Serious Wednesday: Welcoming Cindy Ervin Huff

A warm welcome to my long-time friend and author Cindy Ervin Huff! She's a talented and award-winning author, and YOU CAN POSSIBLY be chosen as a winner of one of her books (two winners)! What to do? Comment and let Cindy know you're interested, ask a question or just show your support of authors! 

Now on to read some of Cindy's answers to the questions I've asked her! Enjoy!

What started you on your writing journey?

My eighth-grade teacher submitted a short story I wrote to a kid’s magazine contest. I didn’t win, not even honorable mention. But the idea of putting my imaginary thoughts on paper intrigued me. It was years though before it was more than a hobby for me. And once I felt called to write novels that brought people hope, I was on my way.

What distracted you from writing earlier?

Life, more specifically raising my five children and homeschooling them. Then there was my feeling of inadequacy to the task. Took a bit to learn to ignore that distraction.

Is there a story behind Rescuing Her Heart?

Yes, someone near and dear to me suffered through an abusive relationship and I wanted to create a character who was willing to leave her painful past behind to find a new future. I also have another who is near and dear who suffers from PTSD. Having a strong hero who must deal with that and still find peace added to the creation of this romance between two broken people.

What is my strangest habit?

It may not seem strange to others, but it has sometimes embarrassed my kids. I can’t resist talking to strangers in line or in a waiting room. I really enjoyed visiting with a lady in the restroom of Cracker Barrel somewhere in the south. Southerners don’t find my need to start a conversation with a total stranger weird at all. Some of those chance encounters give me some interesting info. While standing in the tomato sauce aisle at a large grocery store where a masked gentleman and I struck up a conversation regarding the many uses of pasta sauce.

Why do I like writing historical romance?

There are things one can share in a historical scene that resonates with a reader. Because my characters are imperfect and struggle with their own self-worth, it makes them real to the reader. Some of their struggles are very painful and relatable to modern readers. Ecclesiastes says there is nothing new under the sun. And that is so true.

Special scripture.

He makes all things beautiful in his time. Ecclesiastes 3:11. I have seen God take me through some yucky stuff and bring me to a beautiful place. Had I not gone through that trial, I’d have not reached the wonderful conclusion Jesus had for me. I continue to go down hard paths and see my children do the same. My prayer is for all of us to trust that God truly makes all things beautiful in His time.

Bio:

Cindy Ervin Huff is a multi-published writer. She’s been featured in many periodicals over the last thirty years. Her historical romance Secrets & Charades won the Editor Choice, Maxwell Award and Serious Writer Medal. Her contemporary romance, New Duet released in 2018 placed second in the 2019 Serious Writer Awards and a finalist in the 2019 Selah Awards. Cindy is a member of ACFW, Mentor for Word Weavers. founding member of the Aurora, Illinois, chapter of Word Weavers and Christian Writer’s Guild alumni. She loves to encourage new writers on their journey. Cindy and her husband make their home in Aurora, Illinois.

Visit Cindy at:

Website: www.cindyervinhuff.com

Facebook at www.facebook.com/cindyehuff,

Author Facebook: www.facebook.com/cindyhuff11

twitter @CindyErvinHuff

instagram  @CindyErvinHuff

Book Blurb for Rescuing Her Heart:

As her husband’s evil deeds haunt a mail-order bride from the grave, can she learn to trust again and open her heart to true love? 

On visitation rounds as a lay preacher, the last thing rancher Jed Holt expects is to be shot at from the barn next to a burned-down homestead. But the soot-covered woman hiding inside needs protecting, and Jed is the man to do it whether she likes it or not. Delilah James’s nightmares began when she came to Kansas as a mail-order bride. Her husband was nothing like his letters. Now that he is dead, she can’t shake his abuse from her heart. Trusting men tops her never-again list and taking a job on the Holt ranch as a housekeeper is a means to save money and bring her parents west. But her attraction to the compassionate former chaplain both angers and confuses her. 

Jed has his own nightmares from a POW camp and understands Delilah better than she knows. Can two broken people form a forever bond?

Buy link: https://www.amazon.com/Rescuing-Heart-Cindy-Ervin-Huff-ebook/dp/B092SR6B5Y/

Cindy is giving away two Kindle copies of Rescuing Her Heart to two lucky commenters. 

Thank you for visiting, Cindy!

Announcement! Finalist . . . Again!

The Redemption of Caralynne Hayman

http://amzn.to/17gf97c

is a

* Genesis semi-finalist,

* a Selah Award finalist for debut novels

and now . . . 

* a Laurel Award Finalist

from the Clash of the Titles Contest!

About the book:

How far would YOU go to avenge the murder of a daughter?

