Monday Morning Gratitudes

The rainbow after a storm
Running streams
kids playing in the mud
Splashing in water holes
Children's rosy cheeks
Tara's adorable baby
the birthday card sent to hubby from son #2 that almost made me cry
Roomy trucks
Chapstick
Anticipation

Blessings!

Sunday Morning Peace

"I have loved you with an everlasting love,"

        --saith God via Jeremiah 31:3

Blessings

Congratulations

to the winner of Jamie Carie's

beautiful book! 

Father and Son!  Email on its way!

*******

And some fun stuff . . .

Isn't this pencil artwork fantastic?

A PENCIL MAKER TOLD THE PENCIL 5 IMPORTANT LESSONS JUST BEFORE PUTTING IT IN THE BOX :

• EVERYTHING YOU DO WILL ALWAYS LEAVE A MARK.

• YOU CAN ALWAYS CORRECT THE MISTAKES YOU MAKE.

 

• WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS WHAT IS INSIDE OF YOU.

• IN LIFE, YOU WILL UNDERGO PAINFUL SHARPENING, WHICH WILL ONLY MAKE YOU BETTER.

 

• TO BE THE BEST PENCIL, YOU MUST ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE HELD AND GUIDED BY THE HAND THAT HOLDS YOU.

 

We all need to be constantly sharpened. This parable may encourage you to know that you are a special person, with unique God-given talents and abilities. Only you can fulfill the purpose which you were born to accomplish. Never allow yourself to get discouraged and think that your life is insignificant and cannot be changed and, like the pencil, always remember that the most important part of who you are, is what's inside of you.

"There is more to life than increasing its speed" --Mahatma Ghandi

Wonderful Blessings!

Meet Award Winning Mystery/Suspense Writer:  Alice K. Arenz

Oh, yes. Don't forget to leave your comment and email address for a chance to win Mirrored Image!

How long have you known that you were a writer? Did you receive a clear “call?” Or have you just loved writing all your life?

When I was a kid, I loved making up stories for my dolls and paper dolls. Even when my brother and I played with the neighborhood kids, it was cool to collaborate and create a storyline – just part of being a kid. When I was twelve, I started working on my first “novel,” The Adventures of Christopher and Christina. The handwritten pages made their way through the rows of study hall students in our small school. People from seventh grade through sophomores and juniors would return the pages to me at the end of the period and ask when the next installment would come. It made me feel pretty cool. It also made me realize this was something I’d like to do with my future – although, at the time, I didn’t really think in terms of years and years down the road.

As for the “call,” I’d have to say that I recognized it before I graduated from high school. I thought it would be neat to become an actress who wrote all her own roles. So I enrolled as a Speech and Theatre major in college. That didn’t work out very well for me as I’m a super introverted introvert. When we had to “perform” in Oral Interpretation class, I’d get so nervous I wanted to barf – it wasn’t at all like the plays in high school where you’re surrounded by people. I was on my own in front of the class. But it was the teacher’s comment that I was “a shy little trinket who’d be better at staying in the background than the forefront” that really got to me.

When it came time to prepare for the final – a “special” timed performance – I was at a loss of what to do. I prayed and cried, then prayed some more. Then I found myself in front of my typewriter with a two-page “story” that was about a woman who’d just lost her husband in Vietnam and couldn’t figure out why all the peace demonstrators were using violence when they said they opposed it. The story stunned me, but I recognized it as the answer to my prayer. But now I had to convince the professor to allow me to perform it in class.

I remember he laughed when I asked for permission. He glanced at the pages and sort of tossed them back over the desk, not reading them at all. He said it would be okay, but I needed to find something to go along with it to fill up the designated time frame. So I found a poem – I wish I could remember the title – about how war was this ball had been let out of a box and that it destroyed everyone who touched it. Very powerful stuff – in 1972 as well as today, huh?

Anyway, I acted/read the poem first, then followed it with The Sounds of Silence, which is what I named my story – yeah, I know, not very original. And you know what? The class was spellbound . . . and so was the professor. When the period was over, he took me aside and set up a date to put my performance on video to “use as a teaching technique to show others what Oral Interpretation is all about.” I was beyond surprised. Even more so when I received my grade for the final – a triple A+!

