Winner of Rose House by Tina Ann Forkner
Jennifer B. is the winner of the drawing for a copy of Rose House. If you did not win this time, keep you eyes open for more opportunities to win. I still have several books to give away in the near future.
The Frontiersman’s Daughter by Laura Frantz
This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
The Frontiersman’s Daughter
Revell (September 1, 2009)
by
Laura Frantz
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
I was born and raised in Kentucky and my love of history goes deep – way back to the 18th-century when my family first came into the Bluegrass State. It will always be home to me, even though I now live with my husband, Randy, and my sons, Wyatt and Paul, in the misty woods of northwest Washington. I go back as often as I can to visit family and all the old haunts that I love.
I grew up playing on the original site of Fort Boonesborough and swimming in the Kentucky River and climbing the Pinnacle near Berea and watching the great outdoor dramas of the early settlers. Often my cousins and brother and I would play in my Granny’s attic and dress up in the pioneer costumes she made us and pretend to be Daniel Boone, Rebecca, Jemima, or the Shawnee.
As I grew up I began to write stories and they were always historical, filled with the lore I had heard or read about. It’s no accident that my first book (which is actually my fifth book – the others were practice!) is about those first Kentucky pioneers.
I feel blessed beyond measure to write books. My prayer is that you are doubly blessed reading them.
Note: Laura Frantz credits her 100-year-old grandmother as being the catalyst for her fascination with Kentucky history. Frantz’s family followed Daniel Boone into Kentucky in 1792 and settled in Madison County where her family still resides. Frantz is a former schoolteacher and social worker who currently lives in the misty woods of Washington state with her husband and two sons, whom she homeschools.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Lovely but tough as nails, Lael Click is the daughter of a celebrated frontiersman. Haunted by her father’s former captivity with the Shawnee Indians, as well as the secret sins of her family’s past, Lael comes of age in the fragile Kentucky settlement her father founded.
Though she faces the loss of a childhood love, a dangerous family feud, and the affection of a Shawnee warrior, Lael draws strength from the rugged land she calls home, and from Ma Horn, a distant relative who shows her the healing ways of herbs and roots found in the hills.
But the arrival of an outlander doctor threatens her view of the world, God, and herself–and the power of grace and redemption. This epic novel gives readers a glimpse into the simple yet daring lives of the pioneers who first crossed the Appalachians, all through the courageous eyes of a determined young woman.
Laura Frantz’s debut novel offers a feast for readers of historical fiction and romance lovers alike.
If you would like to read the first chapter of The Frontiersman’s Daughter, go HERE
MY REVIEW:
I have not finished reading The Frontiersman’s Daughter but am already fully immersed in it. Laura Frantz has a way with words and has set a tone that reflects the uncertainty of life in the wilderness with an ever present threat of Indian attack.
If the remainder of this book meets my expectations, then it will come highly recommended and I will look forward to future novels by this author. I estimate that anyone who enjoys historical fiction, especially that about early American pioneers, will enjoy this book.
The Confidential Life of Eugenia Cooper
MY REVIEW:
The Confidential Life of Eugenia Cooper is a light-hearted romantic romp that takes young Gennie Cooper from her sheltered privileged life in New York City to the western frontier of Colorado. An avid secret reader of western dime novels, her one desire is to have one wild west adventure like her favorite heroine Mae Winslow before she settles down as a proper banker’s wife. When a fortuitous opportunity presents itself, Gennie sets off on an impulsive westward journey by rail and finds that her wild west adventure just might be more than she anticipated.
Gennie is an endearing character who seems to invite disaster wherever she goes. Coupled with that, several misunderstandings create a wealth of humorous situations that keep the reader laughing out loud. An unexpected romance further complicates the situation.
The Confidential Life of Eugenia Cooper is pure unadulterated entertainment with a subtle faith based message. If you are a fan of Mary Connealy, this book might be right up your alley.
You can learn more about or purchase a copy of The Confidential Life of Eugenia Cooper here.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
The future is clearly mapped out for New York socialite Eugenia “Gennie” Cooper, but she secretly longs to slip into the boots of her favorite dime-novel heroine and experience just one adventure before settling down. When the opportunity arises, Gennie jumps at the chance to experience the Wild West, but her plans go awry when she is drawn into the lives of silver baron Daniel Beck and his daughter and finds herself caring for them more than is prudent–especially as she’s supposed to go back to New York and marry another man.
As Gennie adapts to the rough-and-tumble world of 1880s Colorado, she must decide whether her future lies with the enigmatic Daniel Beck or back home with the life planned for her since birth. The question is whether Daniel’s past–and disgruntled miners bent on revenge–will take that choice away from her.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Kathleen is a best-selling author of more than thirty books. In all, over 850,000 copies of her books are currently in print in the US and abroad. She has been named as a finalist in the American Christian Fiction Writers Book of the Year contest every year since its inception in 2003, often for more than one book.
