Bonnie Roof
Congratulations, Bonnie! You’ve won a copy of Crossroads!
Thank you all so much for visiting and participating in this giveaway! I appreciate you!
Archive | Books RSS feed for this section
Review: A Love Like Ours
4 May
A Love Like Ours by Becky Wade
Purchase Links:
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Christianbook | DeeperShopping
Former Marine Jake Porter has far deeper scars than the one that marks his face. He struggles with symptoms of PTSD, lives a solitary life, and avoids relationships.
When Lyndie James, Jake’s childhood best friend, lands back in Holley, Texas, Jake cautiously hires her to exercise his Thoroughbreds. Lyndie is tender-hearted, fiercely determined, and afraid of nothing, just like she was as a child. Jake pairs her with Silver Leaf, a horse full of promise but lacking in results, hoping she can solve the mystery of the stallion’s reluctance to run.
Though Jake and Lyndie have grown into very different adults, the bond that existed during their childhood still ties them together. Against Jake’s will, Lyndie’s sparkling, optimistic personality begins to tear down the walls he’s built around his heart. A glimmer of the hope he’d thought he’d lost returns, but fears and regrets still plague him. Will Jake ever be able to love Lyndie like she deserves, or is his heart too shattered to mend?
My thoughts:
A Love Like Ours is a heartwarming romance! This is the third book in the popular Porter Family series, with each novel sharing the story of one of the Porter siblings. Having not read the two previous books, I found this story read easily and enjoyably as a stand-alone novel.
Jake Porter is a wounded warrior bearing physical, mental, and emotional scars. My heart ached for him as fear and guilt plagued him and caused him to close himself off from those around him. When his childhood friend Lyndie James returns to Holley, Texas, their relationship is much different than the one they left behind years ago.
I loved Lyndie’s vivacious personality and her determination to help Jake find healing, hope, and happiness once again. I also enjoyed the family dynamics of the Porter Family and the James Family and each of their special members. The horse training and racing was another delightful aspect of this touching story. I enjoyed A Love Like Ours and look forward to reading more of the Porter Family series!
A complimentary copy of A Love Like Ours was provided to me through the Bethany House Blogger Reviewer program. I appreciate the opportunity to read this story and share my honest opinion.
Join Becky Wade TOMORROW night at a Facebook party celebrating the release of her new book, A Love Like Ours.
And when you purchase the book before May 17th, a portion of the proceeds will support the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund.
During her childhood in California, Becky frequently produced homemade plays starring her sisters, friends, and cousins. These plays almost always featured a heroine, a prince, and a love story with a happy ending. She’s been a fan of all things romantic ever since.
Becky and her husband lived overseas in the Caribbean and Australia before settling in Dallas, Texas. It was during her years abroad that Becky’s passion for reading turned into a passion for writing. She published three historical romances with Avon Books, then put her career on hold for several years to care for her kids, then recently returned to writing sheerly for the love of it. She felt led to move to the genre of contemporary Christian romance and couldn’t be more thrilled with it.
These days Becky can be found failing but trying to keep up with her housework, sweating at the gym, carting her kids around town, playing tennis, hunched over her computer, eating chocolate, or collapsed on the sofa watching TV with her husband. Visit her website at http://www.beckywade.com/home.html.
Review: Franklin Barbecue: A Meat-Smoking Manifesto
3 May
Franklin Barbecue: A Meat-Smoking Manifesto
Aaron Franklin and Jordan Mackay
A complete meat- and brisket-cooking education from the country’s most celebrated pitmaster and owner of the wildly popular Austin restaurant Franklin Barbecue–winner of Texas Monthly’s coveted Best Barbecue Joint in Texas award.
When Aaron Franklin and his wife, Stacy, opened up a small barbecue trailer on the side of an Austin, Texas, interstate in 2009, they had no idea what they’d gotten themselves into. Today, Franklin Barbecue has grown into the most popular, critically lauded, and obsessed-over barbecue joint in the country (if not the world)—and Franklin is the winner of every major barbecue award there is.
In this much-anticipated debut, Franklin and coauthor Jordan Mackay unlock the secrets behind truly great barbecue, and share years’ worth of hard-won knowledge. Franklin Barbecue is a definitive resource for the backyard pitmaster, with chapters dedicated to building or customizing your own smoker; finding and curing the right wood; creating and tending perfect fires; sourcing top-quality meat; and of course, cooking mind-blowing, ridiculously delicious barbecue, better than you ever thought possible.
My thoughts:
Franklin Barbecue: A Meat-Smoking Manifesto is an excellent meat-smoking resource!
