They Shall See God by Athol Dickson
ASIN: B0096JCEUK
Purchase the book: Amazon
Sometimes the most dangerous of enemies crouches just inside the human heart.
Little
Katie was a Christian. Her very best friend Ruth was a Jew. The girls'
eyewitness testimony sent a bad man to Louisiana's infamous Angola
prison. 25 years later, Ruth has become an embittered Rabbi, Kate is a
lonely widow, the bad man is out, and people are dying in the strangest
of ways.
Torn apart in childhood by animosities beyond their
understanding, Kate and Ruth can no longer elude the past's unfinished
business. To survive, these very different women must reach out to each
other in spite of the mayhem and mistrust that shrouds one vital truth:
sometimes the most dangerous of enemies crouches just inside the human
heart.
"Warning!! Severe hatred toward Christians inside." The book's
description should hold this disclaimer. I'm not even sure how the
author is able to get away with calling this a Christian fiction novel ~
there's nothing Christian about it! In the very first chapter hatred
for Christians is quite evident. At first, I thought maybe it was just
to help set the tone between several characters, but later I'm not so
sure. It seemed more apparent that this is the author's feelings and
less of the characters. Normally it only takes me a couple of days to
finish a book, but this one took me almost two months to finish. It was
hard to ignore all the hatred, the grammatical errors, misspelled words,
wrong usage of words. The sad thing about this whole thing is the story
itself could actually be good if the author toned it down some. He
could still get the point across without instilling so much ugliness. I
bought this book because it was supposedly a Christian novel and a
thriller to boot. I am severely disappointed and will not be purchasing
anything else from this author.
I give this book 2 stars out of a total of 5.
As an author, I not only love to write but I love to read. Therefore, I am dedicating this blog to book reviews, book spotlights and author interviews that I am doing.
Monday, December 29, 2014
Tuesday, December 16, 2014
In the Cleft by Dana Goodman
In the Cleft: Joy Comes in the Mourning
By Dana Goodman
About the Book:
Author and Counsellor, Dana Goodman, shares her painful journey through heart breaking tragedy. After losing her 12-year-old son and 30-year-old husband to cancer, she must put back together the broken pieces of her life and her faith. Drawing hope from Christ, she describes how even the worst of tragedies can be rewritten into love stories so seeds of hope can be imparted to others. Ron Dart, Professor of Philosophy and Politics at the University of the Fraser Valley, says this about In the Cleft:"I read the missive in a single sitting--was charmed and entranced, enthralled and captured by the poignant and evocative insights--- it's a burnished gold of a book---a real beauty---tragedy and hope, in an honest and raw way, jostling wisely and judiciously in your vulnerable soul--take heart---your well told and painful journey will bring healing and restore life to many---thanks for the sacrament and chalice of eternity so generously shared."
Follow Dana Goodman
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Review of The Gospel of John by The Lumo Project
I had the pleasure of getting to view The Gospel of John (KJV) created by The Lumo Project which is an interesting visual aid covering the life of Jesus Christ. It takes the biblical scripture word for word as the script. It is beautifully narrated as various actors, both male and female, act out what is currently going on during that particular scripture.
What I liked most about the movie was the incredible scenes and reenactments. Wherever this movie was filmed was extremely beautiful. I liked how the narration fit in with what was being shown in the background. I especially liked how the narration was exactly like biblical scripture and did not deviate from it nor change it to what someone's opinion of what the scripture meant. For this movie to be used as a successful visual aid, it is so important to keep with the truth (scripture).
What I liked least about the movie was the fact that it is only narrated. You can see the actors and actresses talking throughout the movie however at no time do you know what they are saying. The only voice you hear throughout the entire 2 1/2 hour movie is the narrator. I think this would have been more enjoyable if it was only partially narrated and then have the actors not only play out the parts but actually have lines. I think that would have helped to keep the attention of the audience. Perhaps if they stated upfront that this was more like a documentary than a movie, people would know what to expect.
I give this movie 4 stars out of a total of 5 stars. I recommend this to anyone wanting a visual aid while studying the Bible, by churches to help teach Sunday school lessons and to anyone who just wants to be able to visualize what they are reading.
