Here to Stay (Book Review)

May2
Reading Time: 2 minutes

Here to stayI was asked by author Melissa Tagg if I would be willing to accept a copy of her book, Here to Stay and review it. I was delighted at the opportunity as I had enjoyed her previous novel: Made to Last.

While Here to Stay is a stand-alone romance it picks up a character from Made to Last and tells his story. You can read and enjoy this book without reading the first.

Blake Hunziker has traveled and lived a life of adventure for years as a way to cope with his grief. Finally, he decides to come back home and face the reality that some may still blame him for his brother’s death. No one could hurt him more than he does himself, because he knows the truth. He is surprised by a warm welcome by many and a chilly response from others. In attempt to redeem himself in the eyes of his town, he accepts the challenge of putting together the annual Christmas festival. The only problem is, he can’t do this alone.

Autumn Kingsley has been trying to hold the old family Bed and Breakfast together since her mother signed it over to her after her father’s death. The burden comes at a cost. Stuck in a small town she longs to travel and France has been her dream. Now a job awaits, but the B&B is struggling. Can she keep it going and hand it off to someone who will care for it while she jumps at her chance for adventure. The problem is that she needs a lot of repairs done and cannot afford to hire someone to do them.

Blake comes to Autumn to help with the festival and offers his handyman services in compensation for her help. This makes for a complicated relationship since his parents own her competition and her sister and his brother used to be an “item.” The problem is, she likes Blake, but can’t see giving away her heart which would also mean giving away her dream to leave this town. Blake is staying after having had his adventure. Can he let th woman he comes to love leave for hers?

Melissa is a great story-teller and her romances are complex and have a wonderful realism to them. This book makes me want to go back and re-read Made to Last to read them back to back since characters from the first book show up here. This was a wonderful story and unlike It’s a Wonderful Life where George Bailey gives up his dreams, Autumn and Blake do get to realize theirs.

 

Preparing Your Elevator Pitch

Apr28
Reading Time: 3 minutes

Writer’s conferences are right around the corner. Have you been writing? Do you have a story you think is ready to pitch to an editor or agent?

The elevator pitch is the shortest, quickest sell for your story. You imagine you are in an elevator and only have a few moments of someone’s time and attention to snag them with the brilliance of your tale. How do you do that?

Have your story written. Revised. Critiqued. This can seem to take forever and time is a good thing for wine and fiction. Take J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. He wrote that trilogy over a 12 year time span. (World War II was going on and might have had some impact). So take your time and make it sparkle.

"One ring to rule them all. One ring to find them. One ring to bring them all. And in the darkness, bind them."

“One ring to rule them all. One ring to find them. One ring to bring them all. And in the darkness, bind them.”

Write your synopsis in several versions. Sometimes this can seem harder than writing the entire story. Why several versions? Because some agents and editors want one page and others are okay with as much as five. They want to see the story arc and themes. Writing it longer and shorter will also help you cull the basics of your story down so you are ready for the next part. . .

Write what would be a back page teaser for your story. Most readers will read this to determine if this is a story they want to read. This also shows up on bookseller pages. You want to capture the reader with the uniqueness and wonder of the story you want to tell. This kind of thing can make or break your story. This will also be what you would put on a one page (along with your bio and why they should take a chance on you as author). This might also serve as your elevator pitch.

Can you summarize your story in a sentence or two? Seriously. As short as you can. These can also appear at times on the back of a book as well.

This is a painstaking process but the better you know the nuts and bolts and can write and speak about your story without getting sucked into all the fun details that you hope will keep your reader engaged once they start opening up your pages.

Make appointments and meet as many editors and agents as you can . . . but not just to sell your story. Remember they are all human people. We do not have super-powers. Ask questions. Get to know these people and what they do have a life outside of the conference. At one conference I ended up sitting next to an agent at breakfast. I wasn’t going to pitch to him but we had a fun conversation and I learned a lot, about his journey and the industry. Maybe that agent or editor won’t be a good fit for you and your book – but someday you can point someone else their way. Or, they might remember you down the road too.

This is not a way to “work the system” but it is practical. You want and editor and or agent that you can really work with. Not to be a diva, but not everyone is going to be a good personality fit for you. Be yourself and be honest about what you want to grow in and ask those questions. I’m more willing to work with an author who is a learner more than someone who is vainly believing they’ve already achieved perfection.

Practice. Practice. Practice. The best pitch I ever got, the woman had me almost believing that the story she was telling me was something that had really happened to a close friend. Her energy and enthusiasm was fortunately evident in her writing style as well. She’s got her second book coming out this summer.

