Love's Raid by Darlene Franklin

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!

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!

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!

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

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

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...

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!