Aaron Franklin, an award-winning pitmaster, shares his knowledge and secrets of success in this meat-smoking manifesto. His love and enthusiasm for Central Texas barbecue is evident and he shares his passion in these pages.
“Barbecue to me is about more than just the smoke and the meat,
more than trying to cook better with more flavor and more consistency (though those things are definitely important). Barbecue is also about a culture that I love.”
Franklin Barbecue: A Meat-Smoking Manifesto is a book my husband and I both use and enjoy. From building or modifying a smoker to serving and eating, this book is brimming with detailed information and includes step-by-step instructions, beautiful pictures, and mouth-watering recipes. This meat-smoking manifesto is exceptional, and we look forward to using it again and again! Whether you are a beginner looking for direction or a seasoned pitmaster looking to perfect your method, Franklin Barbecue: A Meat-Smoking Manifesto is the book for you!
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Blogging for Books and appreciate the opportunity to offer my honest opinion.
Click here for more information about Franklin Barbecue: A Meat-Smoking Manifesto and to read an excerpt.
Review: To Win Her Favor | Kindle Fire Giveaway
2 May
To Win Her Favor by Tamera Alexander
Purchase a copy: http://bit.ly/1OYbn27
A gifted rider in a world where ladies never race, Maggie Linden is determined that her horse will become a champion. But the one man who could help her has vowed to stay away from thoroughbred racing forever.
An Irishman far from home, Cullen McGrath left a once prosperous life in England because of a horse racing scandal that nearly ruined him. He’s come to Nashville for a fresh start, hoping to buy land and begin farming, all while determined to stay as far away from thoroughbred racing as possible. But starting over proves harder than he’d wagered, especially when Maggie Linden’s father makes him an offer he shouldn’t accept yet cannot possibly refuse.
Maggie is certain that her mare, Bourbon Belle, can take the top purse in the inaugural Peyton Stakes, the richest race ever run in America. Maggie only needs the chance to prove it. To give her that chance—and to save Linden Downs from being sold to the highest bidder—Maggie’s father, aging, yet wily as ever, makes a barter. His agreement includes one tiny, troublesome detail—Maggie must marry a man she’s never met. A man she never would have chosen for herself.
My thoughts:
To Win Her Favor is a captivating love story!
Book Two in the Belle Meade Plantation series, To Win Her Favor reads as a stand-alone novel. However, Book One, To Whisper Her Name, is another wonderful story and one I highly recommend.
Tamera Alexander’s writing is beautiful and vividly portrays the post-Civil War era. Historical details and well-crafted characters also add richness and depth to this story. As Maggie Linden and Cullen McGrath enter into a marriage of convenience, they must learn to rely on each other as they endure hurts and heartaches and cling to hopes and dreams.
Maggie and Cullen are such complex characters, and I really enjoyed their strength and determination, as well as their captivating love story. I also enjoyed the racing aspects of the story and cheered for Bourbon Belle and her spirited rider. Tamera Alexander once again brings Nashville and Belle Meade Plantation history to life and leaves me eager for the next book in this compelling series!
Please note: This book contains topics of racial prejudices and injustices and marital intimacies. For this reason, I do not recommend this book for younger readers or those who may be uncomfortable with these subjects.
I received a complimentary copy of To Win Her Favor through Litfuse Publicity. I appreciate the opportunity to read this book and share my honest opinion.
Landing Page:
http://litfusegroup.com/author/talexander
Celebrate the release of To Win Her Favor with a Kindle Fire and book giveaway!
One grand prize winner will receive:
- A Kindle Fire HD 6
- A copy of To Win Her Favor
Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on May 10th. Winner will be announced May 11th on Tamera’s blog. Plus stay tuned for more opportunities to win after May 11 with a special Pinterest contest—more details coming soon!
{NOT ON FACEBOOK? ENTER HERE.}
Tamera Alexander is a best-selling novelist whose deeply drawn characters, thought-provoking plots, and poignant prose resonate with readers. Having lived in Colorado for seventeen years, she and her husband now make their home in Nashville, Tennessee, along with their two adult children who live near by. And don’t forget Jack, their precious—and precocious—silky terrier.
Friday Freebies
1 May
The Ultimate Guide to Darcy Carter by Teresa Slack
Darcy Carter is the Ultimate Guide girl. She dropped out of school at nineteen to write the Ultimate Guide to Writing a College Thesis and hasn’t come up for air since. With twenty-four Ultimate Guide books under her belt, she’s considered an expert in everything from parenting multiples to the NFL draft to online trading. Unfortunately she doubts she could guide herself out of a brown paper bag.