Have courage. You’ll be great!

 

 

Ten Reasons to Buy a Poetry Book

Apr25
Reading Time: 3 minutes

Guest post by Cherie Burbach

my soul2I’m celebrating the release of my sixth poetry book, My Soul Is From a Different Place, this month. It’s been ten years since I published my very first book, The Difference Now, and as I look back on things I realize one reason I’m so proud of being a poet is because I think the world needs more poetry in general.

Do you read poetry? Have you purchased a poetry book lately? Here’s ten reasons to buy a poetry book today, even if it isn’t mine.

10) It’s Poetry Month!

Let’s not forget that the entire month of April celebrates the works of the world’s best poets. (Here’s some background on poetry month.)

9) Poetry makes the world a better place.

No really, it does. It is a way to document our history as a society, it encourages critical thinking, and it allows our minds to open up in a way that other types of reading do not. It helps us develop a more expansive view of the world.

8) It’s a healthy means of expression.

Good poetry (which I define as “poetry that speaks to you personally”) is non-destructive way to study, understand, and release emotion. You don’t have to share the same experiences as the poet to appreciate the poem.

7) It’s cheap.

Can we talk money? Poetry books are usually very affordable so you can treat yourself without spending too much coin.

6) Poetry books make great gifts.

Buy a friend a poetry book you think they’ll like and they’ll thank you. It’s not a gift everyone gets very often.

5) Poetry can be digested in little chunks.

So many people tell me they don’t have time to read, and my answer is: poetry! While there are some epic poems that will take you awhile, most poems are short and can be read easily in your spare time. Read one or two and then go about your day while your mind works on digesting it. See what happens after a week or two of doing this. You’ll be pleasantly surprised.

4) Poetry helps with conversation.

It gives you one more thing to talk about with friends. Everyone has at least one poem that they like, and if they don’t, that’s a conversation in and of itself. Buy a poetry book today and use it to start up a conversation later on.

3) Poetry needs support.

Let’s face it, the word “poet” is synonymous with “poor.” People don’t make money off poetry, in part because readers say they don’t understand it. It’s not a universally loved medium, but if you purchased a poetry book, and encouraged others to do the same, it would help educate people about the benefits of poetry.

2) More poetry makes you a likeable person.

Okay, I made that up. See how creative poetry makes you? But there is some truth to this… if you buy a poetry book, that poet will appreciate you.

1) Poetry helps inspire other art forms.

cherie-borders-300x300Reading poetry puts your mind in a creative place. If you have a hobby (woodworking, painting, cooking, scrapbooking) it encourages to go out and celebrate your own means of creative expression.

Bio:

Cherie Burbach is a writer, poet, and mixed media artist. Her latest poetry book is My Soul Is From a Different Place. She’s written for About.com, NBC/Universal, Match.com, and more. Visit her website, cherieburbach.com.

New Life

Apr21
Reading Time: 3 minutes

Yesterday we celebrated the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. The cross is empty as is the tomb. No body was found in the grave and a living, breathing Lord appeared to some. Those appearances were not simply that he was there and those people recognized him though.

One of my favorite stories, and not often talked about, is the story of two of Jesus’ followers walking to Emmaus. (Luke 24: 13-35) They were heavy-hearted and had not been in Jerusalum to hear the rumors of Jesus’ body being stolen, or that he could have risen. As they walked, someone appeared along with them.  I can imagine that in their distress they didn’t notice a sudden appearance of someone on the road. He wasn’t there. Then he was. And he talked to them and asked them questions and pointed them back to who Jesus said he was. They sat down to dine together that Jesus broke the bread and recalled his own death. At that moment the men knew! It was Jesus! Poof. He was gone.

Isn’t the journey to faith a bit like this? We hear about Jesus and we may even know stories about him, but wouldn’t recognize him in our midst. Jesus came to those two men and showed himself.  It was up close and personal. He never once bragged to them. He wasn’t showy. Nor did he diminish their grief. He listened, comforted them and revealed himself to them. Jesus said in the book of John that he had to go away so that the Comforter (Holy Spirit) could come and dwell within us. We don’t have to look for him on the road once he comes to live in our hearts. But many of use have had to journey and struggle with the truth of Christ before understanding that Jesus was never about a religion or denomonation. He was about a relationship. He came to bring us back into relationship with God. A fallen, sinful humanity, blind to just how lost we are. He reached through space and time (the ultimate Time Lord) and rescued us from our narcissitic folly. When our eyes are opened to the truth of who Jesus is, the veil is torn, the blinders lifted from our eyes and he now walks through all of the highs and lows of life with us.