You can watch the trailer for this beautifully done visual aid below:
What I liked most about the movie was the incredible scenes and reenactments. Wherever this movie was filmed was extremely beautiful. I liked how the narration fit in with what was being shown in the background. I especially liked how the narration was exactly like biblical scripture and did not deviate from it nor change it to what someone's opinion of what the scripture meant. For this movie to be used as a successful visual aid, it is so important to keep with the truth (scripture).
What I liked least about the movie was the fact that it is only narrated. You can see the actors and actresses talking throughout the movie however at no time do you know what they are saying. The only voice you hear throughout the entire 2 1/2 hour movie is the narrator. I think this would have been more enjoyable if it was only partially narrated and then have the actors not only play out the parts but actually have lines. I think that would have helped to keep the attention of the audience. Perhaps if they stated upfront that this was more like a documentary than a movie, people would know what to expect.
You can watch the trailer for this beautifully done visual aid below:
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
Dracula's Cat by Gary Buettner
Dracula's Cat by Gary Buettner
ISBN-13: 978-1940344164
Publisher: Emby Press, LLC
(softcover 150 pages, ebook)
Purchase the book: Amazon
Blurb: Balfry has an afternoon appointment to see the vet, and Dracula is, uhhh, busy. Mina is a regular girl who pet-sits to save money for camp. Mina's father is an accountant who works with monsters and makes house calls to their secret neighborhood, Midnight Villas. On a visit to the Villas, Mina has the idea to offer her pet-sitting service to the monsters. When Dracula calls, she accepts the job even though she knows nothing about cats with wings. When Belfry escapes, Mina learns that there are many monsters out there. Some are obvious, while others stay hidden. Some are good, but some are very, very bad, and one in particular is very unhappy about losing his cat. Join Mina as she races against time and monsters to find Belfry and return Dracula's cat!
Who writes this stuff?
Me.
My name is Gary Buettner (Bit-ner) and I've been writing spooky stories since junior high, but I've been making up my own superheroes and stories since I was a little kid. Once, I even won a ten-speed bike by making up my own superhero for a contest on the back of a cereal box!
I studied creative writing in college at Indiana University where I won a couple awards for my stories.
I love everything about Halloween and sometimes I like to make stuffed toy monsters. When I was thinking about new monsters to make, I drew a picture of Frankenstein's goldfish. Before I had a chance to sew it, I started wondering who would take care of such a crazy fish and the idea of a paranormal petsitter was born
I have three kids and I live with my family in Indiana. In fact, Mina from Monster Pets is named after my oldest daughter, Mina.
ISBN-13: 978-1940344164
Publisher: Emby Press, LLC
(softcover 150 pages, ebook)
Purchase the book: Amazon
Blurb: Balfry has an afternoon appointment to see the vet, and Dracula is, uhhh, busy. Mina is a regular girl who pet-sits to save money for camp. Mina's father is an accountant who works with monsters and makes house calls to their secret neighborhood, Midnight Villas. On a visit to the Villas, Mina has the idea to offer her pet-sitting service to the monsters. When Dracula calls, she accepts the job even though she knows nothing about cats with wings. When Belfry escapes, Mina learns that there are many monsters out there. Some are obvious, while others stay hidden. Some are good, but some are very, very bad, and one in particular is very unhappy about losing his cat. Join Mina as she races against time and monsters to find Belfry and return Dracula's cat!
Who writes this stuff?
Me.
My name is Gary Buettner (Bit-ner) and I've been writing spooky stories since junior high, but I've been making up my own superheroes and stories since I was a little kid. Once, I even won a ten-speed bike by making up my own superhero for a contest on the back of a cereal box!
I studied creative writing in college at Indiana University where I won a couple awards for my stories.
I love everything about Halloween and sometimes I like to make stuffed toy monsters. When I was thinking about new monsters to make, I drew a picture of Frankenstein's goldfish. Before I had a chance to sew it, I started wondering who would take care of such a crazy fish and the idea of a paranormal petsitter was born
I have three kids and I live with my family in Indiana. In fact, Mina from Monster Pets is named after my oldest daughter, Mina.
