite book that has been made into a movie?

Another Day with Jeri Odell

2011-03-30T08:15:00.003-05:00

photo © 2010 Jinx McCombs more info (via: Wylio)When I got the contract for Idaho, my husband and I planned a great adventure. Our daughter, her husband and our tiny two month old granddaughter, Reese, had just moved to Lake Chelan in central Washington. Well, as the Lord and geography would have it, to drive from Arizona to Washington, one passes through Idaho. Seemed God ordained to me. A great excuse for a trip to see Reese and do research. What could be more perfect?

Our first stop was Sun Valley. And I, a naive girl from cactus country, fell in love with the potato state. Who knew the beauty we'd discovered as we ventured through the state sandwiched between Washington and Montana? I'm sure some of you may have, but I was clueless. Miles of rivers. Beautiful mountains. Rugged country. Wow. A state that has seemed boring and uneventful became one of my favorites.

So I invite you to experience Idaho along with my characters. Book one, Perfect Ways, is already out and was set in charming Coeur d'Alene at a fictious Christian college. Book two, the one featured this week, is set in the quaint town of Sandpoint, and the last book of the series will be set a ski resort in Sun Valley. I hope you'll enjoy their adventures in a place that offers year round outdoor beauty and fun. And if you haven't had the chance, grab an opportunity and visit Idaho for yourself, if only in a book. :)

Where is your favorite place to visit?

Welcome Jeri Odell!

2011-03-29T08:15:00.002-05:00

photo © 2007 glasseyes view more info (via: Wylio) People often ask, "Where do your ideas come from?" Most of my books start with a tiny seed from real life. One of my good friends, Pat, has twin daughters, Audra and Autumn. Audra had her heart broken a few years back at the same time Autumn was getting married. I found myself wondering how Audra might feel. I knew she was happy for her sister, but I wondered what other emotions might be brewing.

Everything beyond those few facts was my imagination. I put myself in her shoes, but her feelings and thoughts may have been very different from my character, Tori's. Audra may not identify with Tori at all, but a few brief facts from her life provided fodder for a new story for me to tell. And as God would have it, Audra has since met and married a great guy. Reminds me of that saying, When God closes a door, He opens a window.

God's 'no' always brings a greater 'yes', but sometimes the 'yes' is down the road months or even years. The trick is hanging tough and truly waiting on Him, trusting Him, hoping in Him. I've run ahead of Him, and then I miss His 'yes' for me. And waiting is never easy. We live in an instant society. Waiting is foreign. But it is in that lingering stage that I seek His face with new determination. It's in the waiting that I know Him better, see Him more clearly and ultimately love Him with renewed tenacity.

If you are facing a tough season, I encourage you to hang tight with God because that is what I'm trying to do day by day and sometimes moment by moment. And for those of use who are waiting on Him for direction, for answers, for wisdom, for a miracle, "The LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint." Isaiah 40:31 ESV

When God closes a door, He opens a window - when has this ever applied to you?

A New Featured Title!

2011-03-28T08:15:00.000-05:00

This week's featured title is:
Perfect Peace by Jeri Odell
978-1-61626-079-8
HP 945
Romance

Tori's sister is stealing her wedding.

Tori Wade's dreams are shattered when her fiance unexpectedly break their engagement with no explanation. But her wound deepens when her twin sister enters a whirlwind romance and steals the wedding Tori should have had. Forced to hide her heartbreak behind a happy smile, she wonders if her heart will ever heal.

Jake Matthews doesn't play games. When his cousin asks him to show some attention to his soon-to-be sister-in-law during the wedding week, Jake firmly declines. But when he meets Tori, his heart is immediately captured. Is he just her rebound guy or can their relationship develop into something lasting?

When Tori's ex-fiance returns to the scene and suspicious dealings are uncovered at Jake's resort, Tori and Jake's budding relationship is put to the test. Do they share a true love that will last?

Book Excerpt

He eyed the bright, festive, over sized flowers. "This place never changes." Jake took his menu, but laid it aside, already knowing what he planned to order. Tori did the same.

"So, it's Monday and you're here, not at school." His eyes roamed over the bright potted plants, Mexican tile, and bright Mexico decor.

