Timeless Significance For Every Day
Short stories and also devotions that mix historical quotes and contemporary musings, as well as
author interviews and book reviews.
author interviews and book reviews.
 Glouestershire 1816 Carolyn Miller has captivated my rapt attention yet again with this first of A PROMISE OF HOPE series. Heartsore, Miss Catherine Winthrope’s world tipped its foundations and caused her very lifestyle to be redefined, relocated, and raked over by grief; which equates to a story that I would love to see turned into a quality movie. The hero, Johathan Carlew, is such a serious and worthy hero. These characters are unique and diverse and have to face the challenge of forgiving when they both have deep offences to overcome. I have enjoyed their journey, the humor sprinkled within the scenes, and the witty conversations that made me smile! I encourage you to give this author a try! With Carolyn’s talent for creating believable characters whom many will identify with and a plot that won’t let me put my book down—I acknowledge this fresh series will be one that remains on my book shelf. I’d read the novel earlier within the year when I had pink eye and it grieved me to have to throw that book away. I downloaded the Kindle version and I’ve been enjoying this novel again—so very soon for me to revisit a story when I have a stack of unread novels waiting—yet I’m still enjoying the character’s journey as though it were a first read. Carolyn displays a beautiful writing style and instinct for creating a Regancy world that offers enough details and historical information to adorn the challenges and interactions of her characters. I am a reader who will gladly watch for Carolyn’s next novels, for these will be the sort I will purchase posthaste and give as gifts! QUESTIONS FOR CAROLYN: Your stories are diverse and interesting. How long did you play with these characters to get them just right? I knew Catherine Winthrop needed to have different personality qualities to Lavinia Ellison’s forthrightness, and Lady Charlotte’s headstrong ways, and couldn’t be too similar to Clara DeLancey, either. I wanted Jonathan Carlew to be a different type of hero to my previous heroes, which is why he’s a man of business, with some questions over his heritage. Did you model any of these characters after someone from the movies or real life or imagination? Winning Miss Winthrop is a bit like my homage to my (equal) favorite Jane Austen novel Persuasion. Catherine Winthrop is not dissimilar to Anne Elliot, with her quiet, somewhat retiring ways, who is often overlooked by others. I see Jonathan Carlew as being quite similar to Persuasion’s Captain Wentworth, in looks and temperament. For his appearance and deep voice and demeanor I was also inspired by one of my best friend’s husbands. Of course, he might not see himself that way! I’m thankful for your including past characters! This is always fun to see how they are getting on with life in the imaginary world. Is it difficult for you to limit the amount of involvement with previous characters? I want each story to be a standalone, so a reader can enjoy the story without feeling like they are missing much. But it’s also nice for those who started at the beginning of my first Regency Brides series with The Elusive Miss Ellison to catch up with some of their favorite characters and see what’s happening in their lives these days. So while there are a few mentions of other characters we’ve met before, this is a new story with the focus squarely on Catherine and Jonathan. But I hope readers of my other series enjoy catching up with some old friends! What is the theme in this story that you want your readers to realize the most? One of the key themes is that of trusting God, that He’s worth believing in even when all hope seems lost, and trusting that He has good plans for His children, even when we can’t see what He’s doing. I’ve seen this in my own life, and I hope readers are encouraged by this too. Do you picture these characters and the locations when you write them? (I sure do picture them when I’m reading them.😊) Yes! It always helps to have a sense of where and what I want readers to see. (And I’m so glad!) I use Pinterest to help provide clarity – unless it’s a film I might watch several times to help get in the mood! Have you been to Bath and seen any homes and interesting places that you have included in this story? Yes! I was very blessed with the opportunity to visit Bath in 2015, and loved my (all too brief!) time there. Pretty much every place in Bath that I mentioned in Winning Miss Winthrop is a place I have personally visited. In fact, on my website I have a ton of photos from my visit so readers can see exactly what “A Day in Bath” might look like. Check it out at www.carolynmillerauthor.com Do you have any news to tell your readers? Yes! This past week I’ve just finished