My life took a different turn after that. I quit college and became a wife and mother a couple years later. But I never, ever stopped having the urge, the desire to write. As a matter of fact, my ex constantly complained that every scrap of paper in the house contained pieces of stories and ideas for even more. By the late 70s I was learning and submitting, and continued to do so until my first book was accepted just a few years ago.

Wow. What fun. Please explain what genre you write in.
Since I have always liked to read primarily in the mystery/suspense genres, it seems natural for me to write the same sort of stories.

My first two published books, The Case of the Bouncing Grandma and The Case of the Mystified M.D., are what’s known as cozy mysteries. This subgenre is best described as a mystery with a lot of humor thrown in, which makes them lighter in context. But don’t get the idea that you lose the mystery in the process, because you don’t. You just get a little different spin on things. I always tell people that I guarantee they’ll make you laugh. ;)

My newest book, Mirrored Image, is a mystery/suspense – though some have referred to it as a “psychological thriller,” which is pretty neat. I tell people to think of the books written by such people as Phyllis A. Whitney, Mary Stewart, Victoria Holt, and Daphne du Maurier – not that I’m in their league, but that MI was in the same basic genre. It’s a novel I first wrote in 1986 and have rewritten almost every year since – I believed in it so much.

How do you spend your writing days? Do you set goals to reach a certain number of words per day? Can you give us a general idea of how long it takes you to write a novel?

I don’t set a goal when I’m writing – I’m a seat-of-the-pants writer and follow the inspiration I’ve always said comes straight from God. Sometimes the words flow so quickly I’ve no idea what I’ve written. Other times getting more than a sentence out is frustrating. That’s when I know I haven’t been listening to His guidance closely enough.

As for how long it takes . . . that all depends on the story and what’s going on in my life. I wrote Bouncing Grandma in about four months, suffering from the worst headache I’ve ever had. A year later when it was accepted by Sheaf House and I was asked to add ten thousand words, it was like pulling a tooth that wasn’t ready to come out. It took a couple months to finally see where I was being led.

You recently had a book published. Would you take this time to describe it to us? How and where can readers buy your books?

The tag line for Mirrored Image is: Their faces were the same. Will their fates be as well?

The uncanny resemblance of a murder victim to eccentric newspaper columnist Cassandra Chase, gives Detective Jeff McMichaels the haunting suspicion that there is a link between the two women . . . a link that may only exist in the murderer’s mind.

What is the spiritual message in your book? What can readers expect to get from reading it?

I don’t know how to answer your first question – it’s not something that I think about as I’m writing as some authors might do.

As for what readers can expect to get out of reading my books, I’d have to say a good, clean mystery/suspense with believable characters and situations – and proof that writing a novel with a Christian world view doesn’t mean you have to skimp on anything!

Do you ever feel like giving up? Most people don’t understand the stress, the work, and the joy of being a writer. How tenuous becoming a writer is. Do you care to share how it feels, what discouraging/encouraging times you’ve gone through?

Sure, giving up sometimes seems like the thing to do. I’ve been down that road before, didn’t really write for almost seven years – but it never took away that . . . compulsion to create. Characters would form in my brain and clamor to get out, and trying to keep them quiet wasn’t always an easy task. The more I’d pray for God to take this away, the more He seemed to be insisting I come back to it.

No one can tell you that being a writer is an easy road. It’s not. And no matter how much you think you’re prepared for all the pitfalls and disappointments, you won’t be. I know because I’ve been there. And you know what? I’m sure I’ll be there again.

Who’s inspired you the most?

God

Would you explain how you “chose” (or were chosen by) a publisher? Do you just go “inny, minny, miny, moe?” Now, that you’re published, can you sit back and relax from the success you’ve experienced?

Actually, my publisher chose me. True story. We knew each other online through ACFW and a couple writer’s loops. She knew my story, a bit of my background. One day while we were exchanging emails about her newly created small press, she asked me to send her “copies of my books.” I sent her The Case of the Bouncing Grandma, Mirrored Image, and An American Gothic. A couple weeks later, she’s calling me to accept Bouncing Grandma and we’re discussing how the whole thing was definitely a God thing!

And no, being published doesn’t mean I can sit back and relax. It means I now have to work harder.

Would you give us your blog or webpage so everyone can check it out?

My web site is http://www.akawriter.com/.

Thanks for asking me to join you today!

And thank you, for being here. It's been a privilege.
Readers, leave your comments for a chance to win Mirrored Image.
 
Blessings, everyone!

