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Wednesday, October 22, 2008

And the winners are...

Free Book Winners

Thank you to those that entered the drawings. Sorry it’s taken so long to post winners. I have dial up Internet at home (DSL still not available and I’m too cheap for cable thus far) so I’m not on as much as I used to be.

Anyway, here is the list of winners. I’ll contact you for your address, but if you see this and want to go ahead and email me, that’s fine too. :)

I just put the names in a hat and drew for all four drawings.

Jennifer Tiszai wins Courting Miss Adelaide by Janet Dean

Malia Spencer wins The Perfect Blend by Allie Pleiter

Carole wins The Briton by Catherine Palmer

Crystal Adkins wins four gently read Love Inspired Books, See No Evil by Gail Roper, The Rogues Redemption by Ruth Axtell Morren, Just Cause by Susan Page Davis, and Death Benefits by Hannah Alexander.

Hope you all enjoy them and thanks for playing. I’ll give away a few more soon. =)

Friday, October 10, 2008

Review of Courting Miss Adelaide and Free Book

COURTING MISS ADELAIDE

Back Cover Blurb

The “orphan train” seemed like small-town spinster Adelaide Crum’s last chance to know the simple joys of family life. So many lost children, every one of them dreaming only of a caring home—the home she longed to offer. And yet the narrow-minded town elders refused to entrust even the most desperate child to a woman alone….


Newspaperman Charles Graves believed his heart was closed forever, but he swore to stand by this lovely, lonely woman who was fighting for the right to take some motherless child into her heart. And her gentle soul and unwavering faith made him wonder if even he could overcome the bitter lessons of the past, and somehow find the courage to love….

****4 1/2 Stars, Romantic Times BOOK reviews

Sabrina Here

(I can't get my book links to work right now...I'll load them later)

It was such a thrill to see Courting Miss Adelaide on the bookshelf at the store the other day. The author, Janet Dean, is a fellow Hoosier and member of our local Indiana ACFW chapter. I’ve heard Janet speak about the book for the last couple years so I knew it was coming out last month, but honestly wasn’t sure I’d pick it up since it’s a historical.

Now don’t get me wrong, I love historicals. Cut my teeth on Christian Fiction with Historicals. Mainly because that’s all that was offered back in the day. Anyway, even though I like them, I seldom buy them…especially the shorter ones. Mostly because I don’t find a lot of authors that can find a happy medium between enough and too many details. I think historicals are unique in that we really need superior imagery to see the scenes.

With contemporary novels we can see the scenes because it’s so familiar.

So I was both excited and uneasy to pick up Janet’s book the other night.
Though the cover was so lovely that I found it almost impossible to walk by. LOL.

The story opens with the lovely spinster, Adelaide Crum, trying to convince the stuffy elders of the town to allow her to adopt an orphaned girl. She’s a well-respected storeowner, specializing in lovely hats, and feels she can offer the child a promising future.

Not surprising they reject her request and send her home brokenhearted. Adelaide refuses to give up hope and continues to pray for a child. She sees one girl on the platform when the orphan train comes to town that she immediately connects with. When the little girl and her brother are sent to live with a family that Adelaide feels will mistreat them, she’s furious
and impassioned to find a way to save these children.

Without giving away too much of the story, I’ll say that the suspense in the book is very well done. Not just a romance story by any means. The way Janet intermingled the romance between Adelaide and Charles beautiful and kept me turning the pages. The backstory of Charles’ childhood was so touching and well written that I could believe the conflict that separated the two main characters and could understand the reluctance
of Charles to get involved with Miss Crum or her God.

I read the story in one long evening and am eager to read the next installment from Janet. Courting the Doctors Daughter. I loved Janet’s writing and can imagine we’ll be

seeing quite a bit from her in the future. :)

Leave me a comment about why you’d like to read the book and

I’ll draw a name for a copy in the next few days. :)

The second book in the Courting series, Courting the Doctor’s

Daughter will release in May 2009.

ABOUT JANET

Janet grew up in a family that cherished the past and had a strong creative streak. Her Social Studies/Art teacher father was a storyteller, like his father. The yarns her father and grandfather told instilled in Janet a love of the past and the desire to tell stories on paper. At twelve Janet wrote her first “novels,” even illustrating her little books, but when it came time to choose a career, she wanted to teach.

Janet attended Indiana University and graduated with a BS in Education. She married her college sweetheart, then taught first grade before leaving teaching to rear two daughters. During those early years together, Janet and her husband found the church they still attend, joined Bible studies and developed a love of scripture and a closer walk with God.

As her daughters grew, Janet joined them in front of the television set to watch Little House on the Prairie. Janet read books that reawakened her love of American history and the tales of the strong men and women of faith who built this country. She volunteered in her daughters’ schools, taught Sunday school at her church, and pursued creative hobbies until one day she could no longer ignore her girlhood dream of being a writer. As soon as she put pen to paper, she knew she was meant to write historical romances.

Only later did she understand her fiction could also honor God, and
she eagerly turned to Inspirational historical romance.

Janet’s journey toward publication took nine exciting, sometimes painful years
of learning her craft and dealing with rejection. Her stories of maintaining faith in trying circumstances show the power of God to strengthen families. Fascinated by history and the role of strong women in our nation's past, Janet brings both together in her faith-based love stories. Two of her manuscripts were 2005 and 2006 Golden Heart finalists. One of those manuscripts was a 2006 Genesis finalist. Today Janet writes inspirational historical romances for Steeple Hill.

Sunday, October 05, 2008

Weddings....ahhh

My boss of 16 years got married yesterday. He's 44 and his new wife is 35. Both doctors and both have never been married before. Unlike most women I don't particularly care for weddings. I know...how ungirly of me. LOL. But really the dressing up thing is no picnic in itself, but mostly the sitting there witnessing them express their feelings for each other seems intrusive to me. I don't know why, just does.

Anyway, I'm sitting there listening to this man that I've worked with for 16 years express how he feels for this woman and I'm in awe. I've never seen this side of him, nor had anyone else. He's the epitome of the contented bachelor. Travels, golfs, enjoys life. Always smiling and happy. Very easy going personality and yet as he spoke his vows he said something to the effect of "I've waited all these years, praying each year for God to send me a partner. Someone to love and cherish. And as each year passed I started to wonder if maybe I'd never find someone. Then I met you. And little by little with each date I knew you were the one." (He said it much sweeter, but I can't remember it exactly) Ahhh. How sweet. But also how sad that those of us that know him so well had no idea he was so discontent with his life. That he was lonely even though he smiled and laughed most every day.

It made me think about all the people in my life and how we really don't know what's going on inside their minds. We really don't know who's sad, lonely, hurting, or even scared. I know. I'm reading too much into his declaration, but it just surprised me so much. :0/ Makes me wonder, ya know. LOL.

It was a lovely wedding and really a joy to see their happiness. The colors were cream and crimson. Both graduates of IU it was more than appropriate. Very fun.

On another note, I'm still looking for someone to leave me a comment for the free book drawing. :) I need to go write my review of Courting Miss Adelaide by Janet Dean. If I finish it I'll post it today. Otherwise, have a happy Sunday. Hug someone you love today!