Yesterday I reminisced about how, 33 years ago, as a spiritually hungry teenager, God revealed himself to me during a Campus Life/Youth for Christ meeting. My journels before that time were filled with prayers and poems and seeking. I served in my church. I wanted so much to know God. But He seemed so distant. Untouchable. Impersonal. That night I learned the truth of Ephesians 3:17: ” . . . so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to  all the fullness of God.”

Dwell in your hearts. Can’t get much closer than that. Sometimes I struggle to live with the same passion of that new-found faith, but hopefully I’ve grown and matured over the past three decades plus three. I’m a new creation. I’m still being transformed and once He took up residence, God has not abandoned me. Even when I’ve struggled, He has always been there. Though others abandon or disappoint me, God stays faithful. When life is scary, God provides for my needs and sometimes, even my wants. When depression looms, He is the rock I cling to. Face it. Life is hard for everyone. The greatest love story though is a man who died on the cross to lead my heart through life and somehow, someway, use a fallen, flawed, human being for His purposes and glory.

That is something to celebrate and treasure.

Lost Love Reunion (Short Story)

Apr14
Reading Time: 3 minutes

I used to think he was the man I would marry. My teenage crush. He was everything I wanted in a man. He was taller than me with blond hair and he loved the Lord with a passion that inspired me. I expected him to be a great pastor someday . . . and maybe I would be his wife.

But he never saw me as anything more than a friend. We both left for different colleges and lost touch.

It never stopped me from dreaming and hoping but eventually I met a guy and married him blind to the fact that he was not God’s best for me. At the time I felt like no one would want me. I had been led to believe that. So I took what I could get and paid the price for it.

So now, twenty-five years later, at the local coffee shop, I’m face to face with the man I had once dreamed about sleeping next to for those intervening years.

“Paul?”

“Sharon?”

“Wow, how have you been? Whatcha been up to?” I look at the receding hairline and the deep lines carved into his forehead and around his eyes. He looks older than his actual age. He nods to an empty chair and I motion for him to sit.

“Married, got a job, wife died and now I’m a widower with two grown kids.”

“I’m sad to hear of your loss. That must have been hard.”

“It wasn’t a good marriage by any means. I’m glad it’s over. Breast cancer that reoccurred and spread. The last year was brutal.” He shuddered.

“Oh, okay. Did you go to seminary after high school? Where do you work?”

He shook his head, blue eyes dull. “I gave up on God years ago. I work in a factory.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry.”

“How about you?”

“Oh, well, I did go to seminary and worked for awhile in ministry but kind of got burned out and took to writing.”

“Writing?”

“Yeah, I write inspirational fiction.”

“Oh, God is love and happily ever after type crap.”

I nod and then shake my head. I cringe at his dismal of my work. So much for my own dreams. “What brings you back to town?”

“I came to visit my buddy, Kurt. Remember him?”

“Yeah, I do.” Kurt was a sweet guy in high school. Big guy. Tried to date me and took me to the drive thru movie, Rocky. I spent the night swatting mosquitoes and avoiding him trying to put his arm around me. I think it took him a few hours the next day to clean off his windshield but he gave up on dating me and settled for friendship instead.

“Came to visit. Only problem is he keeps trying to get me to turn back to God.”

“And what’s wrong with that? It’s something you would have done had you stayed the course.”

He smiled and grunted. “Yeah, you’re probably right. So where are you at now? Married? I don’t see a wedding ring.”

I look down at the mother of pearl ring I wear. “I stopped wearing my ring years before he left me. I thought he loved God but it turned out to be an act. He knew about God but didn’t have a relationship with God. He left me for someone younger, thinner and prettier. A year later he dumped her too.”

“I’m sorry. You deserved better than that.”

“It’s sweet of you to say so.”

“Maybe you and I could do dinner sometime? I’m in town for the week and even after that I only live three hours south.”

My heart skipped a beat and I bit my lip. This was the kind of thing I had hoped for years ago. That mythical reunion of lost souls finding one another in love after too many years apart. But the years have, I hope, helped me grow in wisdom. “I appreciate the offer but I’m going to have to decline.”

“Got someone else on the hook?”

“No. There’s no one else, but Jesus.”

He stepped back as if I had slapped him. He looked away and then down to his feet. “Oh.”