writing my first draft for a Christmas novella which will be part of a Regency-era Christmas novella collection releasing from Kregel next year – woohoo! Next week I’ll get back to writing the first book in my new Regency series which will launch in 2021. The series is titled ‘The Wallflowers,’ about single, slightly older women of the Regency era and the challenges they faced. I’m also looking to dip my toe into the contemporary market one day soon, too! What are the books in the rest of this series called? Winning Miss Winthrop is the first book in my second series Regency Brides: A Promise of Hope. The next two books in this series are Miss Serena’s Secret (about Miss Winthrop’s artistic, younger sister) and The Making of Mrs. Hale, which looks at what happens after an elopement! Do you have another series ready to launch? This year (2019) has seen the launch of my third Regency series, Regency Brides: The Daughters of Aynsley, which features three sisters. The first of these books came out in March this year and is titled A Hero for Miss Hatherleigh, which looks at Caroline Hatherleigh (the eldest daughter of the Viscount Aynsley) and her experiences hunting for fossils with an undergroundologist! The second book in this series came out recently and is titled Underestimating Miss Cecilia, and explores what happens after the prodigal son returns (and also includes a country house party!) which has received lots of lovely reviews. And the third releases in November and is a super fun romp (set in Scotland!) and is titled Misleading Miss Verity. Just got to say this is a really fun book! Where do you wish for your readers to connect with you? www.carolynmillerauthor.com https://www.facebook.com/CarolynMillerAuthor/ https://twitter.com/CarolynMAuthor https://www.pinterest.com.au/camillering/ https://www.instagram.com/carolynmillerauthor/  Thank you Carolyn for yet again another fine, fun and informative interview! I feel as though I'm getting to know you better with each new connection! I'm ever so glad to be blessed by your gift of story! God's Richest Blessings and Joy to you, Carolyn!
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 A precious friend of mine, Amy Wiener, shares such love and joy when she talks about relating to children. So much of our own significance is patterned into adult thinking and relating to others from our childhood, is it not? Amy's amazing sweetness and wisdom with children is too awesome not to consider, so I asked her to write something for my website. May you be an inspired blessing to children from this day forward.
This guest post from Amy Wiener: Value of quality time with children . . . . As we all know, time goes way too fast! Every year seems faster and faster. Getting kids ready for school, running to after school activities, homework, dinner, play and off to bed . . . where do we fit in just being with children before they are adults? How do we value our time with children in our lives and raise them to feel valued in our society? Even though I don’t have my own children, I’m a teacher who works with children all day. Kids are precious! In the early childhood years, most likely they don’t remember what they’ve learned. They remember if they liked their teacher or not, or had fun with their friends. If you like children, chances are you will naturally have quality time with them. It’s important to listen, celebrate, and be sad with them in their adventures of growing up. It’s important to listen, celebrate, and be sad with them in their adventures of growing up. Children are impressionable. They’re like sponges soaking everything in. There are many ways that can influence them such as; friends, T.V., movies, social media, sports, music, books, food, teachers/coaches, and hopefully family and Jesus! Spending time and being involved with them throughout their whole childhood will help them feel loved and connected to people. As a Christian, I feel it’s important to instill Biblical, everlasting truths in them. God is always with us and is faithful. Whether you are a parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, or a good neighbor, quality time with children might include: read the Bible and pray, go to church/Sunday School, attend activities they are involved in or ask them about it if you can’t make it, eat dinner at the dinner table with everyone-if possible, limit social media or use it as a reward, play with them, say, “I love you,” hug, exercise politeness, communicate about problems and forgive if needed, take pictures, and laugh! Just taking time and being with children is valuable because they will never forget it! Amy Wiener Children’s Author and Teacher aw3dance@aol.com https://www.facebook.com/amy.wiener.58 abw3 Amy W (Instagram)   London, England, July 1812 While Matthew and Charlotte Batemen were away, Ivy Batemen and her sister and Miss Thorn attended a