Jennifer AlLee and The Mother Road

logo designed by Lisa Karon Richardson

graphic by armee003   

I hope you're all ready for a trip down the Mother Road. Believe it or not, until I read this book, I didn't know Route 66 was known as the Mother Road. Nor did I know all of the interesting sights one would see when traveling along the route. Today I'm happy to share my interview with Jennifer, and I'll try to avoid any silly puns like "buckle up" or "let's hit the road." (Shh, don't tell anyone, but I think I already ruined that little plan.)

Probably the most over-asked question in author interviews is the one readers want to know the most: What inspired this story? I guess I'd specifically like to know if you started with a germ of an idea and it grew from there, or did you brainstorm and plot it out with a fully formed concept before you started writing?

The story started with this idea: what would a marriage expert do if her own marriage fell apart? From there, I thought about all the other things that could go wrong in her life, like dealing with an estranged sister and a mother who had early-onset Alzheimer's. Lindsay's wild-child persona developed on its own. It was a nice surprise!

photo by Astrid_Habraken

Where did the Route 66 idea come from, and did you really travel it?

In order to create more chaos for poor Natalie, I decided she and Lindsay needed to be forced to spend a lot of time together. A road trip was the natural choice, and what better road trip than on Route 66? Unfortunately, I was not able to travel the entire road. But I lived right on Route 66 in Duarte, California for about 15 years, so I'm pretty familiar with all the Southern California bits of the Mother Road.

As someone who’s never been on Route 66, I just have to ask, how many of those quirky sites (or sights) are the real thing?

Believe it or not, every single one of the Route 66 sights I wrote about is real. The road is so iconic, it was very important that I get the facts right. You really can go to Oatman and see burros roaming the streets. And those concrete wigwams really do exist. The only location in the book that's made up is Beaumont, Illinois, where Natalie's parents live. For that town, I needed the flexibility of creating a town out of thin air.

courtesy of bretz

Total fluff question: Have you ever stayed in a wigwam? (Okay, that question might seem bizarre until one reads the book, but I just have to know). If you haven't, how did you research it?

No, I haven't slept in a wigwam, but I hear they're pretty cozy ;) I'm not normally a plotter, but for this book, I had to sit down and figure out not only where the route was, but what sights the sisters would see along the way and how long it would take them to get to each one. This required lots of research: books, DVDs, YouTube videos... I immersed myself in Route 66. I even played the Cars soundtrack from time to time to put me in the right mood.

Sibling relationships can be so up and down. Did you draw from experience to portray the relationship between these two sisters so realistically?

I have two sisters, but we didn't grow up together. We met as adults and had none of the issues that Natalie and Lindsay have. But, when I was 14, my brother, Josh, came along (I did live with him). There's a scene in the book when Natalie remembers being 14 and being called into the obstetrician's office so she can hear the heartbeat of her soon-to-be-born sibling. That scene (and the Star Wars joke) is actually what happened when I was in that same situation.

The emotions surrounding the baby issue really struck me. It's an issue that can stir up a lot of emotion for many readers. The other serious issue you deal with in this book is that of a parent with Alzheimer's. How did you research those two issues?

I think any woman who's had a baby can relate to the pain of not being able to have one, as well as the fear and confusion of an unplanned pregnancy. So for all the baby issues, I drew on my own experiences and feelings. Dealing with Alzheimer's took quite a bit more research. Again, the internet was a great tool. And personal experience came in handy here, too. My great grandmother (who I lived with as a child) exhibited signs of Alzheimer's before she died. She didn't know who any of us were and she was disoriented and detached. It's a hard thing to have to live through.

By metalcat37

Did you set out to write a serious book infused with humor, or did the humor just naturally find its way into the book?

The humor just found its way in. I'm one of those people who deals with difficult situations through
sarcasm and making jokes. So it just comes out in my writing.

Was it difficult to find a balance between the serious and the humorous?

No, it wasn't difficult. It's how I naturally deal with life, and I shared it with my characters.

How did you settle on the viewpoint? I must tell you, I don't usually read books with this particular point of view, but I realize now it's not the viewpoint that pulls me in, but the author's voice. You totally pulled me in and the viewpoint was done so well and so naturally.