In addition to her prolific writing career, Kathleen is also a publicist at Books & Such Literary Agency. She is a member of the Romance Writers of America, American Christian Fiction Writers, the Public Relations Society of America, Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, and Authors Guild and is also a degreed paralegal specializing in criminal and family law. A native Texan, Kathleen has three grown sons and a teenage daughter.
Visit Kathleen’s website here.
Surrender the Wind by Rita Gerlach
This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Surrender The Wind
Abingdon Press (August 2009)
by
Rita Gerlach
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Rita Gerlach has published three historical novels plus articles in Writers Gazette, Write to Inspire, Will Write 4 Food, and The Christian Communicator.
She also is the editor of Stepping Stones Magazine, an online website focused on writing, marketing, and promotion for writers. She is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and The Western Maryland Writers Guild.
She currently lives in Frederick, Maryland. You can also visit her at her Blog
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Seth Braxton, a patriot of the American Revolution, unexpectedly inherits his loyalist grandfather’s estate in England. Seth is torn between the land he fought for and the prospect of reuniting with his sister Caroline, who was a motherless child taken to England at the onset of the war.
With no intention of staying permanently, Seth arrives to find his sister grieving over the death of her young son. In the midst of such tragedy, Seth meets Juleah, the daughter of an eccentric landed gentleman. Her independent spirit and gentle soul steal Seth’s heart. After a brief courtship, they marry and she takes her place as the lady of Ten Width Manor, enraging the man who once sought her hand and schemed to make Ten Width his own.
If you would like to read the Prologue of Surrender The Wind, go HERE
Watch the trailer:
MY REVIEW:
Surrender The Wind is a magnificent saga in the tradition of the best classics. The narrative spans the ocean with settings in both colonial Virginia and Tudor England. Replete with tragedy, intrigue, action, villainy, justice, and romantic tension, the story grabs the reader’s full attention and does not let go until its conclusion. The author’s literary skill is superb with a poetic quality. She paints a picture with words that makes the setting and characters come alive. Highly recommended for fans of historic fiction.
Book Giveaway – Rose House by Tina Ann Forkner
I have a copy of Rose House by Tina Ann Forkner to give away to one reader. To enter the drawing, leave a comment on this post by Thursday August 27. I will announce the winner on Friday August 28.
Please U. S. entries only.
Rose House by Tina Ann Forkner – Waterbrook
MY REVIEW:
It has been a couple of months since I read Rose House and quite a few other novels have passed this way in the interim. Nevertheless, I will try to do it justice as I review it.
Rose House is one of those books that is difficult to describe. It has an atmosphere of its own that is almost tangible – an exquisite portrayal of both setting and characters that made them come alive. In Rose House despair is tempered with love and hope, betrayal with forgiveness, unbelief with renewed faith.
After losing her husband and children in an accident, Lillian is drawn to the sanctuary of the Sonoma valley and the peace she finds there. However that peace is often broken by an unseen sense of menace. As Lillian learns that people in her life were not always the way she perceived them, she becomes increasingly unsure of who she can trust. When a fresh chance at love presents itself, can Lillian let go of the past and its pain and find new joy? Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of Rose House today to find out.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
A vivid story of a private grief, a secret painting, and one woman’s search for hope.
Still mourning the loss of her family in a tragic accident, Lillian Diamon finds herself drawn back to the Rose House, a quiet cottage where four years earlier she had poured out her anguish among its fragrant blossoms. She returns to the rolling hills and lush vineyards of the Sonoma Valley in search of something she can’t quite name. But then Lillian stumbles onto an unexpected discovery: displayed in the La Rosaleda Gallery is a painting that captures every detail of her most private moment of misery, from the sorrow etched across her face to the sandals on her feet.
What kind of artist would dare to intrude on such a personal scene, and how did he happen to witness Lillian’s pain? As the mystery surrounding the portrait becomes entangled with the accident that claimed the lives of her husband and children, Lillian is forced to rethink her assumptions about what really happened that day.
A captivating novel rich with detail, Rose House explores how the brushstrokes of pain can illuminate the true beauty of life.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Tina Ann Forkner writes contemporary fiction that challenges and inspires. She grew up in Oklahoma and graduated with honors from CSU Sacramento before settling in Wyoming. She lives with her husband, their three bright children and their dog and stays busy serving on the Laramie County Library Foundation Board of Directors. She is the author of Ruby Among Us, her debut novel, and Rose House, which recently released from Waterbrook Press/Random House.
To learn more or to purchase Rose House click here.
NETGALLEY BADGES