Her editor suggests she write a guaranteed bestseller: The Ultimate Guide to Finding Mr. Right. Darcy isn’t about to give her readers false hope of finding a man who doesn’t exist. To avoid Mr. Right, and hopefully discover where the discontentment with her life is coming from, she heads to North Carolina to research one last ultimate guidebook.
North Carolina only amplifies the questions and doubts swirling around in her head. When did she start writing for money and not for the love of the craft? Maybe she’s ready for a change. But if she’s no longer America’s Ultimate Guide Girl, who is she? Can she trust her heart to recognize Mr. Right when he’s standing in front of her, or was she right in the first place and he doesn’t exist? Who can the Ultimate Guide Girl trust to guide her? Her heavenly father who gives wisdom to those who seek it, or herself, the woman with all the answers?
Raspberries and Vinegar by Valerie Comer
Sweet like Raspberries. Tart like Vinegar.
Josephine Shaw: complex, yet singleminded. A tiny woman with big ideas and, some would say, a mouth to match. But what does she really know about sustainable living as it relates to the real world? After all, she and her two friends are new to farming.
Zachary Nemesek is back only until his dad recovers enough to work his own land again. When Zach discovers three helpless females have taken up residence at the old farm next door, he expects trouble. But a mouse invasion proves Jo has everything under control. Is there anything she can’t handle? And surely there’s something sweet beneath all that tart.
Hazardous Duty by Christy Barritt
Buying a gun to kill your wife: $3,000
Hiring Trauma Care to clean afterward: $1,500
Having that same cleaner uncover evidence that frames you: Priceless
On her way to completing a degree in forensic science, Gabby St. Claire drops out of school and starts her own crime scene cleaning business. When a routine cleaning job uncovers a murder weapon the police overlooked, she realizes that the wrong person is in jail. But the owner of the weapon is a powerful foe . . . and willing to do anything to keep Gabby quiet.
With the help of her new neighbor, Riley Thomas, a man whose life and faith fascinate her, Gabby plays the detective to make sure the right person is put behind bars. Can Riley help her before another murder occurs?
Interview + GIVEAWAY: Catherine West | Bridge of Faith
29 Apr
Welcome to Buzzing About Books, Cathy! Please share a little about yourself.
Thanks for having me! Hmm, let’s see. Well, I guess the first fun fact about me is that I live on an island. Bermuda is a tiny island in the middle of the Atlantic, about 700 miles off the coast of South Carolina. I was born and raised here, and I absolutely can’t imagine living anywhere else. I’m married to the love of my life, and we’ve raised two amazing children together. Our daughter and her husband live in Bermuda, and our son is about to graduate from Berklee College of Music in Boston! When I’m not writing, I’m spending time in the garden, going for walks, reading and swimming.
When did you decide to pursue writing and eventually publication?
I’ve always loved to write. I guess I got serious about it maybe 20 years ago, yes it’s been that long!! I’ve had a few ups and downs along the way, but I think I’ve finally figured out that this is really the path I’m meant to be on.
What is your writing process like? Do you write daily? Are you a plotter or a pantster?
When I am working on a book, yes, I try to write daily. If I can get four or five hours in, that’s a good day. It really depends on outside factors. If the story is going well, then it’s a breeze and I can’t wait to get to the computer. If I’m stuck, then I kind of have to make myself write. LOL. But usually it’s more fun than anything. I am NOT a plotter. I kind of feel like if I was, this would be easier. I’ve tried. I’ve read every book on plotting and I still don’t enjoy it. It doesn’t come naturally at all. So I’ve accepted that, and I muddle my way through my books and fix it all at the end. 🙂
Where do you do most of your writing? Please describe your writing space or share a picture.
On the couch. LOL! Actually I do have a lovely office, and once I get seriously into my next book, I’ll be in there a lot. But this was my writing space over the winter –
What is your favorite part of the writing process? Least favorite?
I’m not a fan of editing, so I suppose that’s my least favorite! My favorite part is really watching the story come together. While I always have a vague idea of how it’s all going to turn out, I never really know how we’ll get there until it’s down on the page, and sometimes I’m totally taken by surprise. I love it when that happens! I don’t understand it, but I love it. 🙂
How much of yourself do you see in your characters?
Oh, I’m sure there is probably a little of me in all of them. Not sure if that’s a good thing or not! LOL.
Please tell us about your novel, Bridge of Faith.
Two lives taken down different roads – one enduring love – one shot at starting over.
If only they believed in second chances.