soiree that would change the lives of so many. Someone trapped Ivy and the Marquess of Kendall in the library with a candlestick that blocked their exit. Ivy has a feeling that she knows who did this deed, which put The Marquess and her reputations on the line. Being the gentlemen that he is and holding the desperation for his daughter close at hand, Lord Kendall makes an offer for a marriage of convenience. The season for meeting a wife is coming to a close and he is anxious to return to Surrey and his frail baby girl. This story unfolds from here and as always, Regina Scott, delivers with interesting and varied characters and story line! I have enjoyed this whole series, but I must say that the situations in this particular story touched my heart in a special way. When my own mom passed away my father remarried a wonderful and loving lady. This story reminded me of my deep love and appreciation for Mom Kay! The Lord gives us gifts during our lives on earth and some of those gifts are in people form. 😊 Ivy Bateman is certainly an absolute beauty because of her grace, love, and unselfishness. I found myself cheering for her all the way through this story. Questions for Regina: How old were you when you first heard of a Marquess? You know, I’m not sure! I believe late high school/early college, because that was about the time I fell in love with Regency romances. Is the home of the Marquess modeled after an actual home or did you design this from research? The exterior is based on Marble Hill House outside London, but I modeled the interior after later homes with conservatories at the center. Of course, instead of plants growing in the center of his home, Villa Romanesque houses an original Roman pavement. I love how you plunge into the characters and make them move on the pages of your books. How did you come up with Ivy’s and Lord Kendall’s characters? Ivy sprang to life in Never Kneel to a Knight as the oldest sister of Matthew “Beast of Birmingham” Bateman. Knowing Matthew’s difficult upbringing, I realized his oldest sister would have to be someone special, with an enormous heart and incredible kindness. So, who to pare her with? A broken-hearted widower who needed her so much, even if he doesn’t realize it at first. Thus, Kendall came to be. The pavement room with the Roman mosaic is so special. Is this tidbit from a real collector’s holdings? Or a museum? Or imagination? There are homes in England with Roman mosaics. Most have been carefully lifted from their original locations and brought somewhere out of the elements to be showcased. I wanted Kendall’s family to have built their home around such a treasure. This is a drawing of Marble Hill House, the house on which Regina Scott based Villa Romanesque. Would you like to share anything about your experience with writing this novel? The biggest challenge was figuring out what Ivy bakes. That’s one of the ways she expresses her love for people—to bake them sweet treats. You wouldn’t think settling on her specialty would be so difficult, but indoor cooking was actually pretty primitive even in the Great Houses during the Regency period. Very few homes had stoves as we think of them today. Most didn’t have ovens. So, my first inclination—sugar cookies—wasn’t going to work. I decided to go with something closer to a Sally Lunn bun, only with cinnamon swirled throughout. Sally Lunn made “Bath Buns” famous years before the Regency. You can still buy them from her original shop today. I’ve taken tea at Sally Lunn’s. So delicious! What will your next novel be? October sees the publication of the first book in my American Wonders collection from Revell, A Distance Too Grand. Meg Pero is determined to take over her late father’s photography business—even serving on a survey of the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. But the leader of the expedition is the man she once refused to marry. Captain Ben Coleridge would like nothing more than to leave without the woman who broke his heart, but he cannot delay. This survey is a screen for another mission, unknown to any other member of his team. As dangers arise, Meg and Ben must work together to stay alive and, just maybe, rekindle a love that neither completely left behind. How shall your readers contact you? I’ve recently joined with other authors of sweet Regency romance to host Regency Kisses: Lady Catherine’s Salon on Facebook. We share our love of Regency romances, talk about our latest releases, and host parties and giveaways. Readers can request an invitation to join us at https://www.facebook.com/groups/LadyCatherinesSalon/. Regina Scott's website: http://www.reginascott.com/ Regina has a wonderful website filled with interesting historical facts located on her blog page and of course her other book series too! Thank you for another WONDERFUL novel! I so appreciate you, Regina! 😊  Cheshire, England