Thank you, Suzie! I'm really glad you connected with it. To be honest, I didn't put a lot of thought into which viewpoint to use. The first line that came to my mind (and is still the first line of the book) was "I cannot get a divorce." That set the tone of the story and it flowed from there.

Is there spiritual message you want to leave with your readers?

That a woman's identity lies not in whose wife she is or how successful her career is. Her identity lies in whose daughter she is: God's daughter.

Where is your writing taking you next? Do you have any plans for revisiting the characters from this book in the future?

Next up for me is A Wild Goose Chase Christmas, a contemporary romance that's the second book in Abingdon's new Quilts of Love series. Izzy Fontaine is a former ballet dancer whose grandmother has just died and left her an heirloom quilt. Things get complicated when museum director Max Logan claims that Gran promised him the quilt. And when Izzy's mother and brother catch wind that the quilt may hold the key to a great treasure, they want a piece of it, too. Things get a little crazy as Izzy tries to keep the peace, deal with the charismatic Max, and figure out what Gran was trying to tell her. As for the characters from The Mother Road, I have no plans for a sequel at the moment... but who knows. There's always time for one more journey.

Jen, I love the title A Wild Goose Chase Christmas. I can't wait to read it. In the meantime, I hope everyone takes the opportunity to read The Mother Road. You won't be disappointed.

I'll be giving away a copy of The Mother Road. If you'd like to be considered for the drawing, please leave a comment along with your encrypted mail (me [@] lovelyreader [dot] com) during the week of April 22nd through April 29th 2012.

You can visit Jennifer AlLee's website at http://jenniferallee.blogspot.com/

Disclaimer: I did receive a copy of this book in exchange for my endorsement - but I loved it anyway!

The Lord's Great Delight

by Suzie Johnson

"And a voice from heaven said, 'This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.'" ~ Matthew 3:17

Most, if not all of us reading this blog, long to please the Lord in some way. I know I do. Fortunately, since I tend to fail a lot, I’m covered by His grace.

courtesy of thebiblerevival.com

I have this long standing image of the Lord holding out His arms, face beaming, as He says words similar to those same ones He spoke over Jesus when he was baptized in the Jordan River, "You are my child, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."

The very thought fills my entire being with a warm glow and I feel incredibly loved.

I don’t think I’ve ever shared this with anyone, not even my sister. But somehow she must have known because she sent me a card this week with an unfamiliar scripture on the front. I may have read it before and stored it in my subconscious, but I can’t be sure. I do wonder though, if this is where I came by my initial image of God being pleased with me.

"The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing." ~ Zephaniah 3:17

courtesy of thebiblerevival.com 

I never imagined God taking delight in me. Pleased, yes, but taking that concept deeper to Him taking great delight in me – it’s a new thought for me. Even more so, the image of Him singing over me with joy, gives me a sense of gladness so deep down in my soul, I can barely express what I’m feeling.

Music has always drawn me close to the Lord. This fact and the timing of my sister choosing a card with this scripture has reminded me that God’s timing is perfection. That she sent me this scripture at this particular time – God must have been sitting on her shoulder while she looked at cards and nudged her toward this one. My desire to give my best in whatever I do has been renewed because of it. (Thank you, Pam!)

I now have a burning desire to attain the utmost in this scripture – the part where not only is God delighting in me, He’s singing over me with joy!

What images do you hold onto of God?
Did they come from scriptures you read, or from something you were taught?

Sakura: All the world is Pink and White

by Suzie Johnson

Cherry blossom time
Showers of pink and white
Small girl is happy

I originally posted this on the Inkwell Inspirations blog in 2010, and wanted to share it again since it's spring, the cherry trees are blooming, and the sun is shining. If you've read it before, I hope you enjoy it again.

When my husband and I were first married, we had two beautiful cherry trees in front of our house. In fact, our entire street was lined with them. It made me feel incredibly lucky because each spring when those trees would bloom and the blossoms would cascade to the soft green grass below, it reminded me of one of the most special times of my childhood.

When the city decided to chop our trees down for a beautification project, I was not happy. How dare they take away something of mine that stirred my heart every time I looked at them? And as for that beautification project? It turned out to be an ugly shoulder between the road and the newly cemented sidewalk where my trees once stood. It didn't help that we had to actually pay for their little project.