Julia Connelly is finally free from twelve long years in an abusive relationship. Now able to live the life she’s longed for, Julia takes her two children back home to Vermont, hoping for peace and healing. The last person she expects to see is the man she eloped with at eighteen—who then abandoned her two months into their marriage, with little explanation.
When an assignment in the Middle East ends in tragedy, popular news correspondent, Reid Wallace, returns to his hometown seeking answers and peace of mind.
Confronting his past was not in the plan.
Now he’s asking different questions. Like why the only woman he’s ever really loved still mesmerizes him. Why the haunted expression she wears reaches right into his soul.
And why her twelve year-old son looks just like him.
They say you can’t go home again. Sometimes you don’t have a choice.
What inspired this complex story?
Hmm. Nothing in particular comes to mind. I’ve always liked the idea of lost love and second chances. And I love Vermont, so the setting clicked for me. I think it’s important to write about real issues like spousal abuse, abandonment, divorce, all the real stuff of life, so when I figured out Julia’s story, I knew it would be something I had to write.
Did you encounter any surprises while you were writing Bridge of Faith?
Not specifically. I did love watching Julia and Reid’s romance unfold. And some of her one liners came out of nowhere. Because I’m not sarcastic like that. At. All. 🙂 Actually, the real surprise is how people are relating to it now that it’s published. That’s the awesome thing about writing. You never quite know you’ve hit it until it’s out there. And I’ve been really pleased with the reception the book is getting so far.
Do you have a favorite scene you would like to share?
Well, okay. 🙂 I love this one. Reid and Julia are slowly finding a way to talk to each other without yelling … sorta.
“Does this mean you forgive me?”
“Not in the least.” The dogs rounded the corner and she bent over to pat them. They soon raced off and she set her gaze on him once more. “I’m tolerating your presence for Mark’s sake.”
Okay, then. Reid contemplated counting to a hundred before speaking again. “Oh, I almost forgot.” He slapped a palm to his forehead and fished in the pocket of his jeans. “I have something for you.”
“For me?” Curiosity crept into her eyes.
Reid held out the new cell phone he’d purchased yesterday. “In case some moron on a motorbike tries to sideswipe you again.”
“Reid.” A blush colored her cheeks, but the smile he hoped for didn’t show. “I really don’t need that. And I don’t have the extra cash right now.”
He tipped his head, ready for the fight. “It’s already bought and paid for and the monthly charges are coming to me, so you can just say thank you.”
“Reid.” And there it was.
“Oh, wait … was that …” He staggered back, hand over his heart. “Was that an actual smile?”
“Shush.” She took the cell phone from his hand like it would blow up any second. “It looks complicated.”
“It’s pretty simple, actually.” He stood beside her and flicked a finger over the screen. “I’ve already programmed a few numbers. Cade’s, Deb’s, and there I am.”
“There you are.”
He’d used an old stock photo from the network, the one all the ladies apparently went nuts over. Looked pretty darn good too, if he did say so himself.
“This was taken a few years ago, huh?”
Ouch. Reid ran his tongue across his bottom lip and decided not to answer that.
“So how do I call you? If I need to. Which I probably won’t.”
“Just punch the button.” Reid demonstrated, and the other cell in his pocket began to ring. “See? Easy.”
“Okay.” Julia studied the phone, glanced upward, one eyebrow raised in question. “So whenever I want to call you, I just punch you in the face.”
“Punch away. But try not to look so ecstatic about it.”
What do you hope readers will take away from this story?
That there is always hope. And through God’s grace, forgiveness is possible, even when we don’t want to give it.
What will you be working on next?
I have a few things going on. I’m concentrating on marketing, but I’ve also got some publishing news on the horizon which is super exciting, and that’s going to be keeping me very busy, I’m sure!
Is there anything else you would like to share?
Just that, with God, ALL things are possible. Really.
Bio:
INSPY Award-winning author Catherine West writes stories of hope and healing from her island home in Bermuda. When she’s not at the computer working on her next story, you can find her taking her Border Collie for long walks or tending to her roses and orchids. She and her husband have two grown children. Catherine’s latest novel, Bridge of Faith, is now available on Amazon.
Connect with Catherine:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest | Google + | Amazon
You are such a delight, Cathy! I appreciate you taking the time to answer my questions and share a Kindle copy of Bridge of Faith with one of my readers!!
Click here to read my review of Bridge of Faith.
Enter to win a Kindle copy of Bridge of Faith by leaving a comment below.
This giveaway ends Wednesday, May 6 at 11:59 p.m. CDT. The winner will be drawn and announced on Thursday, May 7. Good luck!!