Monday Morning Gratitudes

Gravel for country, muddy driveways
60 degree weather in February
Ice cream cake treats
Radio shows I like
A husband who makes wise decisions
Sons who share good news with their parents
Authors who take the time to be interviewed and giveaway their books on my blogs
Interesting comments
"Little" prayers that God sees fit to answer
A comfortable bed

Blessings!

 A Miscellaneous Happy Friday

You don't just luck into things . . . You build step by step, whether its friendships or opportunities. --Barbara Bush.

Remember the Hare and Tortoise fable? The plotting tortoise who, no doubt, all the other animals in the forest looking on, thought: Ha, he's going nowhere. How ridiculous! What is he thinking?

The speeding hare, dancing around the turtle, probably skipping backwards, taunting, "Take your time, old fella. Wanna give up now? Before we start? I mean, look at me . . ."

Does this remind you of anything?

Thinking of a plot

Fleshing out characters

Brainstorming

Plateau
Struggling to get a rough synopsis down
First sentence
Plateau
Paragraph
First page
First chapter
First third of the book
Plateau

Step by step. We struggle. We breeze through. We hesitate. We fall on our face with the first rejection. Push ourselves up and take another baby step. And another.
Put that book on a shelf.
Begin a new one.

One step at a time, we develop our skills, our talent. Our confidence. Just like the tortoise. He wasn't a runner. He was a plodder.

But he won the race: one step at a time.
And we can too, by taking that first step, and then another.

*******

I haven't talked about this forever: when I draw a name to win a book, I love it when you contact me and let me know you received it. IF YOU DON'T, let me know that. Writers/authors are busy people. They may forget. Life may get in the way. BUT I don't want you to miss out on something you legitimately won. So, tell me. I'll make it right somehow. Smile.

*******

And maybe I'll try to start posting winners on here again. Would you like that?

So. . . the winner of Anne Greene's fantastic sounding book: Masquerade Marriage is . . .

Ann Lee Miller!

Congratulations. Look for your email, Ann.




*******

Coming this spring:
A Huge giveaway for my followers. Look for it!

Blessings

A Warm Welcome to Author Jamie Carie!

Please leave your comments and an email address for a chance to read Jamie's book, The Snowflake!

How long have you known that you were a writer? Did you receive a clear “call?” Or have you just loved writing all your life?

I don’t know that I “loved” writing all my life, I certainly LOVED reading. Stories got me through a tumultuous childhood and adolescence. The first things I wrote were songs for our band. (I was one of the singers) I also wrote some poetry and a few short stories. The poetry and song lyrics were my worship to God, love letter to Him you might say. Then I went off to college for a Business degree (because I was tired of being broke!) but I ended up getting married and staying home with my little boys. Once again, I turned to books when I felt bored or lonely.

One day I felt God ask me to give up my favorite genre at the time – secular romance novels. That was a hard one! I was really attached to them, but I eventually obeyed. Over the next year I read Christian romances and the classics. I was not finding the kind of books I really wanted to read though, books with a Christian world view but some of the passion that makes us real and human, so I took a leap of faith and started writing Snow Angel. It took two years to write and another eight to break in to publishing. But that long road is another story!

What is the genre you write in? Would you explain what it is?

I write inspirational, historical romance. There is a Christian world view, set in various historical settings and time periods, with a love story at the heart. I love fairy tales and ‘happily ever after’ and seeing two people fall in love! It’s the story of the cross to me - what love can conquer. I never get tired of it!

How do you spend your writing days? Do you set goals to reach a certain number of words per day? Can you give us a general idea of how long it takes you to write a novel?

I’m on the slower side compared with some authors. If pressed I can write a chapter a day but I really do better with half that, which is about 1500 words. I try to finish the scene and that might be half a chapter or three quarters or all of a chapter. During the day I reread what I wrote the day before and edit it and then later in the day (I’m not a morning person!) I dive into the next scene. Sometimes, when I’m just not feeling it, I wait and write late at night when it’s dark and the house is quiet and I have my music playing.

You recently had a book published. Would you take this time to describe it to us? How and where can readers buy your books?

My latest release is The Snowflake, set in Alaska during the gold rush.