However, they could take away my cherry trees but they couldn’t take away my memories. Memories that, each year when the fragile blooms appear, transport me back to Japan, where I lived when I was a little girl.

Living in Japan as a child was a wondrous experience. Origami, Mount Fuji, riding the bullet train, and learning to speak Japanese. White cranes, pagodas, and running through the villages where the incredibly kind market vendors loved me and my friends and would give us Japanese treats. (Thanks Carol for helping my memory burst to life last year with the dried peas and rice cakes!) 

It should be noted that we were expressly forbidden to go to the villages, but my friends and I couldn’t help but sneak off and run through the fields anyway with my baby sister toddling behind. I guess I was a little on the non-compliant side when I was little. My poor mother had a terrible time keeping track of me.

I honestly can’t tell you how old I was, maybe eight years old, when we traveled from Yokusaka to Kamakura for the annual Cherry Blossom Festival where the Japanese people celebrate the beauty of the cherry blossom. Though I really had no idea what to expect, I bounced with anticipation. We had been learning to dance to a song in school called Sakura. The word Sakura refers to the cherry blossom on the Japanese cherry trees. Even after forty years, I can still remember standing in a circle practicing the words and then singing and dancing to the music.

I’m not sure I really knew what to expect at the Festival, or if I even knew what a Cherry Blossom Festival was. But the cherry blossom song was special to me, and that was really all I needed to know. The other source of my excitement: my parents’ friends, Tom and his Japanese wife, Setsu, would be accompanying us that day. Tom was as fun as Setsu was sweet, and they meant the world to me. I simply adored them. Any opportunity to spend time with Setsu was special. Setsu lived in a traditional Japanese house, and I loved it when we went to visit her.

The parade was spectacular. Samurai warriors led the parade, followed by Japanese girls in their kimonos. Dancers in costumes twirled colorful wood and paper umbrellas. The emperor and his wife (or people portraying them) were carried in on separate carriages. I was in awe. But perhaps the most amazing part of the entire day was standing on the cherry-tree-lined street under those wonderful pink and white trees with the occasional petal floating in the air around me.

Setsu, Japan, and blossoming cherry trees are forever tied together in my heart. When I see cherry blossoms I think of Japan and of Setsu, and I’m a little girl again, twirling in the street, dancing to the song about the cherry trees.

I remember being heartbroken when the time came to say goodbye to Tom and Setsu. Whether they moved back to the United States before we did, I don’t remember. I just remember how sad I was when I didn’t see her anymore. But God is so good. Just a few years ago, almost forty years later, I was able to see Setsu again. The years fell away and I was a little girl again, laughing, crying, and hugging my sweet Setsu. My mother, my sister, and Setsu and I had a very blessed time together that day, and I’m so thankful we did, because she passed away not long after that. 

Below are the words to Sakura, as well as the English translation, followed by a You Tube video. You may be surprised to discover you’ve heard the song before. And while it’s as lovely as I remembered, the song doesn’t give credit to the creator of those lovely blossoms and I would be remiss if I didn’t.

Thank you, Lord for these heavenly flowers and the joy they bring to my heart when I see them. And, during this most holy time of year when blossoming flowers of all types remind us that all things are new, thank you for the rebirth, renewal and hope we have in you.

Is there a flower that inspires a special memory for you?

Sakura

sakura sakura 

no-yama mo sato mo 

mi-watasu kagiri 

kasumi ka kumo ka 

asahi ni niou 

sakura sakura 

hana-zakari 

sakura sakura 

yayoi no sora wa 

mi-watasu kagiri 

kasumi ka kumo ka 

nioi zo izuru 

iza ya iza ya 

mi ni yukan 

And the English translation:

Cherry Blossoms

Cherry blossoms, cherry blossoms, 

Blanketing the countryside, 

As far as you can see. 

Is it a mist, or clouds? 

Fragrant in the morning sun. 

Cherry blossoms, cherry blossoms, 

Flowers in full bloom. 

Cherry blossoms, cherry blossoms, 

Across the Spring sky, 

As far as you can see. 