To earn additional entries, you may do the following:
◦Follow my blog, Buzzing About Books
◦Share this giveaway through Facebook, Twitter, your blog, or email
Be sure and leave a comment letting me know what you have done to earn additional entries.
Review: Bridge of Faith
28 AprBridge of Faith by Catherine West
Purchase a copy: http://amzn.to/1AbSnpY
Two lives taken down different roads – one enduring love – one shot at starting over. If only they believed in second chances..
Julia Connelly is finally free from twelve long years in an abusive relationship. Now able to live the life she’s longed for, Julia takes her two children back home to Vermont, hoping for peace and healing. The last person she expects to see is the man she eloped with at eighteen—who then abandoned her two months into their marriage, with little explanation. .
When an assignment in the Middle East ends in tragedy, popular news correspondent, Reid Wallace, returns to his hometown seeking answers and peace of mind. .
Confronting his past was not in the plan. .
Now he’s asking different questions. Like why the only woman he’s ever really loved still mesmerizes him. Why the haunted expression she wears reaches right into his soul. .
And why her twelve year-old son looks just like him. .
They say you can’t go home again. Sometimes you don’t have a choice.
Thoughts:
Bridge of Faith is a compelling story! When I started reading this book, I intended to read just a few chapters before bed. However, I soon found myself reading into the night and wanting to know how the story would unfold.
Julia Connelly and Reid Wallace are flawed characters and their dramatic story is real, gritty, and filled with emotion. Catherine West has skillfully woven a complex love story that I thoroughly enjoyed. I certainly look forward to reading more from this talented author!
I appreciate the opportunity I was given to read a complimentary copy of Bridge of Faith and share my honest opinion.
Catherine West is an award-winning author writing inspirational stories of hope and healing from her island home in Bermuda. Educated in Bermuda, England and Canada, Catherine holds a degree in English from the University of Toronto. Her first novel, Yesterday’s Tomorrow, released in 2011, her second, Hidden in the Heart, in September, 2012. When she’s not at the computer working on her next story, you can find her taking her Border Collie for long walks or tending to her roses and orchids. She and her husband have two college-aged children. Catherine is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America, and is represented by Rachelle Gardner of Books & Such Literary. Catherine loves to connect with her readers and can be reached at Catherine@catherinejwest.com.
Review + GIVEAWAY | CROSSROADS by Cathy Bryant
27 Apr
CROSSROADS
a Miller’s Creek novel and Christian contemporary romance
A former soldier battles for the soul of a prodigal…
After a devastating divorce, a bitter single mom and atheist starts her own real estate company in the nostalgic and picturesque town of Miller’s Creek, Texas. Then her young daughter’s disturbing symptoms lead doctors to discover that her leukemia has relapsed. With her new life now turned upside down, Mara Hedwig struggles to keep her business afloat. And her daughter’s worsening condition forces her to rethink her beliefs about Carter Callahan and his God. Will Mara make the return to Christian faith in the face of life’s greatest challenge?
An ex-military operative struggles with the return to civilian life while coping with his rebellious teen-aged daughter. During a house-search, Carter meets Mara, a headstrong Realtor who wants nothing to do with his God. But when Mara’s little girl is diagnosed with leukemia, the clock begins ticking for him to convince Mara to return to a life of faith. Just as he seems to be making headway, circumstances beyond his control throw his efforts into a tailspin. Can Carter learn to rest in the sovereignty of God?
Click here to read or download the first chapter of CROSSROADS.
Thoughts:
“Crossroads are like that, aren’t they?
They force us to choose. To make a decision.”
CROSSROADS is an emotionally charged story!
Cathy Bryant welcomes readers back to the community of Miller’s Creek in Book 6 of her Miller’s Creek series. While fans of this acclaimed series are sure to welcome its newest addition, CROSSROADS can also be read as a stand-alone novel.
I always enjoy visiting Miller’s Creek and its residents. Cathy Bryant’s writing is wonderfully descriptive and filled with such depth and emotion! In this complex story, Mara Hedwig and Carter Callahan are strong characters who are struggling with major issues in their lives. As they face tremendous challenges, both physical and spiritual, they reach a crossroads and must make some important decisions. Their journey through these trials and tribulations is heart-wrenching and heartwarming. I really enjoyed this compelling drama and touching story!
My thanks to the author for the complimentary review copy of CROSSROADS. I appreciate the opportunity to read this story and share my honest opinion.
Cathy is graciously giving away a print copy of CROSSROADS to one lucky Buzzing About Books reader! To enter, please leave a comment, along with your email address.