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
Seeing The Life By Sophie Dawson
Seeing The Life
By Sophie Dawson
About the Book
Seeing The Life is a look at the life of Yeshua the Christ in a way never used before. Dassa, the daughter of the innkeeper, is sent to fetch the midwife to help the young woman in the stable give birth. She and Mary become close friends as do Micah, her fiance then husband, and Joseph. Separated when the young family flees Bethlehem in the night, their friendship resumes several years later in Jerusalem. Dassa and Micah know Yeshua is special, but he is still a boy with a boy's interests and love of life. Through the years the families, though separated most of the year, spend time together in Jerusalem during the Jewish Festivals. Then Yeshua begins speaking and teaching. Micah, Joseph of Arimethea, their sons and others who follow and believe Yeshua's message. Yet do they really understand it? Is he the long awaited messiah who will free the Jews from the grip of Rome? What do the stories he tells really mean? Seeing The Life sees the life of Yeshua within the social and political culture of the time. Not only do we see his ministry but also his family and friendships as he grew. Yeshua was a normal baby who cried, spit up, wet and messed. He was a child who fell and skinned his knees. He lost his baby teeth. He had siblings. He had friends. My goal was to show the humanness of Yeshua's life. We see him as fully God but often miss that he was fully man, boy and baby also.Enter to Win a $50 Amazon Gift Card!
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The Name Quest by John Avery
The Name Quest - explore the names of God to grow in faith and get to know Him better
By John Avery
About the Book:
Take an insightful journey into deeper relationship with God through the biblical names of God. Beginning in Babel and ending with a burning Babylon, The Name Quest builds faith and encourages spiritual growth. The names of God are like a rainbow—each name expresses part of the spectrum of the character and attributes of God. God is a personality with a multifaceted character too integrated and dynamic to compartmentalize. God’s names are best examined in clusters, around common themes. So that is how the chapters are organized. Along the way, the author tenderly answers tough questions: Which of the Hebrew names of God is His personal name—Yahweh or Jehovah? What does it mean to pray in Jesus’ name? How can we relate to the Holy God and the Judge? Why is a God of love called the “Jealous God”? What does it mean to call Jesus the Messiah? The Name Quest mentions all the names of God in the Bible while explaining their significance in ordinary language. The author weaves together fifteen years of Bible study research with plentiful illustrations and humorous anecdotes. These include lessons learned as a pastor on a Caribbean island. A visit to a Welsh hill farm introduces a chapter about the Good Shepherd. The story of a Hungarian political prisoner illustrates the meaning of Immanuel (or is it Emmanuel?) A rescue from the slopes of an active volcano helps explain salvation and the meaning of Jesus’ Hebrew name, Yeshua. Even the clever advertisement on a packet of potato chips offers a lesson about how to grow in faith in God. Unlike chasing rainbows, the spiritual journey has an end. The Name Quest is a road map for every Christian’s spiritual journey and it points to the destination—being formed into the image of Jesus Christ. Start exploring!Enter to Win a $50 Amazon Gift Card!
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It's in the House by Michelle Hollis
It's in the House: Lessons from a Widow Woman - Getting What You Need & More!
By Michelle Word Hollis
About the Book:
In this book you will discover the powerful lessons, from the Biblical story of the Widow's Oil, that will help you overcome any difficulty you are currently facing. You will learn easy to implement strategies that will cause positive transformation in your thoughts and actions. The lessons are based upon Biblical principles that you can use daily for successful living. God has given us a blueprint in His Word that will help us build a grand life no matter where we are currently in life. The principles contained in these pages have withstood the test of time; they are universal truths! The lessons and principles are simple to understand, as well as, implement for those who would dare try and keep trying. Making a lasting permanent change does take time, practice, and patience, but you can do it!Michelle Word Hollis is a native of St. Louis, Mo. She is a wife and a mother. She received her undergraduate degree from SIUE and her MBA from UOP. Michelle is a life long learner and enjoys many other personal pursuits. Michelle is a new author, but she has been writing privately for many years. Michelle's Pearlable Woman book series will explore spirituality, family, life, and love. In the series, she will share lessons that have stood the test of time. These lessons are pearls of wisdom from the lives of Biblical women that can be applied to our contemporary lives.