It's the story of Ellen Pierce and Buck Lewis. Ellen has been taking care of her mentally ill brother all her life and has never had a story of her own. She lives a pretty lonely existence. Then she meets Buck, the kind of man that folk-lore is made of. The kind of man she hasn't even had the courage to dream about. But Buck isn't going to Alaska for the gold like everyone else. He's going to find his wife's killer so that he can put some closure to the hole in his heart. When he meets Ellen he is torn, conflicted and a little angry with himself that he feels something for another woman. They both have some issues to resolve before they can even think about being together. There’s a “bride for a day” auction and lots of gold miners in the rowdy town of Dawson City. If you liked my first book, Snow Angel, you’ll probably like this one.

You can find my books at your local Christian bookstore, some Wal-Mart stores, Borders, Barnes & Nobel, Books-A-Million and online at Amazon or CBD.com. There is a list of online sites selling my books on my homepage of my website at http://www.jamiecarie.com/

What is the spiritual message in your book? What can readers expect to get from reading it?

Most of my books are about God’s great love for us. Ellen is pretty lonely and disillusioned by how her life has turned out but God is there, He loves her and cares what happens to her and has a plan for her life – she just has to wait on His timing and as most of us know, that’s hard to do. God gave me this “Dear Reader Letter” about a snowflake to remind us of how much He loves us:

Dear Reader,


Have you ever considered the snowflake? I have. I have a fascination with them. They say snowflakes are one-of-a-kind, like fingerprints. Can you imagine how many snowflakes are in a handful of snow? A yard full? A city's worth? And that's just in one snow fall. What about a winter's worth of snowflakes across the entire world? What about every snowflake that has or will ever fall? Can you imagine the diversity in each intricate design? The arms that are perfectly symmetrical and appear sparkling glass under a microscope. The bends and twists, the spikes and branches on a piece of floating, fluffy frozen water. Only God has that much imagination, that much creativity, that much timeless knowledge and wisdom. Only God could build a snowflake with each one having its own identity.


We are like the snowflake. Fantastic and unfathomable and fragile. Our lives are a moment in time, but that moment is all ours, there is no one like you ever made nor ever to be made. If God took the effort to make each snowflake with its own unique shape, how much more did he expend on you, his beloved, in His image? We forget, I think, how valuable we are to him. When the snowflake melts, what does it become? Streams and rivers, lakes and oceans. Life giving water. God created one-of-a-kind water droplets for you to drink. I can't fathom such love.


Dear beloved reader, do not sell yourself short. Do not think for a moment that you don't mean everything to Him. Do not let man and Satan, sin and evil, rob you of your worth. After all, He gave His one and only son for you.


Remember that the next time you look in the mirror and see only shortcomings and failures. Remember. It's hard, I know. But I promise, I will try and remember it too.

Do you ever feel like giving up? Most people don’t understand the stress, the work, and the joy of being a writer. How tenuous becoming a writer is. Do you care to share how it feels, what discouraging/encouraging times you’ve gone through?

I have had dark moments where I wasn’t sure I could or would continue. I think all authors dream of runaway bestsellers and when that doesn’t happen it can be hard. Even though my books have done well, there is still that pressure to always do better – write better, sell better, figure out what people want and give it to them. I’ve had to let go of all that, to the best of my ability, and rely completely on God to continue. I’ll keep writing as long as He is there writing them with me.

Would you explain how you “chose” (or were chosen by) a publisher? Do you just go “inny, minny, miny, moe?” Now, that you’re published, can you sit back and relax from the success you’ve experienced?

Ha! My road to publication was very difficult. If you’d like to read that long story here is a link to it http://jamiecarie.com/interview-with-novel-journey

As far as sitting back and relaxing . . . I don’t think any publishing house wants their authors doing too much of that. (grin) Every book takes a great deal of effort on both sides and there is unending work in creating and selling it.

Do you mind telling us some of your likes and dislikes? Hobbies, interests? Where would you like to travel if you could?



(To be released in September, 2011)

I do love to travel with my husband and, sometimes – depending on where we’re going, my boys. I am currently working on my first 3-book series (so excited!!). The first book, The Guardian Duke, is set in Ireland and Holy Island, England. The second book will be set in Iceland and the third book in Italy. I would love to visit all four locations but I’ll need to sell a lot of books to be able to afford that! God willing, maybe I’ll make it to at least one of them.

Would you give us your blog or webpage so everyone can check it out? Anything else you’d like to share? Promotional information?