This giveaway is open to US residents only and ends Monday, May 4 at 11:59 p.m. CDT. The winner will be drawn and announced on Tuesday, May 5. Good luck!!
To earn additional entries, you may do the following:
◦Follow this blog, Buzzing About Books
◦Share this giveaway through Facebook, Twitter, your blog, or email
Be sure and leave a comment letting me know what you have done to earn additional entries.
Recipes from Cathy Bryant and CROSSROADS:
Not only am I a foodie, but I married a foodie. And as a self-confessed foodie, I see it as my responsibility to tantalize my reader’s taste buds with lots of food descriptions in the course of the Miller’s Creek novels. (In writer’s lingo, it’s called sensory detail.) 😉
Anyway, I thought you might enjoy some of the recipes that the characters in the latest stand-alone book CROSSROADS enjoy. Bon appetite!
Carter, the brawny soldier-turned-policeman and hero of CROSSROADS, uncovers the heroine’s penchant for seafood. He creates this special seafood dip for a picnic lunch the two share.
Carter’s Crab Dip
INGREDIENTS:
1 8-oz. cream cheese and 1 3-oz. cream cheese, softened
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 T. lemon juice
2 T. mayonnaise
1/2 small finely chopped white onion
garlic powder and salt to taste
1/2 bottle of cocktail sauce on top (can substitute Tabasco sauce if you want the heat)
1 7-oz. can of crab meat
fresh or dried parsley
cocktail crackers
DIRECTIONS:
1. Blend the first six ingredients together well, and spread thin on a serving dish.
2. Spread the cocktail sauce on top as a sort of icing.
3. Garnish with fresh or dried parsley.
4. Chill in the refrigerator, and serve with cocktail crackers.
Mara, the bitter single mom, cynic, and heroine from CROSSROADS, knows full well that Carter Callahan is a meat-and-potatoes kinda guy. She fixes this meal when he and his daughter Chloe come over for dinner.
Mara’s Roast Beef
INGREDIENTS:
1 (3-1/2- to 4-pound) boneless chuck roast, trimmed
1/2 c. soy sauce
1 can beef broth
1 bay leaf
3 to 4 peppercorns
1 t. dried and crushed rosemary
1 t. dried thyme
1 t. garlic powder
12 French sandwich rolls, split
Provolone cheese
sautéed onion (if desired)
DIRECTIONS:
1. Place trimmed roast in a 5-quart slow cooker. Combine soy sauce and next six ingredients; pour over roast. Add water to slow cooker until roast is almost covered.
2. Cook, covered, on LOW for 7 hours or until very tender. Remove roast and reserve the broth for dipping, if desired. Shred roast with a fork.
3. Can be eaten alone or with sandwich rolls. If eaten with rolls, place the roast on the open-faced rolls, add sautéed onions (if desired), and Provolone cheese. Place in your oven on high broil, until bread is toasty and cheese is bubbly.
Yield: 12 servings (or one hungry policeman).
Hope you enjoy these delightful delicacies from Mara and Carter, the hero and heroine of CROSSROADS. To find out more about the book, please visit: http://www.CatBryant.com/Crossroads.
For more mouth-watering recipes from the back-roads Texas town of Miller’s Creek–where folks are friendly, the iced tea is sweet, and Mama Beth’s front porch beckons–snag this free PDF download of the Miller’s Creek Cookbook: http://www.catbryant.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Millers-Creek-Cookbook-1.pdf
YOU’RE INVITED!
What: CROSSROADS Book Launch Party
Where: Facebook (from the comfort & convenience of your own home)
When: April 30, 2015 ~ 7:00-8:30 p.m. (Central time)
Why: To celebrate the book launch of CROSSROADS (a Miller’s Creek novel and Christian Romance by Cathy Bryant)
LOTS of Fun, Games and Prizes!
Prizes Include: Miller’s Creek pens, tote bags, t-shirts, mugs, digital books, autographed print books, Amazon gift cards, and
an Amazon Kindle Fire HD6!
Click here to RSVP and enter the Kindle Fire drawing.
Amazon best-selling author Cathy Bryant writes Christian fiction set in the heart of Texas. Her popular romance and romantic suspense novels take place in the fictional town of Miller’s Creek, where folks are friendly, the iced tea is sweet, and Mama Beth’s front porch beckons. All the Miller’s Creek novels have been on the Amazon Best-Seller list and are rated at 4.5 stars or higher on Amazon. Her debut novel, TEXAS ROADS, was a 2009 ACFW Genesis finalist. Since then five other stand-alone novels have been added to the series, one of which was a reader-nominated 2013 Grace Award nominee (PILGRIMAGE OF PROMISE). Readers have compared her work to that of Karen Kingsbury and Nicholas Sparks.
