PENS OF PRAISE
CHRISTIAN WRITERS GROUP
 
Monday, January 22, 2018
6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
 
Faith Church
2201 42nd Street, Manitowoc, WI  54220
Faith Church is located next to Festival Foods
Not far from the Manitowoc exit off Interstate 43
 
“GOALS AND ORGANIZATION -TIME IN A BIND?” is our topic this month. Susan Fink & Susan Marlene are leading your amazing journey of discovery over two often avoided or ignored skills that can make or break a writing career. (Or at least beloved hobby.) Do you want to enjoy more time creating and playing with written communication and storytelling? Come to inspire and be inspired!
 
We are a safe place to share. We invite you to bring your WIP (Work in progress!) for a five minute read.

 
The prompt for this January is…
“If I could, I would, but I can’t so I shan’t_________”
 
Bring your favorite coffee or tea with you! Our precious Kathy Leist brings treats—we all appreciate her so! J
 
As always, if you have any questions or concerns don’t hesitate to contact Becky McLafferty @ rebeccamclafferty@gmail.com or Susan Marlene@ susanmarlenewrites@gmail.com

Williamsburg lovers and those captivated by exceptionally well-crafted historical story will luxuriate in this novel as though they dined upon a fine feast that spared no expense! Laura’s turn of phrase, the exceptional beauty of her descriptions that blends seamlessly into the storyline is her ongoing trademark of being the exquisite teller of stories. Yes, I received a free copy of The Lacemaker with no fear of disappointment. Laura is dedicated with her efforts and owns the blessed ability for crafting stories that hook my heart and attention and spur my imagination.

Elisabeth “Liberty” Lawson’s tale begins in May 1775 during a delicate and quite interesting time period in America’s Colonial history. With the joy I’ve come to expect from Laura’s stories, I dipped my toe over the timeline of years and culture to find myself in the brewing and uneasy circumstances between Independence Men and Tories.

Laura’s characters are wonderfully dancing on the pages of this believable and page turning tale. Each one—be they the hero, Nobel Rynallt or Elisabeth’s French maid, Isabeau, or beautiful Cressida or even Miles Roth and several of the famous persons of this time period are so well presented they may as well be sitting at table with you and taking tea. Oh, excuse me, if you are not of Torie leanings—coffee.

The Lacemaker holds a depth that grabbed and held onto both my desire to finish the story to know what would happen to my new friends on the pages and yet, at the same time, caused me to wrestle with the ‘I don’t want Elisabeth’s and Nobel’s story to end.” Let it be known that I sent Laura a message begging for a sequel as was also suggested strongly by my sister, Pat! We expect it in a year. 😊 What do you say reader, shall we contact the fine publisher, Revell, and let
them know our desires for future reads?  I’m game if you are!







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​Questions for Laura!

1. Laura, you marvelously capture characters interactions and reactions on the page! Can you share your inspiration for Elisabeth and her mother’s relationship? And Elisabeth’s father too. (Without giving away the discoveries of their interactions in the story.) Since so many families were divided politically, I thought it would be interesting to have a husband and wife in different camps, so to speak, and I had fun making Lady Elisabeth’s mother a published writer. Her pen was quite acidic!
2. My sister found where she could purchase orange flower water online so that she could make the fairy butter you wrote into the story. Thank you for providing those two recipes! How this makes the telling and experiencing all the more delightful!  That recipe is the most delightful in name and taste! Many Welsh dishes are very tasty and it was fun when my editor asked me to add those recipes at the back of the novel.
3. I enjoyed reading the street names and places you mention in Williamsburg. Made me feel as though I was almost revisiting my beloved Colonial town! (My sister, Pat enjoyed this too!) Does Elisabeth’s home actually exist? Is it privately owned or a business that visitors can enjoy? It does exist in our imaginations! In the novel, Elisabeth’s home is on North England Street directly behind the St. George Tucker house. Their nearest neighbor would have been the Peyton Randolphs. This area worked well in describing the Lawson’s as being near the Palace yet on a more private road.  
4. I loved the Welsh names and intimacies mentioned! Anwylyd, a prized favorite. Is your fifth great-grandmother of Welsh decent? Thank you for her mention in your dedication! Yes, she was Welsh and I so wish I knew more about her. The DAR highly prizes female patriots so I was glad to include that dedication. She truly has a novel-worthy name!
5. Did a certain fire in your story actually take place? (Please don’t mention where or when in the story. Let’s allow the readers to explore your story and discover it naturally!) Fires were set during this time period by people bent on mischief on both sides, much like tarring and feathering, etc. Businesses were burned also. It sent a very chilling message to the injured party.
6. Do you have your next story in the works and do you want to tell us something about it? Novel 10 begins in Scotland and is a coming-to-America story about indentured servants – suspense, history, and romance in many layers! Editorial at Revell now has it and it’s up for titling and the start of cover art. The working title is Tryst but I think something more romantic might be called for!
7. How do you want your readers to stay in touch with you or contact you? I have a new website, thanks to the very talented Savanna Kaiser, and invite reading friends to join me there for my new newsletter and frequent journal updates. http://laurafrantz.net/new-website/   

“Tis a wonder and pleasure to mix extraordinary times, with exceptional telling and Laura Frantz brings life to imagination.
I highly recommend Laura Frantz and The Lacemaker as well as all of her other fine reads!

Susan Marlene

It has only just begun!!!  Front, back, and sideways--snow is falling as though we are living in a snow globe! Due to heavy lake effect snow we are canceling our Pens of Praise writers meeting.  Keep safe and warm tonight and definitely keep writing!

PENS OF PRAISE
CHRISTIAN WRITERS GROUP
 
Monday, January 15, 2018
6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
 
Faith Church
2201 42nd Street, Manitowoc, WI  54220
   Faith Church is located next to Festival Foods
   Not far from the Manitowoc exit off Interstate 43
 
“GOALS AND ORGANIZATION -TIME IN A BIND?” is our topic this month. Susan Fink & Susan Marlene are leading your amazing journey of discovery over two often avoided or ignored skills that can make or break a writing career. (Or at least beloved hobby.) Do you want to enjoy more time creating and playing with written communication and storytelling? Come to inspire and be inspired!
 
We are a safe place to share. We invite you to bring your WIP (Work in progress!) for a five minute read.
 
The prompt for this January is…
“If I could, I would, but I can’t so I shan’t_________”
 
Bring your favorite coffee or tea with you! Our precious Kathy Leist brings treats—we all appreciate her so! J
 
As always, if you have any questions or concerns don’t hesitate to contact
Becky McLafferty @ rebeccamclafferty@gmail.com or
Susan Marlene@ susanmarlenewrites@gmail.com