Is it a mist, or clouds? 

Fragrant in the air. 

Come now, come, 

Let's look, at last!

Pictures courtesy of www.sxc.hu

If the You Tube video below doesn't display for you, and you'd like to hear Sakura, sung and demonstrated with hand motions, you may view it here:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQoT0j1Jiqg

How Do You Handle Your TBR?

Hardly a week goes by where I don't hear someone mention their TBR stack (pile, shelf, tower, whatever) – be it physical or virtual – and bemoan the fact that there’s never enough time to read everything.

courtesy of nkzs at http://www.sxc.hu/

So let’s talk about our TBRs (that’s what I’m going to call them for the rest of this post).

Over on my group blog, Inkwell Inspirations, Debra E. Marvin once mentioned she was thinking about re-creating Stonehenge with her stack of books. I laughed at the image, but in all seriousness most of us do have enough books that we really could build something out of them. I know I’m happily guilty of the very same thing.

So I was wondering… how do you manage your TBR? Do you organize your books alphabetically, by author, by date of purchase, by genre, or in order of what you think you want to read next?

For my physical TBR, I don’t have an organized system. I have little stacks in the bedroom and computer room, a box in the garage, and some on a shelf in the hall closet. They aren’t in any particular order. Neither are my NOOK books. However, on the NOOK there’s a front page where you can organize the books you want to read by cover for easy access. I love, love, love this feature! I always put the newest most exciting ones there, but if I get a new book that I think I’ll want to read before that one, say a Julie Klassen or Vicki Hinze, I’ll just bump a few back into the NOOK “library”.

I do tend to read by genre first. Inspirational suspense is almost always what I’ll read first, followed by favorite authors, unless there is something so gripping that it has to wend its way up to the top. Like Dina Sleiman’s Dance of the Dandelion or Lisa Bergren’s new YA time travel inspirationals.

I know people who keep lists of every book they’re read, and every book they buy, so they can cross them off and make sure they don’t read them again. I can’t operate that way. Not that there’s anything wrong with it. I just don’t have time to be that organized. I work hard enough being organized at my job, I can’t handle it in my reading life since that’s where I go to relax.

courtesy of nkzs at http://www.sxc.hu/

For those of you who have a Kindle, NOOK, or other reading device (or even those who read on the computer) do you have a virtual TBR as well as a physical one? I do have to say my physical one has shrunk somewhat since I bought the NOOK, but I think it’s always good to have a physical book on hand just in case the battery runs low on the NOOK due to excessive all-night reading sessions. If any of you have ever found yourself without a book to read, you know exactly what I mean.

My next question is the biggie. How many books do you currently have in your TBR? Anyone care to share? Go ahead, go and count. I’ll wait. I’ll share mine, too. It did take me a while to count. Oh, and before you ask, YES you can count your research books but let’s put them in their own category. I think they’re fair game because most of us get as much enjoyment out of doing research as we do reading fiction.

So here’s my list:

• Virtual: 151 (NOOK)
• Physical: 38 (all I can say is WOW! When compared to the NOOK, I can see I've really depleted my paper TBR since buying it. It's better for my allergies, I suppose.)
• Research: 44 (Okay, I know I have many more somewhere, but I'm not digging through dusty boxes in the garage to count them. And chances are, since they're out there, I may not ever use them again. But still...I have to hang on to them. Just in case...)

Wow. I have a lot of reading ahead of me, but I have five more months of heavy-duty schoolwork ahead with little time to read, so I know before I’m finished with school my list will have grown some more.

courtesy of cafe-ole at http://www.sxc.hu/

So why, when we have these huge stacks of books do we continue to buy more? I’ll go out on a limb and say for me I think it’s a little bit of an OCD thing. I’m constantly searching for new books by xyz author because even though I know her next book isn’t coming out for a month or two, I want to make sure it doesn’t sneak out early. There was a time when I’d snatch the books up because if you didn’t buy as soon as they became available, they would be gone. That changed with the advent of Amazon, and you can get most any book now, even if it’s out of print. And then there’re the e-versions. If a book comes out electronically, there’s a fairly good chance you’ll be able to buy it when you’re ready to read it. But it’s hard for me to change that habit of constantly searching. Again, probably the OCD thing.