“I got burned once, Paul, but I had been deceived. I’m not going to fall into that again knowing how you feel about my faith.”

“But…”

“No buts. I would rather be alone and grounded in my faith, than in a relationship with you or anyone else that would make me choose.”

I watched his Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed the truth of what I was saying.

“Well, then I guess it’s been nice seeing you.” He rose to his fee and turned to walk away.

“Yeah, Paul, it’s been nice.” And eye opening. I rise, slip my coat on, grab my purse and head to my car and home. Alone, but content, because sometimes a dead dream is better to walk away from than try to resurrect.

 

Rant on Mental Illness

Apr7
Reading Time: 3 minutes

I was talking to a friend today and she said, “The fact that you have a degree in Counseling Psych and have worked in the field of mental health, is pretty funny.” Sure is. Irony must be my middle name.

This past week there as another shooting at Fort Hood and I was angry when the media started to bill the shooter as someone with mental illness, possibly PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder). So? That kind of diagnosis doesn’t make someone a murderer. It doesn’t even mean that individual will hurt someone. What the media has done though is send those with mental illness back into a shadow of shame.

Mental illness does not deserve censure. It deserves compassion. As much as someone with diabetes or an autoimmune disease or perhaps suffering with recurring migraines. We have compassion for those people, even if we can’t “see” their illness. It’s not like a broken bone that can heal. The mind of some people (not all) with mental illness is fast paced and can resemble a runaway train. The only problem is the engineer can’t put on the brakes. sherlock - whats it like in your funny little brains

The brilliance of the show, Sherlock (BBC), is that they show to a certain degree the workings of this genius’ mind. He calls himself a high functioning sociopath. In reality this is a subcategory of the Anti-social personality disorder. In many ways, this self-diagnosis is correct and he makes good use of his almost savant capabilities. In essence, Sherlock Holmes is mentally ill. Not all people have minds like Sherlock’s, but many have thoughts that race, or emotions that flux out of control. Unless one has experienced this first-hand, it’s hard to understand or grasp.

The point I’m trying to make though is that we need to be less judgemental and more compassionate towards those that struggle with any kind of mental illness. Having said that, we also need to understand that some can be highly annoying and without the grace of God, socially devastating in a person’s ability to function in the world of work and relationships.

Sherlock lives for the excitement of the chase because he mind is racing all the time. He has pent-up energy thrumming through is body. I doubt that ASPD is his only diagnosis if we were honest. He has found a way to make use of his skills, but as Inspector Lastraud says in Season 1, Epsiode 1, when asked why he puts up with Sherlock: “Because I think he’s a great man and someday, he might even be a good one.” The show is not so much about saving lives and solving murders, but is more about his growth as a human being as he interacts with Dr. John Watson who becomes, over time, his one and only friend.

On a side note: Dr. John Watson is apparently a PTSD sufferer. Fascinating that his therapist encourages him to blog about what happens his life as part of his recovery. I loved his pre-Sherlock response to that. “Nothing every happens to me.” Ha!

So you have two mentally ill people saving London . . . and perhapse the world. Maybe we’re not all so bad anyway? Maybe we are even useful?

So please, let’s just realize we all have something wrong with us. It’s called sin. And sin causes people to put labels on others and judge them without truly understanding. Sin leads to blanket assumptions, like the one about PTSD. And please, for the sake of the men and women who have served, let’s give them the honor and grace to heal without bearing the shame of mental illness too. They would have died for you and your right to be free in this country. They volunteered for that when they joined. They have seen things God never intended for man to have to experience.

Honor. Duty. Respect. It’s a hard world out there for all of us and we all face a battle every day, some of use face it inside, some face it on the outside and for some the two feed off each other.

And for the rest of us, those who struggle in battles unseen, I pray we have compassion and grace for ourselves. Peace, friends.

Tide and Tempest (Book Review)

Apr4
Reading Time: 2 minutes

Tide and TempestI am given opportunities to review books and was thrilled to read Elizabeth Ludwig’s newest novel, Tide and Tempest. 

I knew I was getting a historical romantic suspense and was transported into the world of Irish immigrants and their struggle to fight for their country’s freedom as well as adapt to life in a the new world of America.

It’s been two years since Tillie McGrath left her Irish home, against the wishes of her parents, to travel with her fiancee to America. He died before they could arrive and Tillie has forged a new life for herself, moving past her grief and loss and personal shame over some of her own choices. She now lives in New York boardinghouse, has a steady job and plans to open an orphanage. Maybe she would never marry and have children of her own, but she would care for others. Living a life of hard work and service in an effort to purge her soul of her own sins, her life comes to an abrupt change.

