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Cooper Comments: Operation: Allegiance (Book Review)

Well, Mom finally is making me write book reviews and ironically she’s making me review a book she co-authored with her friend DeeDee Lake.

I will say that the biggest selling point in a book is 1) my Mom sits and reads so I can snuggle with her and 2) if there is a dog in it. This book excells in both those areas in my opinion (three dogs! Woof!)

Operation: Allegiance is book two in the Rules of Engagement Military Romance series and features Alexandros Sava who is an Army helicopter pilot wounded on the job (but not the kind of battle you might think – no spoilers!) He meets the twin of Brooke who features in book 1, Operation: Camouflage Christmas that came out last year. Kobbe is a twin and little less enamoured of the military lifestyle than her twin sister. So much so that she has vowed to never marry a military man.

God has a sense of humor right? Two individuals set on a path that would automatically keep them apart and yet somehow through as series of events works things out for love to bloom. Not without conflicts and barriers to ultimate happiness the authors work to bring it all out to a wonderful happily-ever-after ending.

I recommend this book highly. It has adventure, angst, family, love, conflict, faith, and suspense at times. And three dogs. Don’t forget the three dogs! Obediah, Lola, and Hunter show up in supporting roles although I admit my puppy dog heart ached for what Hunter endured. Although poodles are kind of silly dogs, I wouldn’t wish that on any dog. He’s OK though so don’t fret. Oh, and check out their Rules of Engagement blog: https://rulesofengagementmilitaryromance.com/ where they feature real life military stories!

Get this book! I highly recommended it and like my predecessor, Spatzle (RIP) I will give it five bones because I don’t have thumbs either. Or maybe I should give it five squeaky tennis balls? OK that will my thing now since I’m in charge here.

Writer Wednesday: Cathy Krafve

May4

Today I welcome author Cathy Krafve as she shares a little bit about her writing.

When did you decide you would be an author? Was it something you fell into, felt called to…?

I call myself an accidental everything. Podcaster, speaker, comedienne, you name it. But really, from the beginning I knew I wanted three things, to write, to pray, and to be a mom. Those last two go together well, don’t they?

What’s your pet peeve?

I try to control myself about double standards and hypocrisy. Politicians tend to make me a little crazy, for example. Yep, I have to dial it down. But seriously, hypocrisy is dangerous for the hypocrite, and we’ve all been there. That’s why Jesus called hypocrisy out with so much strength and love.

What was your most embarrassing moment as a writer?

Since my books came out I find myself on stage a lot more. I’m kinda klutzy. Klutziness is a gift; the gift of humility. Recently, I stumbled and my friend jumped up from the pew to catch me. I announced into the mic, “See, God is just like my friend. He knows we’ll stumble and He’s ready to catch us!” Tripping is pretty inevitable, so I just try to roll with it, sometimes literally!

What has been your most difficult challenge as an author?

Not bragging about how great the books turned out. People don’t realize how surprised I am. But I had amazing teams of people helping me on both books. My editors and publishers are super-stars!

How do you process rejections and/or negative reviews?

The reviews have amazed me. If I have negative reviews, I don’t know it. I’m too busy pedaling so my life stays upright. Besides, my books are not for everybody. After the first person told me the first book helped them figure out some stuff, I quit worrying about reviews. One person helped is enough for me. But so many people tell us they’re sharing our books with their friends. We hear their sacred stories and we rejoice!

What do you feel is the best success so far in your writing career?

Beyond success, we feel blessed! My whole family joins me in feeling like God is blessing us all in this process. We see Him in action. Plus, we do so many of our tasks as a family; jumping in and helping each other. For example, Anna, our oldest daughter is a frequent co-host of Fireside Talk Radio and we just finished the manuscript for a book together. Family conversations on Sunday at lunch are energetic and hilarious!

What is your current work in process?

Right now, I’ve been focused on getting the word out about Marriage Conversations: from co-existing to cherished. Mainly because we notice a need for women to feel they have options when it comes to rebooting stagnant marriages. A lot of women feel lonely in their life. We’ve all had those isolated moments. The Well: the art of drawing out authentic conversations focuses on moving from isolation to influence in our communities. So the books are very different, but complementary. I am writing the sequels for both this year. Plus, Anna and I are working on the next book in our series of character/communication building for moms and teachers of elementary-age children.

Bio:

Queen of Fun and Coffee Cup Philosopher Cathy Krafve puts a snappy spin on deeply spiritual truths. Host of Fireside Talk Radio and author of books about communication, Cathy understands life is about companionship and community. Truth with a Texas twang spoken here!

Website: CathyKrafve.com

Newsletter: Join the Fireside Tribe at CathyKrafve.com

Facebook: Cathy Krafve

Pinterest: Pinterest

Twitter: Twitter

Amazon Page: amazon.com/author/cathykrafve

Latest book release: Marriage Conversations: from co-existing to cherished

Writer Wednesday: Lindsey Bell

Apr6

I’d love you to welcome author Lindsey Bell to Writer Wednesday! I really do enjoy hearing how unique each author’s journey is. Be blessed.

When did you decide you would be an author? Was it something you fell into, felt called to…?

I have loved writing for as long as I can remember, but I didn’t actually take it seriously until a college professor urged me to send in an article I had written. That article was accepted for publication, and that’s when I thought, “Maybe I’m not too bad at this!” That first article gave me the courage to send in another. And then another. And then another. And that eventually led me to write books as well.

One quote that stuck with me that I read years ago was from Kaci Calvaresi. She said, “God can’t use a redemptive story that you’re not willing to tell.” THAT, for me, is why I write…so that God can use my story to help others.

What’s your pet peeve?

I think my pet peeve -which is completely unrelated to writing – is when people don’t do what they say they are going to do.

What was your most embarrassing moment as a writer?

My most embarrassing moment as a writer..that’s a tough one. I’m a people-pleaser and I don’t like conflict, so I think my most embarrassing moment as a writer was when I wrote something that faced criticism. It was difficult to NOT take it personally.

What has been your most difficult challenge as an author?

There are two aspects of being an author that are especially challenging for me: facing criticism and building an audience. I’ve always struggled with self-promotion, especially as a Christian author. It’s challenging to find that sweet spot between sharing God’s story and sharing your own…shining the light on Him versus shining the light on yourself.

How do you process rejections and/or negative reviews?

Not well, lol 🙂 In my head, I know it’s not personal, but in my heart, that is sometimes hard to accept. The best thing I can tell myself is that this particular person was not my target audience. My message must be meant for someone else. It’s also important to learn from the negative reviews that offer helpful feedback. I have a sticky note on my computer that reads, “Mistakes are evidence that you tried.” This note helps remind me that failure (or negative reviews, in this case) can also be helpful, and, if nothing else, they show that I tried…that I put myself out there…that I gave it my best effort.

What do you feel is the best success so far in your writing career?

My books for sure, especially Unbeaten. That is my heart on the page…God’s story in my life.

What is your current work in process?

I’m at the very beginning brainstorming process of my next book, so I’m actually not sure.

Bio:

Lindsey Bell is the author of Unbeaten and Searching for Sanity. She’s passionate about her two silly boys, her husband Keith, books of all kinds, and delicious dark chocolate. Her desire is to inspire and encourage other believers through honest dialogue about faith, family, and learning to love the life she’s been given. As a woman who has lost four babies to miscarriage, Lindsey loves helping others find God in the midst of heartache. Find Lindsey online at www.lindseymbell.com.