Enter to Win a $50 Amazon Gift Card!
Enter below to enter a $50 Amazon gift card, sponsored by author Michelle Word Hollis! a Rafflecopter giveaway This book blast is hosted by Crossreads. We would like to send out a special THANK YOU to all of the CrossReads book blast bloggers!Tuesday, October 7, 2014
Are You Sure You Want to Love God?
By Tony Yang
About the Book:
When we think about our love relationship with God, we tend to focus on His love for us: God created us in His image. God sent His only begotten son to die for our sins. God will send His son once again to take us home.
But what about our love for God?
What exactly does it mean to love God? Why is it so important? And how do we love Him? Tony Yang answers these questions through a Bible-centered approach, weaving in his personal testimony with his unique storytelling style.
His conclusion is one that he least expected—the “O” word.
In his highly anticipated debut book, Tony Yang presents key questions and answers them with such simplicity, using easy-to-follow practical applications. With a solid Biblical foundation, it also educates, encourages and inspires, leaving the reader to desire a deeper relationship with our God.
Tony Yang
is a storyteller.
As a television news reporter, he discovered his passion for finding and telling good stories. After eight years as a journalist, he found himself on the administrative side of health care and higher education as a communication executive (but still a storyteller at heart.) His career has been recognized by industry organizations with nearly 20 professional awards, including two Emmys.
Through God’s leading, Tony Yang hopes to use his love of writing and storytelling to share his experiences and encourage others in their love relationship with God.
Follow Tony Yang
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Enter below to enter a $50 Amazon gift card, sponsored by author Tony Yang! a Rafflecopter giveaway This book blast is hosted by Crossreads. We would like to send out a special THANK YOU to all of the CrossReads book blast bloggers!Monday, September 29, 2014
A Sweet Inspirational Book
Learning to Dance in the Rain by Melanie Bennett
ISBN: 978-0615988085
Purchase the Book: Amazon
Blurb: I would like to invite you to join me on the journey of ups and downs, heartaches and thrills I experienced through a year of caring for a child with autism. This journal is my story as a caregiver, weathering the storm with a seven year-old girl with autism. Whether you know nothing at all about autism or feel well-versed on the topic, I believe you will find my story educational, enlightening, and heartwarming.
Learning to Dance in the Rain was a really sweet diary type book on the life of a young autistic girl. I love the way the author pulled you into the story and made you fall in love with this sweet little girl. There were times that you (the reader) will cheer for her accomplishments and other times that will make you cry. The story was very inspirational and I was thrilled to learn that the events in the story were true. I cannot wait to find out what happens to the little girl and her family next. Perhaps the author will write another book involving the little one's life and accomplishments. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a heart-warming story.
I give this book 5 stars out of a total of 5 stars.
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
A Pearlable Woman Series
It's in the House: Lessons from a Widow Woman - Getting What You Need & More!
By Michelle Word Hollis
About the Book:
In this book you will discover the powerful lessons, from the Biblical story of the Widow's Oil, that will help you overcome any difficulty you are currently facing. You will learn easy to implement strategies that will cause positive transformation in your thoughts and actions. The lessons are based upon Biblical principles that you can use daily for successful living. God has given us a blueprint in His Word that will help us build a grand life no matter where we are currently in life. The principles contained in these pages have withstood the test of time; they are universal truths! The lessons and principles are simple to understand, as well as, implement for those who would dare try and keep trying. Making a lasting permanent change does take time, practice, and patience, but you can do it!Michelle Word Hollis is a native of St. Louis, Mo. She is a wife and a mother. She received her undergraduate degree from SIUE and her MBA from UOP. Michelle is a life long learner and enjoys many other personal pursuits. Michelle is a new author, but she has been writing privately for many years. Michelle's Pearlable Woman book series will explore spirituality, family, life, and love. In the series, she will share lessons that have stood the test of time. These lessons are pearls of wisdom from the lives of Biblical women that can be applied to our contemporary lives.
Enter to Win a $50 Amazon Gift Card!