Captain Keondrick Morgan had never forgotten the young Irish lass who had been heartbroken on his ship. Following a life of duty though, precludes marriage. When he discovers that Tillie’s fiancee had been murdered, he worries now that maybe whoever did it might also be after Tillie. Morgan will do everything in his power to keep the invisible threat from succeeding.

Accompanied by his younger brother, Cass, Morgan struggles with stronger feelings for Tillie, who he believes he can never have. At the same time he starts to unravel a threat more deadly than he ever expected. Now he will do everything in his power to keep Tillie safe, even if it means giving his own life or losing her to the affections of his charming brother.

This book starts out slow as it builds the characters and the rich picture of the evil that is simmering behind the scenes. There is a light touch given to the faith of the characters. It is most fun when things really start to move forward with the action and the complexity of the underground societies that exist and could eventually bring about the demise of them all.

With a beautiful ending this book qualifies as a happily-ever-after. If you love historicals and some suspense, this is a great read.

I was given a copy of the book, by Bethany House, in exchange for this review.

The Crash of the Loose Train of Thought

Mar31
Reading Time: 3 minutes
Image courtesy of Tom Curtis / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Image courtesy of Tom Curtis / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I have come off some busy crazy weeks just dealing with my primary job of being a mom.

It’s kind of sad that when your kids are babies we try so hard to get them to talk. To say “momma,” and “dadda” and then later to “use their words” instead of throwing a temper tantrum to get what they want.

My kids are older now. I’m tired of hearing their words.

It’s exhausting! They want to be fed all the time. This is especially true for my nine year old daughter who I suspect is hitting a growth spurt. I think she eats nonstop from the moment she gets home from school to bedtime. “Mom. I’m hungry,” are words I hear too often.

“So? You’re hungry? Didn’t I just feed you?”

“Yes, but I’m hungry again.”

Of course it is never for leftovers in the fridge. It’s always something that requires me to get up and prepare it for her.

I swear if tragedy comes upon this family, my kids will starve to death rather than get their own food, or refill their water bottles.

What kind of kids am I raising?

So why am I telling you all this?

Because life is full of what a friend of mine once called “the dailies.” The daily stresses we all have to deal with. Throw in demanding children, head lice (yeah, really), science fair projects, regenerating laundry pile and financial worries and the dailies begin to feel too much.

My pastor talked on Sunday about how we have an adversary as we seek to persevere in our faith. Ironically, as he finished his message that was when the adversary whacked me upside the head. Depression is a vicious weapon when aimed at a weary soul. The message?

“Would anyone even miss you if you weren’t here?”

Sounds a bit like “It’s a Wonderful Life,” doesn’t it? Ouch. My heart cracked as my brain sped into overdrive reciting all the things I do to use the gifts God has given me to honor and glorify him. As if my value is tied up in that?

Why would the enemy think he can use that line of attack? Because fellow believers have used it too, only with subtle changes in wording. The enemy doesn’t have to work too hard sometimes to defeat me.

So my day was spent spinning my wheels. I journaled a prayer, tried to watch a movie and couldn’t write. I repeatedly fed my kids. I gave up all attempts at productivity and sat down to read a novel. I started it the day before and struggled to set it aside. I read the last 300 pages of it. Done. Finished. LOVED it.

I wish my heart had a reset button. My computer has a reset to a previous version of a backup. If it gets corrupted, I can reset it and maybe lose some data but overcome perhaps another more damaging issue.

I prayed. I journaled. It wasn’t until I lost myself in the adventure, courage and perseverance of faith of someone else (yeah, fictional people, but still) that my heart recalibrated.

I’m still tired, but not as beaten down as I was earlier. The power of great fiction can be used by God in so many ways we often never realize. What an honor it is to be part of the business of putting stories like that into the hands, and hearts, of readers. Maybe it’s a selfish thing though, because I get the blessing of those words before the general public does.

I guess my train of thought is back on the tracks now. Whew!

 

 

Confessions of a Newbie Editor

Mar24
Reading Time: 3 minutes

A year ago I took a step of faith and became part of the Prism Book Group team, taking on the role of Acquisitions Editor. This article is not an attempt to brag, but more of a confession of sorts. prism logo

Lessons: I had never been an editor before, so there was a learning curve. Here is some of what I learned:

  • I discovered how much fear held me back until I had to push against deadlines to make sure my authors had books ready for publication.
  • I relished how good it feels to give an author that contract – and to celebrate with them when their dreams are in print for the world to read. 
  • I’ve developed a way of giving rejections that takes some of the sting out and helps writers grow. I may not contract them but I do still care. This was the scariest part of taking the job. I still don’t like to do it but at least I don’t crush dreams (or try not to).
  • I delight in encouraging authors at conferences.  