A native Texan, Cathy currently resides in the beautiful Sangre de Cristo mountains of northern New Mexico with her minister husband of over thirty years. She’s written devotions for The Upper Room devotional magazine, two devotional books in collaboration with other Christian authors, and for online sites. She also has released a Bible study book, THE FRAGRANCE OF CRUSHED VIOLETS. In addition to her writing, she enjoys thrift store shopping, romping in the great outdoors, and mini-farming. To learn more about Cathy and her books, visit her website at http://www.CatBryant.com or make contact with her in these places:
|Facebook| Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads | Amazon | YouTube | Google+ |
Interview: Melissa Tagg | From the Start
25 AprI adore Melissa Tagg’s books and am so excited to welcome her to Buzzing About Books!
Welcome, Melissa! Please share a little about yourself.
Thanks for having me, Britney! Well, I’m a former reporter turned author and grant-writer and communications coordinator and avid watcher of YouTube videos. I love classic movies, Gilmore Girls and the band NEEDTOBREATHE, and I am convinced I have the coolest family in the entire world. Oh, and I live in Iowa. It’s happy here.
Just for fun, which do you prefer:
Cake or Pie? Does ice cream cake count? ‘Cause if so, cake all the way.
Hotel or Campground? While I am not opposed to the occasional campout, generally I prefer hotels.
Physical book or E-book? I definitely read both, but there’s something about physical books…
Salty or Sweet? I love it all, but probably sweet…no salty…no totally depends on my mood.
Dog or Cat? This one’s easy…dogs all the way. Cats kinda creep me out.
Television or Movies? Generally movies—classic movies. But I have been known to obsess over a few TV shows…
City or Country?
I’m an Iowa girl, so I should probably say country. Actually my favorite is small-ish towns that are located super close to big cities. Best of both worlds.
Fly or Drive? Drive! I’m thankful to be able to get places quickly by flying when I need to, but I loooove road trips.
Homemade or Take-out? If someone else is making it, homemade.
Morning Bird or Night Owl? Both! Seriously. Originally I was a total night owl, but I’ve sorta trained myself to become a morning person in the past few years. Now I love early mornings.
When did you decide to pursue writing and eventually publication?
I got serious about writing in 2009 when I attended my first My Book Therapy retreat. Hands-down the best thing I ever did for my writing! Susan May Warren is an amazing writer and a master storycrafter so learning from her through MBT was amazing. In 2010 I attended my first big writing conference and started pursuing publication. And then all the doors flung open in 2012.
What is your writing process like? Do you write daily? Are you a plotter or a pantster?
How much I write and when really just depends on the time of year and when my deadlines. I do generally write at least something every day—but it’s not always fiction. Sometimes it’s a blog or an article. When I’m deep in deadline mode, I tend to get up early to write before work and then also squeeze in a couple hours in the evening. I do a LOT of Saturday writing.
But my favorite is when I can set a long weekend aside for writing marathons…that really works well for me.
I’m right in between plotter and pantser. I always come up with the main plot pieces and spend a lot of time getting to know my characters before diving into the book. And then usually I plot about a third of the book at a time…but I’ve found that if I try to get too detailed in my plotting, I hem myself in and end up frustrated later when the characters suddenly do what I didn’t expect. So I’m learning to be much more flexible with my stories while holding on to those core story elements.
Where do you do most of your writing?
I write all over my place, actually! I do have a room I use just for writing and when I’m in a serious spurt, I write there. But I also love to sit in bed and write…or at my kitchen table…or on my comfy couch. I’ll camp out at coffee shops sometimes.
But my absolute favorite place to write is my mom and dad’s sunroom. They live about an hour away from me and they’re so gracious to open their home to me whenever I need a writing campout.
What is your favorite part of the writing process? Least favorite?
My very favorite…finishing the book. LOL! I love that “whoa, it’s done” moment. My favorite part of writing itself is dialogue. I looooove writing character dialogue. And of course, I adore hearing from readers’ once the book is out there in the world.
Least favorite is probably the blank page…that can be scary sometimes. Too, deadlines can feel pressuring. Actually probably the hardest thing I deal with writing-wise is the temptation to compare myself to everyone else or constantly worry I’m not good enough. That’s something I’m guessing many writers have to battle throughout their careers.
How much of yourself do you see in your characters?