September 1852 Sometimes family can meddle in the unsuspecting, unmarried, near to be spinster’s life, and Charlotte Withersby is just about to find that out. This lady is a knowledgeable botanist who assists her father. She’d love to be published concerning her findings, but has been hindered because she is female. The males in 1852 generally will not take a woman—even one so accomplished—seriously. Her uncle, the retied Admiral, has plans to wed her into what he feels is a purposeful life. When help for her absentminded father shows up at their door, Charlotte plans to get rid of him, this Edward Trimble who is so willing and available to steal her job. So of course—the struggle begins! This story is full of Siri Mitchell’s charm and humor and undeniable conflict that I’ve always come to enjoy with her novels. This is an author who knows how to put a story together and keep me engaged in the characters as the plot unfolds! I highly recommend this for your summer reading! You can imagine the fragrance of blossoms on and off the page in that way! Siri Mitchell is a definite favorite of mine, whether you explore her stories via a purchase or the library with electronic device or hold in your hand book, I wish you a happy adventure. QUESTIONS FOR SIRI: 1) How did you stumble on the idea of a woman botanist? I’m so glad that you did! My public library system has a huge used book sale in the spring and fall. When I write historicals, I go with a list of topics or eras that I hope to find information on. Regardless of what I plan, I always come home with hitchhikers – books that call to me from the shelves for no apparent reason. The funny thing is that they usually come in handy one or two manuscripts down the road because they turn out to be directly relevant to my stories. Somehow my subconscious knows before I do what books I’ll be writing in the future. Women of Flowers by Jack Kramer was one of those books. It has beautiful botanical illustrations by thirty women that were created between the 17th and 19th centuries. The women’s stories are even more interesting. Time after time, they had to publish under male names or sell their work to male editors who compiled collections of botanical illustrations in order to be published. It was outrageous. It was from this outrage that the idea for Like a Flower in Bloom was born. 2) Where do you like to write your novels? I usually write in my office. It’s quiet there and I don’t have to load everything up and spend time driving in order to get anywhere else. For me, home is always best. :) And how: pen and paper, in a busy café, quiet study or in front of the television? I write in various ways during different parts of the writing process. As I first think about an idea, I use a Michael Hauge template to make sure my basic elements are in place (character, conflict, tension, goal). I usually go to paper and pen after that to play around with ideas and map out scenes. I use an oversized tablet in the portrait position to think about themes and descriptive words to define and elaborate on it. As I think about plot, I like to write on the tablet set in landscape position. Then, as I think about actual scenes, I have an excel spreadsheet that I print out and use a pencil to fill in. Finally, once I’m ready to start writing, I sit down at the keyboard. At various times during the process, I’ll return to the Excel spreadsheet. I’ll erase some entries or even print out the template again and pencil in a whole new version. 3) What is your favorite flower and did you include it in this novel? I am partial to white roses. I always have been. Roses have such beautiful structure they don’t need a lot of color to dress them up. On the other hand, I also love iris. ‘Iris’ is my name spelled backwards but I also love their vibrant colors. Alas, I don’t think I used either of those in the book. Mostly because I was focused on what would have been native to England (or New Zealand) at the time. 4) What message do you wish to share with your reader from a theme in “like a FLOWER in BLOOM? Be who you are. Own it. Because the chances of you being able to be someone else? Zero. Allow others the privilege of being themselves too. 5) What is your strongest talent as a writer: organization, plotting, or character development? (Frankly, I think you are strong on all counts!) Thank you so much! I would say that my natural strength lies in character development. I’ve worked hard to get my plotting and pacing up to speed over the years. 6) Where can your readers find you? http://www.sirimitchell.com/ https://www.facebook.com/Siri-Mitchell-67961379554/  Model Behavior is the perfect title for this non-fiction book. Young people just beginning to choose a college or career and even those retired souls bravely wishing to follow the dream hidden within their hearts, will appreciate Amy’s appealing observations and encouragement.