My website is http://www.jamiecarie.com/ and there are lots of fun book trailers, book blurbs, and even a bad cooking show (my mom and I making sourdough biscuits like Noah made for Elizabeth in Snow Angel) on the Snow Angel page. I also blog about once a week and have a newsletter sign up where you can hear the latest going on with me and enter give-aways for free books!

You can follow me on Facebook here http://www.facebook.com/jamie.carie
My fan page is http://www.facebook.com/jamie.carie
Twitter http://twitter.com/#!/jamiecarie
Thanks so much, Carole, for the awesome interview!

And thank you, Jamie, for being on my blog!
Readers, your comments and email addresses will give you a chance to win her book!
 
Blessings!

Monday Morning Gratitudes

God's love for me even though I'm unloveable at times
Hubby's love for me even though I'm unloveable at times
Our sons' love for us
A mother whose love is astounding to me
Friends who love and walk beside me
Sisters (women friends) who are always there
My life
All the recent blessings we've received
171 Followers
39 Networked Followers

Blessings!

Sunday Morning Peace

Love Your Life Through

Love is the only undying thing in this world and, perhaps, beyond. Love for our nearest kin and then for all mankind. Love satuates all human effort. It seeps into the beauty of flowers, the song of birds, and in fact,all nature. The great trees whisper it to one another, and the silent clouds against the blue of the sky intermingle. It is tossed from star to star in the firmament.

Everything beautiful in this life is seasoned wth love, the love between each other and the love of God. Without love this world would flounder. There would be no meaning to anything. There would be no hope to which to cling. You can't see love, but it is forever present where the human heart beats to the rhythm of all life.

Love is eternal. It changes individual lives, for it is a guiding force that is from everlasting to everlasting. Love is never wasted. It wraps itself in garments of the purest gold. It gives light to all the world. Love your life through and you will have proved immortality!  And also . . . happiness.

Love can always find its way. It lives in the light and doesn't know darkness. Wherever love is manifest, there are stationed refreshments for the soul. Every phase of love is spread out for our mental, physical and spiritual good. We can be assured in all that we do if we will love our way through. How easy it is to scatter love along life's main highways!

--George Mathew Adams

Blessings!

Someone has written these beautiful words. They are like the Ten Commandments.


1. Prayer is not a "spare wheel" that you pull out when in trouble; it is a "steering wheel" that directs us in the right path throughout life.

2. Do you know why a car's WINDSHIELD is so large; the rear view mirror is so small? Because our PAST is not as important as our FUTURE. So, look ahead and move on.

3. Friendship is like a BOOK. It takes few seconds to burn, but it takes years to write.

4. All things in life are temporary. If going well enjoy it, they will not last forever. If going wrong don't worry, they can't last long either.

5. Old friends are like Gold! New friends are Diamonds! If you get a Diamond, don't forget the Gold, because to hold a Diamond, you always need a base of Gold!

6. Often when we lose hope and think this is the end, GOD smiles from above and says, "Relax sweetheart, it's just a bend, not the end!

7. When GOD solves your problems, you have faith in HIS abilities. When GOD doesn't solve your problems, HE has faith in your abilities.

8. A blind person asked St. Anthony: "Can there be anything worse than losing eye sight?" He replied: "Yes, losing your vision."

9. When you pray for others God listens to you and blesses them; and sometimes when you are safe and happy, remember that someone has prayed for you.

10. WORRYING does not take away tomorrow's TROUBLES, it takes away today's PEACE.

Happy Saturday blessings to you all!

Please welcome Anne Greene!

Leave your comments and email addresses for a chance to win her wonderfully exciting-sounding book!
How long have you known that you were a writer? Did you receive a clear “call?” Or have you just loved writing all your life?

I’ve always wanted to be a writer. But when my youngest left the nest for college, I took serious inventory of my life to see what I wanted to do besides sell real estate and run a photography studio. After serious prayer, I talked with a Psychologists friend who questioned me on what I loved to do. I never mentioned writing, but after hearing my many answers, he said writing looked like the best career choice for me. I was so surprised and delighted to receive this audible answer to my prayers.

What is the genre you write in?

I write historical, historical romance, suspense and romantic suspense. I write both historical and contemporary. And I love writing both. I’m usually working on at least three books at one time.

How do you spend your writing days?