Sometimes much more than I’d like! In my first two books, my main characters definitely had pieces of me in them. In this third one, Kate Walker is so, so very much like me. And that’s probably why a) the story felt so hard to write and b) I was much more nervous about sending it out into the world.
I actually wrote a blog post just recently about all the ways Kate Walker is like me.. http://www.melissatagg.com/from-the-start/five-times-kate-walker-is-me
Please tell us about your latest novel, From the Start.
From the Start is about a jaded scriptwriter of romantic movies and an ex NFL quarterback. They both end up in Iowa working on a writing project together…and of course, there are sparks. 🙂 It takes place in a fun little made-up town with a train depot, a cool historic bank building that’s been turned into a restaurant, a river running right through the middle of town. It’s hugely real in my mind. LOL!
Like my other books, it’s a romantic comedy, but I think it delves a little deeper as it deals with issues of Colton’s painful past, foster care, cancer and calling.
What inspired this heartfelt romance?
Truthfully, on this one I honestly don’t know. In my first couple books, I can really pinpoint the thing that first sparked the story in my mind, but this one just seemed to evolve in a really disjointed way, to be honest! I do know I loved the idea of writing about a romance writer who didn’t believe in romance. 🙂 And I wanted Colton’s career to be something big and lofty and in-the-spotlight.
Other than that, I think the issues I was wrestling with personally last year really inspired and influenced the story. And my love for classic movies also found a way in.
Do you have a favorite scene you would like to share?
I have several favorite scenes! But definitely one of my very favorite scenes is early in the book when Kate and Colton first meet…in Kate’s childhood bedroom. And I’ll leave it at that.
What do you hope readers will take away from this story?
In From the Start, both Kate and Colton have a very clear picture in their heads of what their lives should look like. And every decision they make in the first half of the book is an effort to make those pictures in their heads a reality. But they both learn, slooowly and at times not-so-smoothly, that God might be weaving together a completely different picture.
I think that’s a theme we can all connect with…because I have a feeling no matter how wonderful our lives may look on the outside, we probably all have that pesky unfulfilled dream or that nagging voice whispering that we’re missing out or a failure we can’t seem to let go of. And so we push back and try to make our dream come true on our own or do ALL the things so we couldn’t possibly miss out or strive and strive for success to cover up that one failure…we try to paint our own pictures and we get frustrated when they turn out smudged and imperfect. And all the while, God is there, saying “Give me the paintbrush, Melissa. Give me the paintbrush and you’ll see what a beautiful picture I can paint with your life.”
Which is my very roundabout way of saying I hope readers take away that sense or understanding that God is at work…that we aren’t living on our own. There’s such peace and confidence in that truth.
What will you be working on next?
I’m just beginning rewrites on my fourth book—woohoo! It’s called Like Never Before and it’s the second full-length novel in the Walker Family series. It features political speechwriter Logan Walker and newspaper editor Amelia Bentley, both of whom appeared in From the Start.
Is there anything else you would like to share?
Oh I should mention: If people would like to get a taste of the new series before committing to a full novel, they can check out my free novella, Three Little Words. It takes place in the same town as the whole series and you’ll get an early peek into the Walker family.
Where can readers connect with you?
Pretty much anywhere and everywhere online. 🙂 But here are my favorite hangouts:
Website: http://www.melissatagg.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorMelissaTagg
Instagram: melissatagg
Twitter: @Melissa_Tagg
Thanks so much, Britney!
Thank you so much, Melissa, for answering my questions! It’s a pleasure to learn more about you and your writing process!!
About the book:
Kate Walker used to believe in true love and happily ever after. While her own love life may have left her brokenhearted, it hasn’t kept her from churning out made-for-TV romance movie screenplays…until a major career slump and a longing to do something meaningful send her running back to her hometown of Maple Valley.
Permanently sidelined by an injury, former NFL quarterback Colton Greene is temporarily hiding out in a friend’s hometown to avoid the media and the reminders of all he’s lost. Maple Valley seems like the perfect place to learn how to adjust to normal life. The only trouble is he’s never really done normal before.
While Kate plays things safe and Colton is all about big risks and grand gestures, they both get what it’s like to desperately need direction in life. An unexpected project gives them both a chance to jumpstart their new lives, but old wounds and new dreams are hard to ignore. Starting over wasn’t part of the plan, but could it be the best thing that’s ever happened to them?
Purchase a copy:
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Christianbook | DeeperShopping
Read my review of From the Start:
https://buzzingaboutbooks.com/2015/04/09/review-from-the-start/
Buzzing About Books 