Enter below to enter a $50 Amazon gift card, sponsored by author Michelle Word Hollis! a Rafflecopter giveaway This book blast is hosted by Crossreads. We would like to send out a special THANK YOU to all of the CrossReads book blast bloggers!Monday, September 8, 2014
Forgetting Allyssa by Stephanie Romans
Forgetting Allyssa by Stephanie Romans
Genre: YA
Purchase the book: Amazon
Amnesia. What a Better way to start off senior year of high school?
When seventeen year old Allyssa Bradshaw wakes up from the nap of a lifetime things aren't really adding up. Her face feels like it's gone through the toaster and she doesn't recognize the people standing around her - she doesn't even recognize herself.
Clearly she's woken up on the wrong side of the hospital gurney.
As she recovers from an attack she doesn't remember, Allyssa is thrown into what feels like someone else's life. Despite her lack of memories, she heads off to school determined to start anew. What Allyssa doesn't expect is the backlash of a life she can't remember. The more she learns about Old Allyssa the less she wants to have anything to do with her, making this New Allyssa determined to become someone better.
Forgetting Allyssa is a story of love, loss, and identity - who you were does not mean that's who you are.
Genre: YA
Purchase the book: Amazon
Amnesia. What a Better way to start off senior year of high school?
When seventeen year old Allyssa Bradshaw wakes up from the nap of a lifetime things aren't really adding up. Her face feels like it's gone through the toaster and she doesn't recognize the people standing around her - she doesn't even recognize herself.
Clearly she's woken up on the wrong side of the hospital gurney.
As she recovers from an attack she doesn't remember, Allyssa is thrown into what feels like someone else's life. Despite her lack of memories, she heads off to school determined to start anew. What Allyssa doesn't expect is the backlash of a life she can't remember. The more she learns about Old Allyssa the less she wants to have anything to do with her, making this New Allyssa determined to become someone better.
Forgetting Allyssa is a story of love, loss, and identity - who you were does not mean that's who you are.
Tuesday, September 2, 2014
Come Eat at My Table by Ruth O'Neil
Come Eat at My Table by Ruth O'Neil
Purchase the book: Amazon
Blurb: Karin is a woman with a past. About the time she thinks no one will ever know, it comes back to haunt her. The deeper she tries to push it away the more prominently it returns. Forgiveness is a word that isn’t in her vocabulary as far as the people from her past are concerned. She thinks she's fine until someone from her past shows up unexpectedly forcing her to think about what happened. With the help of her family and other people around her she realizes that she must learn to forgive, even if forgiveness wasn't asked of her.
This book makes people think. Everyone has been hurt at some point in their lives. Forgiveness can be very hard from some. However, forgiveness is not about the offender, it’s about the offended. Forgiveness can help one overcome many situations in life and be better for it.
Excerpt:
“Only two more days till Christmas!” Hope danced around the kitchen chanting while getting underfoot. She was good at that, but not always a whole lot of help.
“Yes, we know!” Hope’s twin sister Faith said, while frosting some of the cookies she had baked earlier in the day with their mom.
Hope picked up the cookie as soon as Faith set it aside to let the frosting set.
“You didn’t burn these did you?”
“I haven’t burnt anything in a long time!” Faith said.
“Yeah, it’s been at least a week!” Hope said sarcastically.
“We’d get more done if you helped a little more besides eating everything.” The girls’ mom, Karin, said to Hope without looking up from what she was doing.
“I’m taste-testing.” Hope said with her mouth full. “And taking pictures.” She held up her other hand, which contained a camera. It was an older camera that used film, but she found taking pictures enjoyable and she was good at it. She used her talent and became the photo editor of their school newspaper. She would often get right up in people’s faces to get a close-up shot. Karin and Faith hated that, which made Hope do it even more.
Hope and Faith were identical twins who would turn sixteen the next July. While they looked alike, they made every effort to look different. They had the same honey colored hair and green eyes as their mom. The three of them looked so much alike that their father often called them his triplets.
Karin wore her hair long, down to her waist. Faith had hair that came down past her shoulder blades, but more often than not, she had it up in a ponytail to keep it out of her way. Hope kept her hair only to her shoulders and she would straighten hers since she didn’t particularly like the waves that her mom and sister kept.