Mornings I work out at the gym, do my errands, cook, and clean my house. Then I write from approximately 1:00 to either 5:00 or 6:00 pm if I have an appointment that night (singing – social, etc) or 9:00 pm to 10:00 pm if I have no appointments. Sometimes I don’t work that late, I relax and watch TV or play games. I’m an avid game player. But whenever possible I write six to eight hours a day, excluding Sunday.

Can you give us a general idea of how long it takes you to write a novel?

If I’m under deadline I can write an 85,000 word novel in six months or less.

You recently had a book published.

Yes, Masquerade Marriage, a Scottish historical romance. I’ve given you an excerpt and pictures. Readers can buy my book at http://amazon.com and http://whiterosepublishing.com/.

What is the spiritual message in your book?

God is in control. A person doesn’t always see God’s hand working in their lives unless they look back in wonder at what God has done. Discovering God’s will for one’s life is both vastly rewarding and extremely helpful.

Do you ever feel like giving up? Most people don’t understand the stress, the work, and the joy of being a writer. How tenuous becoming a writer is. Do you care to share how it feels, what discouraging/encouraging times you’ve gone through?

I’ve never given up writing. Something deep inside compels me to continue in spite of all the rejection a writer faces. I can’t not write. Whenever I was discouraged, God let me win a contest or hear an encouraging word from a critique partner or a friend.

Would you explain how you “chose” (or were chosen by) a publisher?

I placed in a contest and the publisher asked for the full manuscript and then sent a contract. Sounds simple, but it’s not. I finalled in many contests with all my manuscripts. A publisher really must love your voice and your book. A writer has to hit the right publisher and the right time with the right book. But as Christians, we know the timing is all God’s.

Now, that you’re published, can you sit back and relax from the success you’ve experienced?

Writing is my life. I’m always working on two or three books. Always trying to write better, plot better, listen to what my characters tell me better. I want to write the best book I can for God’s glory.

Do you mind telling us some of your likes and dislikes? Hobbies, interests? Where would you like to travel if you could?

I’ve been so fortunate. I love to travel and I’ve been to twenty-four different foreign countries plus every state in the US except Alaska. I’ve been in three communist countries. Several of my books are set in foreign countries. I also love to sail, paint pictures, take photographs, sing, horseback ride, and way too many other things to mention.

Would you give us your blog or webpage so everyone can check it out?

• My website and blog are at http://www.http//AnneGreeneAuthor.com.
• I have a blog at http://www.whiteroseinbloom.com/.
• I have pictures I’ve painted on my website as well as photographs from a number of different countries.

Do come and visit me.
Thanks for being on my blog, Anne!
Don't forget the comments and email addresses, readers!
Blessings.

Monday Morning Gratitudes

A husband who's not afraid of housework, but is afraid of carrying my purse
Strong hands
gentle hearts
whispered words
imagination
late winter mud, because it means spring is coming
memories
budding novelists
writing groups
bloggers

Blessings!

Sunday Morning Peace

The Legend of the Valentine

The story of Saint Valentine
is a legend, it is true.
But legends are delightful
and very lovely too.

And the legend of Saint Valentine
imprisioned in a cell
Thinking of his little flock
he had always loved so well
And wanting to assure them
of his friendship and his love,
He picked a bunch of violets
and sent them by a dove.

And on th violets' velvet leaves
he pierced these line divine
That simply said, "I love you."
and "I'm your Valentine."
So through the years that followed
from that day unto this
Folks still send messages of love
and seal them with a kiss.

Because a saint in prison
reached outside his bars one day
And picked a bunch of violets
and sent them out to say,
That faith and love can triumph
no matter where you are,
For faith and love are greter
Than the strongest prison bar.
     --Helen Steiner Rice

Book Review of
When the Devil Whistles
by Rick Acker


Book description:

Allie Whitman, a temp-for-hire accountant and professional whistleblower, excels at finding and exposing corporations that over-charge on government contracts. Her lawyer and friend, Connor Norman, keeps her identity a secret while helping her rake in the money that finances Allie's opulent lifestyle.

But when she goes to work at a new corporation, the tables are suddenly turned. The corporation figures out that she's the whistleblower behind Devil to Pay. They threaten to expose her to all those corporations that hate her unless she takes down their competition--and that may mean planting false evidence. Then Allie's live-in rock-star boyfriend sells drugs to a teen at a concert, the teen dies, and Allie's worried she'll go to jail, too, if she turns her boyfriend in.