People. All the highlights this past year have shown up in the form of relationships:  

Lisa Lickel is the person who passed along the job opportunity with Prism. At first I couldn’t believe it. You think I could do what? But I asked friends, took a test (and passed) and prayed about it. Then I took the plunge and have not regretted it. She became the first author (in a group of four) that I signed. She protested, “I didn’t tell you to get the job so you would publish me!” I’m glad I did, as Brave New Century was a huge revelation. I worked with four different authors and stories all at once. Do you know how intimidating it was to edit an editor’s work as well as when she is a dear friend? She must not have minded Prism at all as she just came out with another novel, The Last Detail, in January. Because it wasn’t a strict romance, fellow editor Marcy Dyer did the honors of working on that book.

Anita Klumpers entrusted her debut novel to me and worked her butt off with such cheerfulness. Anything I threw at her she took and was grateful. Her attitude was such a bolster to me and a bit frightening. Sure. She had never been through this process before. But neither had I. Her novel was released on January 22nd. Just coming up the the title, Winter Watch, with her was an adventure in and of itself. I loved every minute.

Daisy Jerico also entrusted me with her fun novella and delivered the best pitch I ever heard to date. She talked like she loved her characters and she was telling the story of something that happened to a close friend. The Love Thief ebook has done well and if you want sassy and suspenseful romance – that book is pure delight. I must not have done too bad with her as she signed with me again. Sparks Fly is due out in July. Oh, and we’ve had coffee together and both emerged victorious during 2013’s NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month).

Paula Mowery was part of an anthology I had contracted and became interested in doing my job. Well, not my job, but the same position. There’s plenty of great fiction to go around! I have now worked with her on not one – but two books! Brave New Century released in November of 2013 and Love and Legacy released March 19, 2014.

Jacqueline Hopper is another Acquisitions Editor at Prism Book Group and an author in her own right. She has been a great support and willing to answer all kinds of questions to the newbie on the block. She helps with scheduling reviews and making teasers and trailers for our books. (Check out her novella The Gingerbread House!)

I also had the honor of working a repeat Prism author, Penelope Marzec on her book Patriot’s Heart which released in February.

Finally, I have to mention Joan Alley, the owner, and Editor-in-Chief of Prism Book Group. She was willing to take a chance on me and I am grateful she did as I have learned so much in the process about writing, about speaking, and about myself.

I’ll be honest. I did this as a way to earn a little income while waiting for my own books to come to print.

I gained something far more valuable in the process, and I am grateful.

Legacy and Love (Book Review)

Mar21
Reading Time: 2 minutes

LegacyandLove_ebook2 copy (1)The book, Legacy and Love by Paula Mowery is not just a book. In reality it is two romance novellas put together because they have similar themes of which the title represents.

The first story in the book is The Prayer Shawl. Sean Holland has dismissed the Christian faith and is living his life as a magazine reporter. Challenged by his editor to find a new story, he stumbles across Hope, a nurse at the hospital who makes prayer shawls for people who are sick.

Hope learned to make the shawls from the grandmother who has since died. With a strong faith in God she knits them together with love and a lot of prayer. Sean sees a story, but when multiple crisis hit Sean’s life, he turns to Hope for help. She has to decide how much to provide given the lack of his faith in God.

Inheritance is the second story in the book. Alex Lyndon has lost her job, is divorced and with little money in the bank. She discovers, on top of all that, her Granny Olivia, her only family left, is dying. She rushes to her side but is too late to talk much to her one last time. Instead her Granny has set her on a search with a cryptic message.

A mysterious check shows up along with a handsome man. Chase Carson is a book editor who ended up taking over the reigns of his family’s publishing company. His one get-away is to go see Granny Olivia only this time he arrives to find she has died. He’s heard about Alex but Alex has not heard about him nor had any clue of the secret Chase kept for Granny. Together they search for clues to the inheritance left, the missing document he needs and the purpose Alex has been desitined for all along. But can love survive the miles and the secrets still held? 

Two grandmothers with amazing legacies that impact far more than the people they leave them to. The butterfly effect is how one action can have a ripple throught time and impact, potentially, millions. This book tells two stories of such impacts in a beautiful way.