"Luckily, I'm on spring break - otherwise this wedding week would prove difficult. Roni planned a full schedule"

The waitress breezed by, stopping to take their order. She grabbed the menus and disappeared.

"I like the way they are doing this prewedding week. Lots of activities and time to spend together."

"Roni hates that so often your closest friends fly in, hit rehearsal dinner, attend wedding, and fly out. She didn't want it to feel rushed. Of course, not everyone can come for the whole week."

"I'm glad I could. And you for the matter." He winked at the cute blond seated across from him and found himself looking forward to spending time getting to know Tori better. Who knew, but maybe by the end of the week he'd convince her to come to Idaho and work fro him this summer. He needed an accounts payable clerk for Allison's two month maternity leave, and since Tori taught basic accounting, she might just fit the resort's needs. And his...

Key Verse

You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Isaiah 26:3

About the Author

Jeri Odell is a native of Tucson, Arizona. She has been married over thirty-five years and has three wonderful adult children and five precious grandchildren. Jeri holds family dear to her heart, second only to God. She thanks God for the privilege of writing for Him. When not writing or reading, she is busy working in the finance office of her church.

Weddings are always fun. What is your favorite part of a wedding?

A New Random Drawing Winner!

2011-03-25T08:15:00.002-05:00

photo © 2006 Tony Hisgett more info (via: Wylio)

Congratulations Kaitlin, you are this week's random drawing winner!

Just email us at heartsongblog @ gmail .com (without the spaces) and let us know if you would like a copy of The Reluctant Outlaw, Carousel Dreams, or ten Heartpoints to use towards a future shipment of Heartsong books.

Be safe and have a wonderful weekend!

From the Vault...

2011-03-24T08:15:00.000-05:00

This week's title from the vault is:

Carousel Dreams by Paige Winship Dooly

978-1-60260-100-0

HP 820

Romance

Ellie is furious.

When Ellie discovers her recently deceased grandfather spent his entire life savings to purchase a carousel for their Great Salt lake resort, she feels cheated. And she's not afraid to give a piece of her mind to the scoundrel who arrives to build the carousel.

Bascom Anthony is back on the job. After a staged fired killed his wife and son two years ago, he had yet to build another carousel - until now. Time has mended Bascom's heart, but it has not ended the stalker's threats. The longer Bascom stays to finish his job, the more damaging events occurs at Ellie's resort.

Can Ellie's new found faith help her overcome her distrust of Bascom? And can Bascom trust the Lord to protect Ellie and her daughter from the same fate that claimed his wife and son?

Carousels and resorts are reminders of summer. What are some things that remind you of summer?

Another Day with Paige Winship Dooly

2011-03-23T08:15:00.002-05:00

photo © 2009 Hartwig HKD more info (via: Wylio)

I loved working on my Georgia Brides historical series! Georgia is a beautiful state with mountains, ocean and wide-open spaces. The Lightkeeper's Daughter was set on an oceanfront island. The Displaced Belle took place just outside Atlanta, Georgia. The Reluctant Outlaw is my final book for the set and is set in the mountains of north Georgia.

The first story is told about a hero with a rough family background who overcame his past with the help of more fortunate heroine, though she was facing hardships of her own as they worked on their relationship.

The second story had both the hero and heroine trying to find their way after rough family situations.

When plotting this final story, I decided to reverse the "typical" stereotype of a family. It seems to me that a lot of families have tales of a black sheep son or daughter, the one who is the challenge to raise and keeps his or her parents scratching their heads over the child's choices or poor behavior. Sometimes the bad behavior will influence other children in the family in a trickle down effect.

While I know that seems to be the experience for the majority of families, I started thinking about the opposite scenario, the one where the black sheep family has a child who by nature doesn't want to do wrong and doesn't want to take part in the family "activities."

This heroine would have a harder time at redemption because of the obstacles provided by the family. With this premise in mind, I sketched out the proposal and wrote the story for The Reluctant Outlaw.

I hope you have as much fun reading it as I had writing it!

If you were in a book like this, would you want to be the black sheep in the family, or the child who is in a black sheep family?

Guest Author Paige Winship Dooly!