Allie's afraid to ask Connor for help since he glories in making criminals pay for their crimes. Does that mean her, too? There seems to be only one option that will keep her safe, but there's more at risk than even Allie knows.

My thoughts:

The more I read the better I liked it.

The prologue is tasty, and lures readers in to find out what happens.

I loved the characters. Although they face problems most of us will never realize, their faultiness and realistic reactions make them likeable. The reader can easily root for both of the main protagonists. Allie deals with hidden problems from her past and her present guilt, which leads to her drinking problem. As many people do, she lives for today, and never plans for the future. She appears to be a little callous in her approach to others, but behind those exterior emotions is a person who wants approval from her friend and co-worker, Norman, forgiveness from her mother, and a person who helps those in desperate need.

Norman, on the other hand, presents an entirely different personality. He’s confident, due to his wealth and status in life, good-looking, and rather judgmental. One mind-set toward those guilty or sinful. No thought that the platform he sits upon could be knocked over. But the love he feels for Allie and the way he tries to ignore it helps to make him more human. In spite of his subtle snobbishness, I also liked the way Rick portrayed Norman’s morals which were behind some heavy decisions he makes.

The plot is a winner. Besides the engaging, main part of a whistleblower, and learning as we read how it works, the suspense and romance are fascinating and kept me reading. The contrast between well-to-do lawyer and get-your-hands-dirty accountant is great. The way Rick brought in different viewpoints from the two protagonists and the secondary characters ties in nicely as the plot reveals itself.

Allie Whitman makes a very comfortable living as a professional whistleblower. She and her lawyer, Connor Norman partners with California's Deputy Attorney General on cases to recover millions of tax payer's dollars from corrupt companies. When Allie’s latest job turns into a nightmare, Allie has a choice. Face her own secrets being revealed or run.

Conner, on the other hand, has decisions of his own to make. Hold on to his morals or crumble under the pressure to rise in the legal field. Listen to his gut feeling about Allie, or satisfy a demanding boss.

Secondary characters (the crew of the Grasp II) believe they are looking for a sunken German submarine loaded with riches. But once they reach the excavation site, they realize how wrong they are. With their lives in danger and powerless to summon help or warn authorities of the impending disaster, they battle for the right in the only way they know. Allie and Conner make personal choices that change their lives forever that ultimately envelop them in the secondary characters’ lives.

When the Devil Whistles combines an entertaining story line, a bit of romance, and an international terrorist plot to create an interesting, page turning novel.

At the center of this story is the wonderful theme of choices. A great job was done of putting characters in tough situations and allowing them to make the right or wrong choice. This aspect of the book was executed with a grace and fluidity that kept the story moving while at the same time portrayed the difficulty of making the right choice, especially when it's hard.


Blessings, readers!

A Warm Welcome to Author Diane Craver


You'll want to leave your comment and email address for a chance to win a copy of Diane's book!

How long have you known that you were a writer? Did you receive a clear “call?” Or have you just loved writing all your life?

I’ve always enjoyed writing but when our oldest daughter Sara was a toddler, I started writing nonfiction. I wrote a partial manuscript, Born to Love, about her and how my faith became stronger as a result of having Sara. It was very therapeutic for me to examine my faith and to learn to give thanks to God for our situation of having a child with special needs. I never finished the book, but several articles about my faith journey were published in various Christian magazines. I also have had articles published in Woman’s Weekly and other publications. Later, I started writing fiction.

What is the genre you write in? Would you explain what it is?

I enjoy writing in several genres. They are: inspirational and contemporary romances, sweet chick-lit mystery, women’s fiction, young adult and historical.

How do you spend your writing days? Do you set goals to reach a certain number of words per day? Can you give us a general idea of how long it takes you to write a novel?

Once I have a publisher’s deadline for a particular book, I am very disciplined. I always finish the final editing on time. While writing a new book, I try to write so many pages a day, but I’m afraid that I don’t always meet my personal writing goals. We were blessed with two daughters with special needs plus I have a seasonal scoring job. I score the tests that students hate to take. LOL

I’m a slow writer. It takes me on the average seven to nine months to write a book from beginning to end, but I’m not writing daily. Although I consider my writing as a career, family and promoting my published books all take time away from my writing.