Amy’s sincere and delightful telling of her own experiences—which seem almost conjured up in Hollywood—have inspired others to follow their hearts desires. My firm belief is that we all have purpose and significance and books like “Model Behavior” detailing real challenges and opportunities strengthen those who read them. Each chapter was fun for me to discover Amy’s fears well-met or opportunities that showed a divine fingerprint. I must ask you, the reader of this book review, “Have you met your tiger yet?” If you desire to discover just what I mean then I invite you to pick up Amy Robnik Joob’s book, “Model Behavior” and read that very inspiring chapter! Well done, Amy. Thank you for sharing your heart on each page, for many who take note of your courage and inspiration will benefit far more than you can imagine! This ‘calling and vocation’ topic is versatile, useful, and inspiring. I shudder to think of all those who have gone before this book was in print and have not known how to allow themselves to strike out on the journey that would bring them happiness and fulfillment and also allow them to be an inspiration as well. QUESTIONS FOR AMY:
This bestselling author created a fascinating post-Civil War story laced with historic accuracy and weighted by concerns relevant during 1871 as well as now. The main character, Alexandra Jamison, makes decisions that upend her world and the comfort and expectations of those around her. Doors of opportunity open for her, which lead readers into an interesting and heartfelt journey. I'm personally glad that I didn’t miss this eloquently told tale of self-discovery and courage to take the right path though consequences are stiff and exacting. I believe you will be thrilled to discover. Sylas Rutledge, the hero, is a northeast Line Railroad owner and very interesting fellow. Sy's character and motivation adds to the thrum of excitement that turns the pages of this novel well into the night. If you enjoy stories embodied by honor, courage, tragedy, and memory of loved ones--then you will love this tale of woe and discovery. These two very different people have an upward battle to fight and the challenges will test the fiber of their very beings. I fell in love with the other characters and the pacing of this story is very satisfying! Tamera Alexander is a favorite author of mine. I’ve not posted about her novels on this website until now for no other reason but my own demanding schedule. She is a talented storyteller who plumbs deeply into the history and the emotional experience of the people of the time period. This novel is one of the series called A BELLE MEADE PLANTATION NOVEL. Bell Meade is a real place and on Tamara's website she mentions events held at this historic treasure. Visit Tamera Alexandder at: https://tameraalexander.com/  Tamera Alexander was not available for an author interview. Her website states that she is in the midst of a deadline. I strongly suggest that you look over her website. Well done Tamara. Thank you for all the excellent work and talent you share in your novels! Reader, I just want to tell you that Tamara has a blurb on her website for the novel pictured below, which sounds very entreating! Thank you for stopping by!   “NO MATTER WHERE, GOD IS ALWAYS THERE! What a great theme for a children’s book! I went to a conference and found this treasure of a story for my granddaughter! Aria is five and was very enthused about this story. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to finish this read for we ran out of time. We will get together soon to do so. I must admit that I couldn’t stay away, and took to the pages after she’d left. I learned about owls as the characters interacted in a very pleasing way. The illustrations by Sydney Hanson were perfect visuals for the characters and setting. This is the first young children’s storybook that I’ve ever reviewed and the reason that I’d decided to do so was because of the timeless message of His being with us always! Children encounter such fear-filled thoughts and television shows. Ugly, gruesome characters bombard their tender imaginations. I found Christie to be a sensitive and intuitive story teller. This is a story that will soothe an anxious child. I will not tell you how this tale plays out and I hope that you are curious enough to purchase this treasure for the children in your life! This would make a fine gift for Easter or birthday or even a summer visit to the beach. This is highly recommended! Excuse me as I go and experience Quinn’s adventure once more! QUESTIONS FOR CHRISTIE: Christie, how long have you had children’s stories running around your imagination? (I’m so glad you did!) I used to tell stories all the time as a kid, but didn't write a single story for nearly 20 years as I pursued a science degree, children's ministry, and family. I wanted to write again, but felt stuck, until this little owl character popped into my life. You and the Sydney have merged your talents together perfectly! How did you find one another? I actually don't know Sydney, the publisher found her! She's so incredible. Did you ever get lost as a child? (I almost did!) I do remember getting lost on a bike ride once. I had been pokey and gotten left behind, so I rode around and prayed until I found a street I knew. Afterward I actually found it a very empowering experience, because I realized that I'd always eventually find my way, and that I was never truly alone. How does story come to you? Stories come to me slowly. I get the seed of an idea in my head, but I have to sit down and start writing in order to actually figure out where the story goes. I like the child-scriptures listed in the parents notes! Do you have a website where children and their parents can visit you and keep connected? My website is christiethomaswriter.com, where I write to encourage and equip parents to nurture the hope of Christ in the home. What other books do you have available? I also have a simple (and fun) Bible study book for preschoolers, as well as another Quinn story coming out in August! 