I’ve asked a lot of questions here, and I hope you’ll give me an answer or two: How do you organize your TBR? Is it virtual or physical or do you combine the best of both worlds? How do you choose what you’re going to read, and how many books are in your TBR?

Megan's Hero by Sharon Gillenwater

Readers who want to fall in love with a true hero need look no further than Megan’s Hero, by Sharon Gillenwater. If I could give out a hero-of-the-year award, it would go to Will Callahan the dashing, tender-hearted, swoon-worthy hero of Sharon’s latest book.

Megan’s Hero is the third book in The Callahans of Texas series. But don’t worry if you haven’t read the first two books in this series, it’s not necessary in order to enjoy this book. However, I’m willing to bet you’ll enjoy this one so much you’ll make sure to go back and read the other two books.

I was privileged enough to hear the story line for Megan's Hero before it was written. From that moment, when it was still a brainstorm, I've waited to hold the printed book in my hand and devour the story – even more-so after reading the first two books in this series. It was well worth the wait because when I finished this book, I was happily satisfied.

Unfortunate circumstances cost Megan Smith her job. Now, pregnant, unmarried, and down to her last few dollars, she's reduced to living in her van. But when a tornado blows across the road, and destroys her van, her life is about to change forever.


Enter one seemingly too-good-to-be-true hero.

Will finds himself almost immediately smitten with the sweet mother-to-be, but there are things about her that don't add up: her reluctance to talk about her family, a secret past, and the fact that his father's private investigators could find nothing about her. What is Megan hiding, and will the truth about her past be devastating enough to keep them from pursuing a relationship?

With a little help from the rest of the Callahan crew, Will lives up to his title as the perfect hero for Megan’s wounded heart in this incredibly romantic story.

I have had favorite writers let me down with the second or third book in a series before, but not Sharon. Curling up with a book of hers is like curling up in front of the fire with family, friends and hot chocolate. Or maybe with some popcorn, Dr. Pepper, and a warm blanket. Either way, it’s comforting, soothing, and satisfying.

I love the risk Sharon takes with her unwed and homeless heroine. The way Megan struggles to overcome her past as well as her present troubles in order to find a promising future makes this heart-grabbing book the perfect one for a weekend-read.

Click here if you'd like to read my reviews of the first two books in this series.

Sharon grew up on Thompson's Ranch in the Rolling Plains of West Texas, near Colorado City. Her father was ranch foreman, and her parents lived there for over fifty years. The six thousand acre ranch provided pasture for Hereford cattle and an occasional Texas Longhorn, as well as fields of grain and grass to feed the stock and the primary crop, cotton. Love and marriage took Sharon across the country to state of Washington, but Texas is still dear to her heart.

Her books are honest down home love stories with laughter, conflict and sometimes tragedy that carries the reader along. The power of God working in the lives of the main characters is always evident as is their relationship to Him.

She again brings you the wonderful people, small towns and West Texas region she loves in Jenna's Cowboy, Emily's Chance and Megan's Hero in the Callahans of Texas series.

For Sharon, writing romance novels is a ministry. God has given her the talent to write, and she uses it to serve Him. She depends on Him to give her stories that will inspire, heal, entertain and bring her readers closer to Jesus.

Click here to visit Sharon’s website.

Introducing author Dina Sleiman

Over at Inkwell Inspirations, we recently celebrated fellow Inky Dina Sleiman's debut novel, Dance of the Dandelion. I'm reprinting my interview with Dina here, and including some questions and answers I wasn't able to include the first time. Dance of the Dandelion published by Whitefire Publishing is a work of inspirational fiction, set in Medieval England. I'll be giving away a copy of Dina's book to one person who leaves a comment and their email address so I can contact them. Just leave your comment before midnight on November 1st, 2011.

Dina is a multi-faceted woman who both inspires and fascinates me. In part it’s the wisdom and beauty in her blog posts, in part her poetic nature, and in part it’s the love and joy that shines through her when she’s worshiping and celebrating through dance. Not surprisingly, these elements are infused throughout Dandelion.