2011-03-22T08:15:00.000-05:00

photo © 2007 Mark | more info (via: Wylio)From my early days of studying the writing market, I've always heard to write what you know. If you like a certain genre, write in that genre. Since I've always loved to read contemporary romance, I always figured I'd write contemporary romance too. But since my first story I've leaned toward writing historical. I've gained a new appreciation for reading historical romance too.

I hated studying history in school. The rote learning of dates made my head spin. I never could understand why things that happened hundred of years ago could be of relevance to things that happened today!

Through the process of researching my past and present books, I've gained a new appreciation for the study of history and often find myself getting carried away with the research of the topic, jotting notes for future ideas, and I have to rein myself in. Sometimes the research can be as much fun as writing the story itself! God does have a funny sense of humor.

I love putting a modern-minded heroine in a historical setting where she can keep the hero on his toes. The hero is always baffled by the heroine's spunk and intellect, but of course in the end he's enamored by her wit and charm and wonderfully fun personality. I also love taking "broken" people and showing that anyone can be redeemed.

Then again, historical writing requires a lot of attention to historical detail, so contemporary stories are refreshing in that they don't have the same research requirements as you have when writing historical. The details still need to be done well, and the setting needs to be portrayed accurately, but the contemporary style allows more focus on the story and less on details. It can be fun to write a story, just for the sake of the story, without all the historical accuracy needed for a historical.

I guess it's safe to say I enjoy writing both styles, and I'm glad to write for a company like Barbour where I'm able to do both.

What do you prefer to read? Those of you who are writers and readers, do you like to write what you read?

This Week's Featured Title is...

2011-03-21T08:15:00.004-05:00

The Reluctant Outlaw by Paige Winship Dooly
978-1-61626-241-9
HP 944
Romance

Her life as an outlaw is over.

Bella is determined that she and her sister, Andria will escape the clutches of their greedy, evil brothers. No longer will they blindly follow orders and aid in the robbery and harm of innocent people.

When Duncan agreed to help catch the notorious McLeod gang, he never expected two of them to practically land in his lap. And he certainly never expect them to be female! Nor did he expect the sheriff to assign him the task of escorting them safely back to their ho,me. And why, he wonders, would God make an outlaw so irresistible?

As his attraction to Bella grows and the danger around them intensifies, Duncan finds himself walking a fine line between his calling as a preacher and his own secret past. Can he protect her and still remain true to his Lord?

Book Excerpt

"Evenin' ladies. Seems ya'll left somethin' behind."

The women spin around with weapons raised. Andria had snatched up a nearby log, while Bella had her rifle trained on him.

"Whoa, it's just me!" Duncan raised his arms.

They stood and stared st him for a few moments before recognizing him and lowering the weapons. Bella leaned against hers and glowered while Andria stood with a hand to her heart. Andria looked as if she'd seen a ghost while Bella returned his cocky glance and looked over at their belongings. "I don't see anything of importance missin', Andria, do you? Whatever could we have forgotten, Reveren Bowers?"

"Me."

Bella rolled her eyes. "In order to 'forget' you, I would have had to plan to bring you along in the first place. In case you didn't notice, I didn't plan any such thing."

Psalms 18:3 KJV
I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.

About the Author

Paige Winship Dooly is the author of over a dozen books and novellas. She enjoys living in the coastal Deep South with her family, after having grown up in the sometimes extremely cold Midwest. She is happily married to her high school sweetheart and loves their life of adventure in a fill house of six home schooled children and two dogs.

I noticed this week's book excerpt from The Reluctant Outlaw has a bible verse. Do you have a favorite bible verse?

THIS WEEK'S RANDOM DRAWING WINNER IS...

2011-03-18T08:15:00.001-05:00

photo © 2007 Louise Docker more info (via: Wylio)CONGRATULATIONS JOY, you are this week's random drawing winner!!!

Just email us at heartsongblog @ gmail .com (without the spaces) and let us know if you would like a copy of Among the Magnolias, The Mockingbird's Call, or 10 Heartpoints to use towards a future shipment of Heartsong books!

Thanks to everyone for the wonderful discussions this week! Have a wonderful weekend!

From the Vault

2011-03-17T08:15:00.000-05:00

This week's title from the vault is...

The Mockingbird's Call by Diane Ashley and Aaron McCarver

978-1-60260-769-9

HP 892

Romance

How did Amelia get herself into this mess?