7) Where can you be found on social media? I'm christiethomasauthor on Facebook and christie.thomas.writer on Instagram. I should have tried harder to get them the same, haha!   Bath, England—1810 Alethea Sutherton is so very strong and talented, but in a way that is not acceptable for Regency ladies. Violin playing by a woman is forbidden, yet her love and passion for this music as well as the precious gifting of the instrument by a loving friend hold her captive to the strings. Her brother passed away before the beginning of the story and her cousin inherits to become the new Earl of Trittonstone. Miss Alethea is displaced. No hearth, no home, except for the hospitality of her Aunt Ebena in Bath. Lord Bayard Terralton, the brooding hero, arrives in Bath too. He is also musically inclined and part of a quartet made up of his friends. Terralton is war-wounded and struggling, yet protective and worthy of his place in this story. This is a novel well-paced and doused in mystery that kept me guessing about who could be making this heroine’s life miserable! There is much to relate to as this tail unfolds: abandonment; divided families; being yourself in the midst of pressure from others; bulling and more. I enjoyed the characters and their personalities. Margaret Garen, Mr. Golding and Miss Clare Tarralton were every bit perfectly placed! Lord Ian Wynnman, Lord Ravenhurst and so many others kept me entertained! This is a highly recommended novel. And I hope that you give this author a try. Unfortunately, I was unable to interview Camille Elliot, who by the way is also know as Camy Tang. She writes other genre besides Regency. If you would like to find her online, I can offer some social media addresses for your convenience: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCamilleElliot/ https://twitter.com/camytang https://camytang.com/ https://camilleelliot.com/   London England 1812 Viscount Worthington has newly married and Charlotte Worthington, his sister, feels that the time for her to find usefulness elsewhere has arrived. She can’t abide being a burden in her brother’s household and feels that she has something to offer. Charlotte approaches Miss Thorn and Fortune, the cat, to see what employment can be had. Miss Thorn has just the job. To Charlotte’s surprise and the surprise of Matthew Bateman, a man known as the Beast of Birmingham, Fortune Employment Agency offers the assistance of this lady of quality as an etiquette teacher. The Bateman sisters and Matthew lack polish for they’ve never needed such elegance before. Circumstances involving The Beast’s heroic activity have elevated their status making this education necessary. And Fortune approves. This is a fun and entertaining read and Regina does a wonderful job of varying personalities that are believable and enjoyable. The sisters’ interactions were wonderful. Petunia or Tuny and Daisy, and Ivy made me feel at home! This story drew me along effortlessly and I wish to ask Regina, does your pen or computer keys have instant pizazz on the ready flow setting as your words touch the page? Cause I felt that pizazz as I enjoyed “Never Kneel to a Knight”! There is humor and intrigue, heroic and wise choices that must be made while the characters navigate through the rules of the ton. I enjoy how the names and nick-names fit the characters and how the situations and tension build to a satisfying ending! Yes, I did receive this novel from Regina for a review and this is a true and accurate accounting of my enjoyment and appreciation at experiencing this read. Questions for Regina: This story was fresh and sweet. How do you keep your inspiration flowing? That’s the Lord! Every time a new idea arrives, I just have the thank Him! Do you have the floor plans to the Bateman house? I could picture it as I read! I do! For most of my stories, I draw floor plans of the houses and sometimes the grounds around them. And when I’m stuck, I turn to my youngest son, who just finished school to become an architect. He points out where I don’t have enough windows or chimneys and where walls should be. 😊 Have you ever been to a boxing match? Do you like the sport? Not boxing. I have watched a little on TV, and I must say I can’t watch for long! I admire the power and athletic prowess of the boxers, but I just can’t enjoy watching people strike each other. What would you like your reader to benefit from because they read “Never Kneel to a Knight”? I hope they come away with the idea that we can all be our best selves. Where we were born, who raised us, and what we look like isn’t as important as the character we choose to take on. We can all contribute, we can all be a positive force for change. What do you find most admirable about the “ton”? The fact that it was a small town in the midst of a very large city. The story goes that only about 10,000 people inhabited the “ton” at any point in time. It’s not hard to make