“Life is a dance, from the swirling cosmos circling earth, to the subtle harmony of bodies, to the measured cadence of minute particles hidden deep within…”

~~ Dina Sleiman in Dance of the Dandelion

Dina, your poetry is magical, and I absolutely love the poem at the beginning of the book. You incorporated a lot of poetry into this book. Can you tell us a little bit about this?

I fell in love with poetry in college when I had teachers who really helped me to "get it." It's such a lovely form. I define it as the art of words. Like a sculptor uses clay or an artist uses paint, a poet uses words to create a work of beauty. After finishing my M.A. in Professional Writing, I continued to take M.F.A. classes in poetry through a local university. At the time, the head of their poetry department was a Christian man who helped me to understand how to properly convey spiritual themes through poems. He also taught me about the medieval mystics, who are now my very favorite poets. They had such amazing intimate relationships with Christ, and they inspired a collection of poems I wrote in 1999. Several of those poems were published in small journals.

That is part of the reason I chose the medieval period for Dandelion. So it was only natural for me to include some of my poems. I changed them slightly to better fit the medieval form used by poets such as St. Francis of Assisi, St. Catherine of Sienna, Thomas Aquinas, and Hildegard von Bingen. Initially I used actual poetry by these historical figures, but I quickly realized there were too many issues with copyrights since I wanted to use contemporary translations. I also wrote some poetry specifically for the book in the style of the Islamic poet Rabia of Basri. You'll have to read the book to see how I incorporated that.

As for the poem in the beginning, at first it was just part of a prologue. Due to some changes in the structure of the book, the editor and I decided the prologue wasn't needed. But I couldn't bear to lose that section. We decided I should rewrite it as a poem. I'm very happy with the results. I hope I'll be allowed to start all of my books with poems.

What is your favorite historical setting to write in?

Definitely Medieval. I’ve tried to think of stories I would like to write set in America, and my mind always runs directly to hard to market topics like slavery, the oppression of the Indians, the early days of the American theatre. Maybe someday I’ll write something like that. I could also see myself writing in the Biblical era.

When did you begin writing?

Probably in 5th grade when I penned a short story about a Venetian alien who came to earth. By high school I was in love with fiction, and knew I would want to write novels at some point. In college I discovered you could actually get a graduate degree in writing, and I couldn’t dream of anything I would rather do. But after earning my Masters, I spent the next twelve years primarily raising (yes, I know it’s supposed to be rearing, but that’s just weird) my kids and being involved in church ministry. Finally, in 2006 I felt that God was guiding me to get serious about my writing. That’s when I wrote the first draft of Dandelion—which would be nearly unrecognizable at this point.

What is your favorite historical setting to read?

The main thing for me is that I want to feel like I traveled somewhere new and learned something exciting. So once I’ve read a few books in any given time and place, I’m ready to move on to the next. Prairie. Been there and done that with Jeanette Oake. Gold rush. Check. Clearly, I am not the typical Christian fiction reader. I love books set in India, Africa, and China. One of my all time favorite ABA romances was set in Afghanistan and India. I love history, but I don’t really enjoy research and nonfiction very much. For me, novels are a lazy way to learn history. LOL. I’m only partly serious. I feel like in a novel you can really absorb the culture and mindset of the people on a deeper level.

I will admit, though, that I do read anything I can get my hands on set in the middle ages.

Could you explain your "tagline" and the meaning behind it?

My tagline is: Dance with Passion. Because I write in several genres, I wanted something that would really capture me. My first try was “Lyrical stories that dance with light.” I shared this with marketing expert, Jim Rubart, in a class one time. He said it was too long, and I should focus in on dance since that’s really different and interesting. I tried out Dance with Passion, and it worked.

I’ve been leading dance worship ministries in churches for most of the last seventeen years, so dance has been a huge part of my life. For a long time, it was the way I best connected to God and entered into his presence. Dance provides an amazing opportunity to discover intimacy with Christ and to worship him with your whole being.

To me, Dance with Passion means to seize life. To do everything with all your might and heart. It means to live free from burdens and hindrances and to flow in the Holy Spirit’s unforced rhythms of grace. I think this is the message that shines through all of my writing.

Once I decided on the tagline, I dragged my husband to the beach for a photo shoot of me dancing along the shoreline. I then built my whole website around this concept. Jim Rubart heartily approved. LOL.