Amelia Montgomery never would have planned to become a notorious agent on the Underground Railroad; it just happened. Someone needed help, and she helped. Before she knew it, she had acquired the code name Mockingbird, and the whole Confederate army was looking for her - including her brand new fiance, Captain Luke Talbot.

Jared Stuart finds himself torn between his convictions and his duty as a Tennessean. While he can no longer support slavery, he will not fight against his friends and neighbors. Instead, Jared chooses to use his talents as a writer to prove the pen is mightier than the sword.

When Luke arrests Jared, accusing him of being Mockingbird, Amelia must face herself and make difficult decisions. Will she admit to her actions, freeing Jared and destroying her own engagement, or will she play it safe and stay silent?

What would you do in this situation?

Another Day with Diane Ashley and Aaron McCarver!

2011-03-16T08:15:00.000-05:00

photo © 2007 Dave Ellis more info (via: Wylio)

Day 2

Hello again. As mentioned yesterday we wanted to discuss our hero's conflict and struggle today. Nathan Pierce is a character we created to lose the heroine to someone else in A Bouquet for Iris. But we fell in love with him and wanted him to be the hero of his own story. When we began to create the itinerant preacher for Among the Magnolias, we decided Nathan would be a perfect choice. Nathan was a good man, but just that. We put him in the position of needing to help a female friend. When tragedy is the result of his actions, he eventually decides to become a preacher to attempt to atone for what he has done. Like so many of us, Nathan believes he can earn forgiveness through doing good deeds for God. He struggled with the idea of salvation through the grace of God and coming to Him in faith alone. As a result, he struggled mightily in executing his duties as a preacher. Without his "heart" in his job, he feels alone and incompetent. When he meets Abigail LeGrand, he is drawn to her commitment to her work with an orphanage. She pulls him into her ministry, forcing him to face his aversion to children. As his heart begins to open to her, to the children, and to his need for true salvation in Jesus Christ, he is confronted with protecting someone he loves once again. This final test will determine Nathan's future course as preacher...and a Christian.

In this world with its growing beliefs of many ways to God and heaven, it becomes more important to stand up for the truth that Jesus is the only way to salvation. We wanted to create a character who thought being good was good enough until he does something he thinks is too much. He then turns to earthly means to fix it, failing miserably. It is so interesting that people want to be redeemed for their own terrible failures but refuse true rescue. This is like a drowning victim refusing help from a ship saying he or she will look for another form of rescue that is "easier". We pray God will remove our blindness and help us all to see the truth. And for those of us who write stories for Him, may we strive even more to help our readers find their true Rescuer, our Savior, Jesus Christ.

What method do you use to stand up for what you believe in? How do you find the strength to do this?

Welcoming Authors Diane Ashley and Aaron McCarver!!

2011-03-15T08:15:00.000-05:00

photo © 2009 James Whitesmith more info (via: Wylio)

Day 1

We are excited Among the Magnolias is being featured on the Heartsong Connection blog this week. This book, volume two of our "Mississippi Brides" series, has actually been several years in the making. It all began when we - along with our writers' group, the Bards of Faith (Hey, Bards! We love you!) - spent a day in Natchez, Mississippi. While there we toured one of the many antebellum homes, Rosalie, first own by Peter and Eliza Little. I (Aaron) especially loved seeing the nearby "cottage" and learning it was built, on request of the mistress of Rosalie, as a home for itinerant preachers. She felt the ministers would stay longer in the area if they had a nice place to stay. This planted a seed of an idea for a novel that simmered on the back burner, so to speak, until we began to plot our books for this series.

We all ready knew that book one, Across the Cotton Fields, would be Alexandra Lewis's story. She was a character from our Tennessee series whose family was located in Natchez, Mississippi, making her a perfect choice for the heroine of that book. She struggled with believing she needed a man to take care of her before learning to depend on God. We thought the heroine of this book, being the daughter of Alexandra, would respond too strongly in the opposite direction. Thus Abigail LeGrand struggles with the idea of trusting any man other than her father. She thinks marriage equals submission in every way and works to avoid committing to any man, especially the preacher who comes to stay in the cottage her parents built near their own plantation home. But this also keeps Abigail from fully submitting to God.