As far as their personalities were concerned, the twins couldn’t have been more different. Faith was the no fuss twin. Hope was the one who was more concerned about her appearance. She always took the time to do her hair and put on clean clothes and make-up before she took out the garbage.
Faith liked to cook alongside of her mother. Although she used to burn a lot of meals, after the last couple years of practice, she had become a much better cook. Faith liked to play sports and hated shopping. Hope liked shopping and hated sports. Hope was more popular at school and had a lot of friends. Faith was well liked, but she was much quieter than Hope and was loyal to her small group of close friends. Hope was much more talkative and more interested in the latest trends.
Hope talked incessantly, while Faith was a listener. Faith saw and heard things that Hope had no idea were there. Hope’s personality was more like her dad’s and Faith’s was more like Karin’s.
Book trailer: Youtube
Contact the author: Website | Blog | Facebook
Purchase the book: Amazon
Blurb: Karin is a woman with a past. About the time she thinks no one will ever know, it comes back to haunt her. The deeper she tries to push it away the more prominently it returns. Forgiveness is a word that isn’t in her vocabulary as far as the people from her past are concerned. She thinks she's fine until someone from her past shows up unexpectedly forcing her to think about what happened. With the help of her family and other people around her she realizes that she must learn to forgive, even if forgiveness wasn't asked of her.
This book makes people think. Everyone has been hurt at some point in their lives. Forgiveness can be very hard from some. However, forgiveness is not about the offender, it’s about the offended. Forgiveness can help one overcome many situations in life and be better for it.
Excerpt:
“Only two more days till Christmas!” Hope danced around the kitchen chanting while getting underfoot. She was good at that, but not always a whole lot of help.
“Yes, we know!” Hope’s twin sister Faith said, while frosting some of the cookies she had baked earlier in the day with their mom.
Hope picked up the cookie as soon as Faith set it aside to let the frosting set.
“You didn’t burn these did you?”
“I haven’t burnt anything in a long time!” Faith said.
“Yeah, it’s been at least a week!” Hope said sarcastically.
“We’d get more done if you helped a little more besides eating everything.” The girls’ mom, Karin, said to Hope without looking up from what she was doing.
“I’m taste-testing.” Hope said with her mouth full. “And taking pictures.” She held up her other hand, which contained a camera. It was an older camera that used film, but she found taking pictures enjoyable and she was good at it. She used her talent and became the photo editor of their school newspaper. She would often get right up in people’s faces to get a close-up shot. Karin and Faith hated that, which made Hope do it even more.
Hope and Faith were identical twins who would turn sixteen the next July. While they looked alike, they made every effort to look different. They had the same honey colored hair and green eyes as their mom. The three of them looked so much alike that their father often called them his triplets.
Karin wore her hair long, down to her waist. Faith had hair that came down past her shoulder blades, but more often than not, she had it up in a ponytail to keep it out of her way. Hope kept her hair only to her shoulders and she would straighten hers since she didn’t particularly like the waves that her mom and sister kept.
As far as their personalities were concerned, the twins couldn’t have been more different. Faith was the no fuss twin. Hope was the one who was more concerned about her appearance. She always took the time to do her hair and put on clean clothes and make-up before she took out the garbage.
Faith liked to cook alongside of her mother. Although she used to burn a lot of meals, after the last couple years of practice, she had become a much better cook. Faith liked to play sports and hated shopping. Hope liked shopping and hated sports. Hope was more popular at school and had a lot of friends. Faith was well liked, but she was much quieter than Hope and was loyal to her small group of close friends. Hope was much more talkative and more interested in the latest trends.
Hope talked incessantly, while Faith was a listener. Faith saw and heard things that Hope had no idea were there. Hope’s personality was more like her dad’s and Faith’s was more like Karin’s.
Book trailer: Youtube
Contact the author: Website | Blog | Facebook
Help Me Welcome Author Marianne Jones
Hi Marianne and welcome to my blog. Thank you for taking the time out to interview with me this evening. Please start by telling us a little about yourself.