Caralynne Hayman is angry and bitter over the abuse and death of her eleven-year-old daughter from the hands of her religious group, The Children of Righteous Cain. When her husband suffers a sudden heart attack, she does nothing to help him. In her eyes someone needs to pay, and if that means all of the men in the group, then so be it. 

Dayne MacFarland is sent away to college by the senior elder of the group to learn ministry. When he returns after finding salvation, determined to bring the truth to the people he’s known all his life, he rediscovers Cara and realizes the love he once felt for her is still deeply embedded within his heart. 

Dayne faces men unwilling to turn their backs on the cult training he despises. Cara faces men who follow their leader in abuse toward their wives and the young girls of the group. Cara is considered rebellious and inappropriate to befriend. Dayne is the apple of Elder Simmons’ eye—until he takes a stand against their teachings.

Can Cara overcome the feelings that have governed her most of her life? Can she learn to trust Dayne, and most of all a God whom she sees as uncaring—if he’s really there at all? Only Dayne’s prayers and love can reach Cara and show her the way to redemption, and Cara must recognize and accept God’s love and forgiveness before she goes too far.

Melted then Molded

I'm welcoming Linda Rondeau back to my blog today. She's the award-winning author of The Other Side of Darkness and the recently released America II. Check out her bio below. Now her post:




“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (John 1:12 KJV).

The popular church chorus asks God to descend and set the hearts of His children on fire, to spread a blaze across the nations.

I wonder sometimes if we truly understand for what we ask. Too often we pray for the result but are not willing to endure the process to obtain it.

Fire consumes. I remember driving through an area in the Adirondacks hit by a wildfire. Not a green speck left. All the charred remains stood naked and seemingly beyond hope. But, fire also purifies through the melting process.

Unlike a wild, untamed forest fire, God’s fire has purpose.

Lisa went into the hospital for what she thought would be a simple appendectomy only to discover she had a rare form of invasive abdominal cancer. Her husband said, “After the shock wore off, I was pretty angry. She is so young, healthy and takes good care of herself, why did this happen? What would I do without her? How do I deal with our kids? 　There was a calmness that came to me while in the middle of this storm. It was clarity and can be attributed to the Holy Spirit as it certainly didn't come from me. 　I never thought to question God as to why he'd bless me with a beautiful wife, wonderful children and a wonderful and supportive family. 　How could I be mad at the loss when God had blessed me with so much?”

As a result of Shawn and Lisa’s obedience within this trial, God’s glory is seen through their lives as they post their struggle on a cancer-care website for the world to see. Their posts continue to extol the magnificence of God’s grace, blessings within the firestorm. Shawn writes that God’s grace is shown to them every day through the outpouring of love. Most of all, God’s Holy Spirit is revealed through their children’s strength, their big family their mission field.

I believe that through God’s melting and molding process he reveals Himself to us in ways we would never know if we did not submit to His all-consuming fire.

In Daniel 3, we read the familiar story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, the captive Israelites who refused to bow down before the image of the King, even though they knew the punishment would be death by fire. “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”

When the king looked into the furnace, he saw a fourth figure, that of a son of God. Through the Glory revealed by the obedience of three Israelite slaves, King Nebuchadnezzar extolled the God of Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego.

Are you experiencing firestorms in your family? Are you angry and feel that these difficulties are undeserved? Perhaps God has not sent you punishment, but rather wants to walk with you in the furnace, to show you His Glory. And through this melting and molding process, equip you to be His blessing, the flame that ignites a dry and barren land.

“This third I will put into the fire;　I will refine them like silver and test them like gold.　
They will call on my name　and I will answer them; I will say, ‘They are my people,’　and they will say, ‘The LORD is our God’” (Zechariah 13:9 NIV).

BIO:
A graduate of Houghton College, Rondeau has spent a previous career in the field of human services, often engaged with families in crisis. She credits these experiences in human drama as the edge in creating unforgettable characters. Furthermore, her prior work has shaped her vision of a future world should current sociological issues remain unchecked over the next several decades.
After more than thirty years in the Adirondack region of Northern New York, Rondeau now resides in Jacksonville, Florida with her husband Steve and their cat Duffer. When not writing, she enjoys theater, golf, and hiking.

She is a member of the Florida Writers Association, American Christian Fiction Writers, and several on-line writing groups. She is the owner and founder of Pentalk, a community of writers that features networking pages and a blog. Rondeau contributes a monthly column to her former community newspaper entitled, This Daily Grind and maintains a blog of the same name. Other blogs include Back in the Daze.

Also writing under the name of Linda Wood Rondeau, other books by this author include The Other Side of Darkness.

You may contact the author on Facebook, Linked In, Goodreads, or Twitter or visit her on the web.

The Amazon Kindle for the novel is : http://www.amazon.com/America-II-The-Reformation-ebook/dp/B008CGFVUI/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1340191492&sr=1-1&keywords=l.w.+rondeau