When creating the character of the itinerant preacher, we chose another character from our Tennessee series, Nathan Pierce. (His spiritual struggle will be the topic of tomorrow's blog.) The idea of the preacher for the hero worked great for the third book in this series, As the River Drifts Away, which will release this summer from Heartsong Presents. Diane had all ready created the heroine, Caroline, for this story set in Vicksburg during the Civil War and she happened to be the daughter of an itinerant preacher. Everything was falling into place.

The final piece of the "puzzle" was the orphanage. We had established in A Bouquet for Iris, the story Nathan Pierce first appears in, that he is very uncomfortable around children, preferring to avoid them entirely. We decided to have Abigail love children and work with an orphanage begun and supported by her parents, which we set up at the end of book 1. This would add another layer of conflict between our hero and heroine. In doing more research about Rosalie and Natchez for this book, we discovered that the owners of Rosalie, who had no children of their own, had also started a Natchez Children's Home, even taking in some orphans themselves including a niece. Isn't it great when God brings a plan together like this? We used Mississippi's most recognizable symbol for the title and the book was born. We hope you enjoy our story, but more importantly we pray you are drawn closer to God through reading the story of Nathan Pierce and Abigail LeGrand.

God works in mysterious ways. Can you name a few situations where everything fit perfectly together like a puzzle?

A New Featured Title!

2011-03-14T08:08:00.009-05:00

This week's featured title is:
Among the Magnolias by Diane Ashley and Aaron McCarver
978-1-61626-244-0
HP 943
Romance

Abigail won't be hindered by marriage.

In spite of the love she sees between her parents, Abigail LeGrand is determined never to marry. Intelligent and opinionated, she fears marriage will quash her personality and keep her from supporting the causes that matter most to her.

Nathan Pierce is desperate to hide his past. An itinerant preachers, he's convinced that he is not worthy of God's forgiveness - or of the love of a good woman. But from his first sight of Abigail, carrying a basket of white magnolias, Nathan resists a growing attraction to the spirited young woman.

As they debate slavery and are drawn into mystery shadowing the local orphanage, will Abigail and Nathan accept each other's love and respect, or will they stubbornly cling to the fears that threaten to keep them apart?

Book Excerpt
Nathan stood as a young woman enter the room. At first glance he might have mistaken her for a scullery maid. Her dress was dirty and torn, her auburn-hued hair was tangled, and she was carrying a large basket of white flowers. Yet something in her carriage, some look in her wide dark eyes drew his attention.

"Brother Pierce, I would like you to meet my daughter, Abigail." His hostess retained her seat on the sofa, nodding toward the woman who was putting her basket on a table that stood inside the door.

He stepped forward with a box. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss LeGrand. Your mother has been saying some nice things about you."

She looked past him with a frown. "I see." She executed a graceful bow in spite of her appearance. "I hope you will make room for a parent's bias as I doubt I can eve measure up to whatever she has told you."

Nathan's mouth dropped open. So much for the demure young woman he'd pictured. While Mrs. LeGrand was the epitome of grace and refinement, it was obvious to him that she had failed to install the same qualities in her offspring. Even though he had been raised in a far more rustic environment than this young woman, he was surprised by Abigail LeGrand's lack of sophistication. Or was she merely flouting parental control? She was certainly old enough to have a household of her own. The Shakespearean tale of the shrew came to mind. Perhaps all she needed was a strong man to take her in hand as Petruchio had done with his Katherine. He wished the man the best of luck.

About the Authors
Diane Ashley, a "town girl" born and raised in Mississippi, has worked more than twenty years for the House of Representatives. She rediscovered a thirst for writing, was lead to a class taught by Aaron McCarver, and became a founding member of the Bards of Faith. Visit her at http://www.bardsoffaith.homestead.com/m/.

Aaron McCarver is a transplanted Mississippian who was raised in the mountains near Dunlap, Tennessee. He loves his jobs of teaching at two Christian colleges and editing of Barbour Publishing. A member of ACFW, he is co-author with Gilbert Morris of the bestselling series, The Spirit of Appalachia.

Have you ever been in a situation with someone who was very opinionated?

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2011-03-11T08:15:00.002-06:00

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