I am a retired teacher, mother, wife and grandmother from the wilds of Northwestern Ontario. My work has appeared in Reader’s Digest, Canadian Living, The Globe and Mail, and numerous literary and denominational publications. I was named International Poet Laureate by Utmost Christian Writers, and am the author of 4 books. Although not all my words are carved in stone, three of my poems are, in permanent installation at Prince Arthur's Landing at Marina Park in Thunder Bay.
Please tell me about your novel. Who or what was your inspiration behind it?
I am a retired teacher, mother, wife and grandmother from the wilds of Northwestern Ontario. My work has appeared in Reader’s Digest, Canadian Living, The Globe and Mail, and numerous literary and denominational publications. I was named International Poet Laureate by Utmost Christian Writers, and am the author of 4 books. Although not all my words are carved in stone, three of my poems are, in permanent installation at Prince Arthur's Landing at Marina Park in Thunder Bay.
Please tell me about your novel. Who or what was your inspiration behind it?
The Serenity Stone Murder is a humorous cozy mystery, full of quirky characters, including a very spoiled dog. The story is a fun romp and guarantees lots of laughs. It was my sister who wanted me to write a murder mystery set in our home town of Thunder Bay, Ontario. One day, she was describing, with a great deal of humour, a disastrous women’s retreat she had attended with a friend. Suddenly I visualized two fifty-something women who stumble upon a murder while attending a retreat. The characters of Louise and Margaret seemed very clear in my mind. They aren’t based on my sister and her friend, apart from the ages. I thought: why not write a mystery where the amateur sleuths in question are church ladies “of a certain age”? Why should young people with hot bodies have all the fun? And since I know Thunder Bay and this area very well, setting was easy!
Who was your current novel dedicated to? Any particular reason?
Who was your current novel dedicated to? Any particular reason?
The Serenity Stone Murder is dedicated to my sister, for obvious reasons, and to her daughter. The three of us would meet periodically at our favourite pub for drinks and nachos to work on plot details whenever I hit a snag in the story. I don’t know if it was the nachos or the ciders, or our combined imaginations, but it always helped.
What are some of your favorite genres to read and to write?
My favourite genre to read is literary fiction. I began to enjoy the Russian classics in high school, as well as all the American and British classics they taught us. (I don’t know why Canadian classics weren’t on the curriculum.) My love of great literature led me to take my degree in English, and dream of becoming a writer myself. I am working on a literary novel of my own, but I am so intimidated by the genre that I am afraid of failing miserably. I enjoy some light reading as well: mysteries and humour mainly.
When you sit down to write, do you do it the old-fashioned way with pen and paper or do you use a computer? Do you prefer one way or the other?
I journal using pen and paper, and keep a notebook in my purse to jot things down, but nowadays I do most of my writing by computer. The transition took a while, but now I’m quite comfortable with composing on the computer, especially since I can type much faster than I can write. As I get older, I find that my hands cramp up with arthritis if I hold a pen too long, so it’s a good thing I learned to type!
What is your favorite junk food vice?
My favourite junk food vice is fudge—especially penuche. I almost never buy it or make it, because I have no self-control.
Did you get to quit your day job and become an author or do you still have a day job and writing is something you do for fun? If you still have a day job, what is it?I am retired now, which makes writing a lot easier. I have always said that writing is something one should do for love, not money, since there is no guarantee about the money. So I don’t recommend to people that they give up their day jobs! Besides, who wants to write under all that pressure of worrying about income?
What do you do when you are not writing? Do you pick up some from you to be read pile?
Besides reading and writing, my favourite thing to do is spend an afternoon trying out a new recipe for dinner with good friends. There is nothing like great conversation—it’s the closest thing to great literature. Add great food and wine, and life doesn’t get any better.
Did you have any teacher in school that encouraged you to write? Did you take their advice?
I did have a teacher in high school who believed in my writing. I regret not going back to thank him for that. High school is such a difficult time in most people’s lives that his encouragement meant more to me than he ever knew.
We all have our little things when it comes to reading, is there anything that bugs you when you read a novel? What is it?
