The California Gold Rush Romance Collection is a delightful collection of stories from nine talented and very creative authors. The plots are diverse, and I’ve never seen such an eclectic group of heroes and heroines in one book! Enter below to win a free paperback copy! Only three days left! Is it possible there’s an inheritance far greater than gold, or is Thalia destined to remain empty, like the ghost town she inhabits? – Gold Haven Heiress by Jaime Jo Wright I enjoyed all of the stories in this book, but I was especially interested in Jaime Jo Wright’s Gold Haven Heiress, which is an unusual love story with interesting characters. Jack Taylor is a man who grew wealthy by taking advantage of gold rush miners. He’s a changed man now, and he’s using his ill-gotten riches to help others by building a community in Gold Haven, an abandoned goldmining town, to be a place of redemption, where people can come to be healed and live safely together. He didn’t expect to find the cast-off “soiled dove” Thalia Simmons hiding in the deserted town, and while he is drawn to her, she struggles to reconcile concepts of a Read More
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Jaime Jo Wright – Author Interview
I met Jaime Jo online through the American Christian Fiction Writers, but even though we both live in the land of Packers and Bratwurst, we haven’t yet met in person. I recently read one of her novellas, Gold Haven Heiress, in the California Gold Rush Romance Collection, and asked if I could interview her on my website. She graciously said yes and donated a paperback copy of the book for me to give away! Barbour makes beautiful paperback novella collections. This one has covers that open and fold out to reveal western landscapes, and the paper is beautiful soft and heavy with deckle edges. Beautiful. See the raffle form below for your chance to win it! Welcome, Jaime! It’s fun to have you here. I know authors have the best book recommendations, so tell me… what are you reading now? I am currently in between books, actually. But LOVED reading Kara Isaac’s “Close To You” and Joanne Bischof’s “Lady and the Lionheart”. They were both so well written and have stuck with me far longer than most books I’ve read this year! Do you have a favorite contemporary author? Well, it sounds redundant now, lol, but Read More
Re-light the Candles of Good Cheer
I have a little book of George W. Truett’s Christmas sermons from 1928-1944… I don’t remember where it came from, but I keep it because I like seasonal books. His style was simple and conversational, light on Scripture but full of truth and kindness. The imagery of “re-lighting the candles of good cheer” has a poignant appeal. This passage from his 1932 Christmas sermon is as applicable today as it was then: At this Season for accentuated emphasis upon home reunions, and upon friendships both old and new, let us worthily re-light the candles of good cheer and cooperative helpfulness, for those who are experiencing privations and restrictions which lay a heavy toll upon their homes and hearts. May we so voice our understanding sympathy and good will, as to give them new heart and hope, for all the days and duties ahead. Let us especially voice our best cheer for the little children and the aged; for the orphan and the underprivileged; for the poor and the needy; for the afflicted and the unfortunate; for the lonely and the discouraged; for the derelict and the unfriended. May we be experts in doing good to all, and in giving hurt Read More
The Baron’s Blunder by Susan Baganz
This delightful novella from Susan Baganz is part of the “Love is…” series by Prism Book Group, looking at 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a. The Baron’s Blunder illustrates verse six: Love does not delight in evil but rejoices in the truth. The hero is dashing and brave – and so is the heroine Lord Charles Percy and the Honorable Henrietta Allendale are both independent, capable people who want to continue in their current single condition. He enjoys the clandestine activities that keep him busy, but an impulsive lie told to avoid discovery leads to complicated deception. She knows he’s hiding something. When Lord Percy confesses the truth, Henri isn’t sure she can trust anything else he says. As much as they enjoy life and engaging in exciting adventures without the encumbrance of a spouse, however, there’s no denying the attraction that pulls at both of them. I enjoyed the pacing of this adventure romance. The main and secondary characters were likable people who seemed more multi-dimensional than those sometimes found in Regency romances. I especially liked the heroine, who managed to be independent without becoming aggressive about it or behaving in an anachronistic way. Rose Hill Regencies Read More
Christmas is Coming Early for Me!
This year, my biggest Christmas gift is coming in October. It’s very exciting to be anticipating the release of my first published book, Snow Angels, as part of the Christmas Lights novella collection. Things got pretty wild here for a while – nine days before my editor’s deadline, I ended up in the hospital having an emergency appendectomy! Laparoscopic surgery is amazing, and it all went smoothly, but the nurse and some of my friends were right when they cautioned me to go slowly. I feel great, but I get tired out quickly. I finished the Snow Angels manuscript, revised it, and sent it off to the editor with ten minutes to spare before the deadline – and then I immediately wanted it back again, because I thought of so many things that needed to be changed. She wouldn’t give it back, so now I have to wait for her first round of corrections and revisions. I keep pestering her: “Are you finding many typos?” “What do you think of the sweater scene?” “Do you like Pete?” “Do you think Lisa’s reaction to the sick child is realistic?” She’s very patient with me. 🙂 Christmas Read More
What is Christian Fiction?
What qualifies a book as Christian Fiction? We all know that our first responsibility in this world is to glorify God. Whether we eat or drink or whatever we do – including writing! – we should do it all to the glory of God. Therefore, all “Christian fiction” in every genre should glorify God. That is true and simple, right? No, it’s true and it’s complex. Ever since the Christian market grew beyond Amish romances and sweet prairie mail order brides, there is an ever-cycling argument about what kinds of language and situations are permissible in Christian fiction. Although I occasionally enjoy an Amish romance, I am mostly interested in police mysteries/political thrillers and romantic suspense, and those genres are more likely to be set “in the world.” I live in that world, but I am still a Christian reader. Personal convictions vary, and personally, I lean toward prudery – I do not want to be shown the nakedness or sexual activities, conversation and thoughts of other people. A skilled writer can write (ahem) physically-charged scenes without gloating over the details or making me a voyeur. I don’t want to read blasphemous or vulgar dialog. A good writer can show Read More