Are there any more medieval books in your future?

Good question. Anytime I write a book, the characters and settings stick with me. So I do have more ideas for medieval novels. Unfortunately, writing them is not necessarily the best career move for me right now (unless of course Dandelion picks up and sells like crazy—so if you like it, be sure to spread the word.)

What I might do, is work on some YA medieval romances. Sounds like this would be a better market for the time period. And, it will allow me to make my characters younger, which is actually more historically accurate.

Dina's lovely family
Her beautiful daughter graces the cover of Dance of the Dandelion

What can your readers expect next?

My next project is actually a contemporary series. Book one is called Dance from Deep Within. It’s the story of a veiled Muslim, a blonde ballerina, and a bi-racial hippie chick. All three are returning college students. They meet over a group project on diversity and search together for meaning and truth. On one hand it is sort of issue driven, but at the same time, each girl has her own romance and story arc, which keeps the plot exciting. The genre is very different than Dandelion, but the themes are similar. In it I explore worship, intimacy with Christ, and inner-healing just like in Dandelion, only against a contemporary backdrop.

I can’t wait to read your next book, Dina. Thank you so much for answering my questions today. I wish you much success with Dandelion, and with your writing career. In the meantime, I want readers to know that Dance of the Dandelion is lyrical, magical, and lovely. I didn’t want to stop reading, even when I’d reached the end.

I’ll leave everyone with the scripture quote Dina used in her book, and a link where you can view some of her awesome dance and worship videos.

“We played a flute for you, and you did not dance…” 

~~Matthew 11:17

http://www.youtube.com/my_videos?feature=mhee
http://www.youtube.com/user/muzeshn#p/u/13/bLO3w8FMnl0

You can visit Dina's website at: http://dinasleiman.com/
You can visit Whitefire Publishing's website at: http://www.whitefire-publishing.com/

Sharon Gillenwater's The Callahan's of Texas series

I'm reviewing Megan's Hero, book three of Sharon Gillenwater's The Callahan's of Texas series over at Inkwell Inspirations today (Saturday, July 16th). Stop by and leave a comment before midnight tonight, because I'll be giving away a copy of the book to one lucky person. In the meantime, I thought I'd reprint my reviews of the first two books in this series. 

Jenna's Cowboy

Let’s get the important stuff over with right up front. . . .

This is one gorgeous book cover!

If you’re the type of person who buys a book based on the cover…then here you go. This particular cowboy, with those devastating blue eyes, should have this book flying off the shelves. But while it’s fun to dish about cute guys on the front of a book, how many of you would really buy a book for that reason alone? There’s so much more to this book than just the good looking guy. There’s a very believable cowboy suffering from an emotionally painful, very real and heart-wrenching disorder.

My favorite books to read, whether historical or contemporary, are always set in small towns. The cozy hometown feel has such an appeal to me. I love the fact that everyone knows each other, went to school together, and watches each others’ kids grow up. They band together to celebrate the wonderful things and they help each other through the tough times. Yes, you have your quirky characters, snooty characters, busy-bodies, and the occasional bad guy. But those are all the special extras that give a book its flavor.

Lucky for me, Jenna’s Cowboy is set in just such a town. Actually, the setting is based on author Sharon Gillenwater’s actual hometown, in West Texas. Maybe that’s why it curled all the way around my heart as I read it. Or maybe it’s the truly wonderful spirit Sharon creates in her characters. Not that they’re perfect. Like all satisfying books, her characters must experience the ups and downs of life and grow stronger in both in spirit and in faith. It’s because of those characters and the way Sharon shapes them that I always look forward to her books.

Nate Langley is a hometown hero. And he’s a true-blue Christian romance novel hero, the kind of hero that makes even the most cynical heart melt. Of course, he doesn’t want any special recognition for the sacrifices he made while serving his country. He did what any man who loves his country would do. But now it’s time to come home and help his father run the farm, time to be a cowboy, and though he might not know it yet, it’s time for Nate to heal. It might even be time to win the heart of one very special woman—the woman he’s been in love with since he was fifteen years old.

Jenna Callahan Colby is a woman who also has a lot of healing to do. She knows first hand the pain of betrayal. Could Nate possibly be the cowboy who can help her through it?