yourself known (or infamous!) in that size group. What is the least favorite quality about the “ton”? The gossip and bullying. There seems to have been a real pecking order, and woe to you if you were at the bottom! Will there be another story in this series and if so, what is it about and when is the publishing date? There is one more story planned for the Fortune’s Brides series, Never Marry a Marquess, due out the middle of June. The heroine is Ivy Bateman, the sister of Matthew in Never Kneel to Knight. Shy Ivy is happiest caring for her family and baking sweet treats. She never expected the wealthy Marquess of Kendall to propose a marriage of convenience. His baby daughter needs a mother, and Ivy cannot deny the role’s attraction, or the attraction she feels for the handsome marquess. Kendall’s heart went to the grave with his first wife. Now, all he cares about is ensuring his frail daughter survives. Perhaps a grieving lord and a shy lady will discover that love, and a good cinnamon bun, can heal all wounds. Where do you wish for your readers to contact you? Readers can find out more about my books, and me, at my website at www.reginascott.com and connect with me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/authorreginascott, Pinterest (www.pinterest.com/reginascottpins), and my blog (www.nineteenteen.com). If they sign up for my newsletter, they can be alerted when the next book is out or on sale.   Two stories knit this adventure together with the excellence and vigor that Jaime Jo Wright’s debut novel embodied! What can I say about Annalise Forsythe and Libby Sheffield’s struggles, pain, and challenges? Their concerns merged into mine as I turned pages and tried to keep up and solve the long-kept secrets and reasons for dangers in these two main characters’ lives. Jaime Jo kept one or two steps ahead of me throughout both the historical and contemporary time periods. I enjoyed how easily I was drawn into discovering the differing personalities and their reactions to the events that unfolded, while all along the stories complemented one another all the way to the very end. What heroes and what villains! I refuse to say more for I just can't abide spoilers! I so very much enjoyed the clever way that the mysteries were hidden and yet when the big reveals commenced, they made perfect sense. This read was an absolute delight for how it kept me on the edge of my seat and my mind spinning to figure out who, what, where, when and why! This author and her novel are definitely highly recommended! I’m grateful for Jaime Jo’s imagination and attention to detail. I applaud her mother for allowing her to read and develop her excellence sense of story when otherwise she’d have been slaving over the drudgery of dishes! Goodness, I even enjoyed her ACKNOWLEDGMENTS at the back of the novel! And just think, Jaime Jo has another story out, which is called “The CURSE of MISTY WAYFAIR”. Guess who is going shopping for that novel soon! You may visit Jaime Jo at jaimewrightbooks.com and if you do, I think you’ll be glad that you did! Questions for Jaime Jo: What keeps your ideas and twists inspiring the ink on your pages? A lot of imagination. LOL And I read a lot of books just to keep my imagination sharp and learn from other writers. I love watching crime mysteries or historical documentaries. All of those contribute to plots and ideas. I had to cringe when you mentioned Folgers for that is the coffee I use when I make my sugar and cream drink with a spot of coffee! What is your favorite brand of coffee? Don’t cringe!! That was Annalise’s snobby opinion. 😊 I actually grew up drinking Folgers with my Gramma and Grampa, so Folgers is a very nostalgic coffee for me. I think it’s a staple for every cupboard. I am a coffee snob, though too. But I’m not particularly loyal to one specific brands. I just tend to like the Fair Trade coffees and locally roasted ones. Is Gossamer Pond a real place or does it represent a real place? Gossamer Pond is not a real place. It has small components of little towns in my area but for the most part is a figment of my imagination. Were the Corbin twins’ real people? I loved how they were interwoven into the story! They are loosely based off of real brothers. For the most part, they’re completely fictional, but there were twin brother evangelists that came to my town at the turn of the century and really raised havoc in the city. Many of the events in the book, such as the riots were based on actual events. What message do you want your readers to ‘take away’ from this novel? Grace! Grace, grace, grace. There’s not enough grace to go around these days. While I believe God does have a firm line of right and wrong, He also shows how He tempers that with an opportunity to receive grace. I just have to know—are you a seat-of-the-pants writer or are you a plotter? I’m a skeleton. LOL By the I mean, I plot the skeleton of the story, but as write, that’s when I fill in the muscle and ligaments. I know the high points only when I start out. I am seat of the pants as far as the scenes go. Who was your favorite character to write in “The RECKONING of GOSSAMER POND”? Favorite character to write was probably Jacobus. He was just so different. Odd. Blunt. Theological. Where do you want your readers to connect with you? Definitely facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jaimejowright Or sign up for my newsletter at http://www.jaimewrightbooks.com  |
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