Cliches and bad writing bug me in a novel. Enough of them, and I won’t finish the book. I can forgive grammatical errors, but there’s no excuse for lazy writing.
What 7 words would you use to describe yourself?The seven words I would use to describe myself are: compassionate, quirky, honest, funny, loyal, untidy, generous.
What are some of your favorite genres to read and to write?
My favourite genre to read is literary fiction. I began to enjoy the Russian classics in high school, as well as all the American and British classics they taught us. (I don’t know why Canadian classics weren’t on the curriculum.) My love of great literature led me to take my degree in English, and dream of becoming a writer myself. I am working on a literary novel of my own, but I am so intimidated by the genre that I am afraid of failing miserably. I enjoy some light reading as well: mysteries and humour mainly.
When you sit down to write, do you do it the old-fashioned way with pen and paper or do you use a computer? Do you prefer one way or the other?
I journal using pen and paper, and keep a notebook in my purse to jot things down, but nowadays I do most of my writing by computer. The transition took a while, but now I’m quite comfortable with composing on the computer, especially since I can type much faster than I can write. As I get older, I find that my hands cramp up with arthritis if I hold a pen too long, so it’s a good thing I learned to type!
What is your favorite junk food vice?
My favourite junk food vice is fudge—especially penuche. I almost never buy it or make it, because I have no self-control.
Did you get to quit your day job and become an author or do you still have a day job and writing is something you do for fun? If you still have a day job, what is it?I am retired now, which makes writing a lot easier. I have always said that writing is something one should do for love, not money, since there is no guarantee about the money. So I don’t recommend to people that they give up their day jobs! Besides, who wants to write under all that pressure of worrying about income?
What do you do when you are not writing? Do you pick up some from you to be read pile?
Besides reading and writing, my favourite thing to do is spend an afternoon trying out a new recipe for dinner with good friends. There is nothing like great conversation—it’s the closest thing to great literature. Add great food and wine, and life doesn’t get any better.
Did you have any teacher in school that encouraged you to write? Did you take their advice?
I did have a teacher in high school who believed in my writing. I regret not going back to thank him for that. High school is such a difficult time in most people’s lives that his encouragement meant more to me than he ever knew.
We all have our little things when it comes to reading, is there anything that bugs you when you read a novel? What is it?
Cliches and bad writing bug me in a novel. Enough of them, and I won’t finish the book. I can forgive grammatical errors, but there’s no excuse for lazy writing.
What 7 words would you use to describe yourself?The seven words I would use to describe myself are: compassionate, quirky, honest, funny, loyal, untidy, generous.
Where can people find you?
Saturday, August 23, 2014
Check Out My Radio Interview Tonight!!!
New Writing Internet Radio with Christian Writers World on BlogTalkRadio with Christian Writers World! on BlogTalkRadio
Saturday, July 19, 2014
Authors’ Cave Grand Launch Festival Blog Train
Welcome to the Authors' Cave Blog Train!
You are cordially invited to attend the Grand Launch Festival Day! Join us for what is sure to be a blast with the Most Enticing Book Trailer Contest winner announcement, scavenger hunts, giveaways, Google social hangouts, and our kick off for the 1st Annual Authors' Cave Book Awards where you can win $500 cash, a Kindle Fire or Nook, and free promotion of your book for a year at Authors' Cave!
July 22, 2014
(8am to 11pm
EST)
Back to the train...Get to know the blogger - that's me!
Elevator Speech: Provide 2 sentences to 'SELL' your book(s). All of my books are not only entertaining, but cause you to actually think. My slogan is after all 'Thought-provoking Christian fiction at its finest.'
The first three words I would use to describe myself are: Passionate, Loving, Creative
I am currently
working on this project: The Return of Nicolaitanes and Josh's Wild Imagination. Both books are due to be released toward the end of this year.
Enough
about me...here are 3 more books from Authors' Cave you might enjoy!
Stay on the train and follow these authors next! See how they responded to the same questions!
Get
to know Nancy LaRonda Johnson
Get
to know Candace Lafleur
Get
to know Kathryn Dionne
Answer to Grand
Launch Festival Day Scavenger Hunt Question #3: Train
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