Right at the beginning of the book as Nate watches Jenna interact with some local teenagers, this book stole my heart. Actually, it gripped me even before that, when I read the very special dedication at the beginning of the book followed by the beautiful passage from Isaiah.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, the pain of divorce and betrayal, trusting the Lord to get through it all... All are very serious, very real issues, and Sharon handles them with the tenderness and sensitivity they deserve. She gives readers a deeper understanding for the effect war has on our young men and women, all the while leading us down the path of a blossoming romance.

This book is filled with heart-warming scenes and heart-aching scenes. I found my eyes filling with tears more than once.

When Jenna and Nate meet for the first time in the book, I couldn’t help but smile. It takes a special writer to blend serious issues with heartwarming romance and a touch of humor, and Sharon Gillenwater is just such an author. If you’ve read her books before, you know you’re about to read something special. If you’ve never read one of her books, you truly won’t want to miss this one. Her book Love Song remains one of my all time favorites, but I think Jenna’s Cowboy may have just pushed that one into second place.

I hope you’ll grab a copy of Jenna’s Cowboy, settle into your favorite reading spot, and let the entire world fade away while you escape to Small-Town-USA…my favorite place to be.

Emily's Chance

People in Callahan Crossing have a lot of pieces to pick up after a fire destroys much of the town. Emily Rose Denny is there to work on the town’s historical museum. And though Chance Callahan doesn’t see how restoring the museum will help the town recover after the fire, he’s glad to help, and even more glad that Emily is here to stay for a while.

The romance between these two characters evolves naturally and delightfully, and the book is filled with touching moments between Chance, Emily, and his parents. She doesn’t have the best of relationships with her own parents, and yet she fits into Chance’s family so perfectly.

Emily tries to keep herself from falling in love, knowing she’s only in town for the duration of the job. When it’s over, she’ll pack her suitcase and head for the big city, where she’ll try to land an even bigger job. But will she find that God has led her to this town for a different purpose?

When she makes a shocking discovery while restoring the museum, it causes Chance to question everything he’s ever believed in. And as he helps with the project, he hopes to convince Emily to give up her dream of being a curator at a large museum in Dallas and stay in Callahan Crossing—with him.

I love the small-town feel of this book, as well as every book Sharon writes. The setting is so vivid, I feel like I’m right there. The characters are so real; I can picture them laughing, talking, and interacting with each other. Sharon never fails to bring a smile to my face and evoke at least one tear from my cynical eyes.

Like I did, you’ll fall in love with these characters, and the charm of Sharon’s natural storytelling voice.

Sharon Gillenwater grew up on Thompson's Ranch in the Rolling Plains of West Texas, near Colorado City. Her father was ranch foreman, and her parents lived there for over fifty years. The six thousand acre ranch provided pasture for Hereford cattle and an occasional Texas Longhorn, as well as fields of grain and grass to feed the stock and the primary crop, cotton. Love and marriage took Sharon across the country to state of Washington, but Texas is still dear to her heart

Her books are honest down home love stories with laughter, conflict and sometimes tragedy that carries the reader along. The power of God working in the lives of the main characters is always evident as is their relationship to Him.

She again brings you the wonderful people, small towns and West Texas region she loves Jenna's Cowboy, Emily's Chance and Megan's Hero in the Callahans of Texas series.

For Sharon, writing romance novels is a ministry. God has given her the talent to write, and she uses it to serve Him. She depends on Him to give her stories that will inspire, heal, entertain and bring her readers closer to Jesus.

Visit Sharon’s website:
http://www.sharongillenwater.com/
Read the Romantic Times Author’s Spotlight on Sharon:
http://www.rtbookreviews.com/stage/sharon.html
To read some fun facts about how Sharon created the town of Callahan Crossing:
http://petticoatsandpistols.com/2010/01/02/sharon-gillenwater-excuse-me-may-i-borrow-part-of-your-ranch/

photo credits:
cowboy boots courtesy of scotsxc at http://www.sxc.hu
wild horses courtesy of guitargoa at www.sxc.hu
barbed wire courtesy of DawnAllynn at http://www.sxc.hu