You recently had a book published. Would you take this time to describe it to us? How and where can readers buy your books?
Here’s the blurb for my recent release, A Christmas Gift:

Justin Reeves is a man who has it all: a good job, a loving wife and children who are the center of his universe - or so it seems. Justin also has a secret he's hidden from everyone his entire life. Quite innocently his small daughter, Debby, stumbles upon his secret and is shocked by what she finds. She confronts her father with the awful truth, and together they embark upon a journey which takes her father from the darkness of shame into the light of victory.

Drawing from true events in her own childhood, author Diane Craver captivates the reader from page one to a stunning climax which will touch your heart and impact your life forever in this must-read story of love's triumph over adversity.

My books are available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, my publishers’ websites, and many other places online. By the way, A Christmas Gift is available in paperback and in ebook formats.

What is the spiritual message in your book? What can readers expect to get from reading it?

The spiritual message in A Christmas Gift is all about having enough faith to overcome obstacles at any age. Also another important message is how one prayer can start a whole chain of events that will solve problems for several people. Readers can expect to find an unforgettable story that will touch their hearts because of the closeness and family values the Reeves parents and children share. A Christmas Gift is not just for Christmas time but is a book to be enjoyed all year long.

Do you ever feel like giving up? Most people don’t understand the stress, the work, and the joy of being a writer. How tenuous becoming a writer is. Do you care to share how it feels, what discouraging/encouraging times you’ve gone through?

I have often felt like giving up on writing, but whenever that happens, I might receive a fantastic review from a reader or book reviewer, so that to me is confirmation from God that I need to continue. Sometimes I feel like quitting because writing is so time-consuming and rejections seem to be part of the business. Even after you have several published books, rejections still occur.

Would you explain how you “chose” (or were chosen by) a publisher? Do you just go “inny, minny, miny, moe?” Now, that you’re published, can you sit back and relax from the success you’ve experienced?

I carefully read the publisher’s submission guidelines and also check to see what they publish. Sometimes I ask my author friends what they think of their publishers if I think theirs might be a good fit for what I write. Also if I don’t like their book covers, I might not submit to them. Of course, writing the best book possible is the most important thing, but an eye-catching book cover does help sell the book too.

I thought once I had a book published, it would get easier but it hasn’t. Publishers don’t have the resources to spend a lot of money to promote each author’s books…so I need to spend time doing interviews, blog articles, book signings, contest giveaways, and just doing anything that will get my name out to readers. Apparently, a reader has to see an author’s name seven times before recognizing it.

Do you mind telling us some of your likes and dislikes? Hobbies, interests? Where would you like to travel if you could?

I enjoy spending time with my awesome husband and six children. Some of my interests are: reading, going to movies, swimming, bicycling, watching college football (big Ohio State Buckeye fan), and walking on trails.
My favorite vacation is going to the beach but I don’t get to go often enough. If we ever leave Ohio, my first choice would be to live close to the ocean. I’ve always wanted to go to Hawaii for a vacation. The problem is my husband doesn’t want to fly there, but I’m still trying to convince him that we should go. We are hoping to travel out west this summer.

Would you give us your blog or webpage so everyone can check it out? Anything else you’d like to share? Promotional information?
My blog is http://www.dianecraver.com/blog and my website is http://www.dianecraver.com/ To read book excerpts and other writing information, please visit my website and blog. If you leave comments on my blog, you’ll be entered to win my frequent giveaways.

Thank you so much, Carole, for hosting me on your lovely blog
And I wish you much success, Diane, on your writing journey
Blessings, readers. Don't forget your comments and email addressess.

A Christmas Gift by Diane Craver

Justin Reeves is a man who has it all: a good job, a loving wife and children who are the center of his universe - or so it seems. Justin also has a secret he's hidden from everyone his entire life or so he thought. Quite innocently his small daughter, Debby, stumbles upon his secret and is shocked by what she finds. She confronts her father with the awful truth, and together they embark upon a journey which takes her father from the darkness of shame into the light of victory.

Drawing from true events in her own childhood, author Diane Craver captivates the reader from page one to a stunning climax which will touch your heart and impact your life forever in this must-read story of love's triumph over adversity

My take:

What a stunning book that grabs the reader's heart and attention. A precious child learns her father's secret and sets out to make things right and getting into trouble. A centuries-old theme, but Diane manages to give her story a twist that is heart-warming!

 

This is a family book that everyone can enjoy during quiet time, devotions or in the car traveling with children. I recommend it highly.

 

Blessings!