A J Hawke - Cabin On Pinto Creek>

I'm excited to announce the publication of my novel, Cabin on Pinto Creek. It is available on Amazon/Kindle. What a neat feeling to go to Amazon.com and actually see my work available.
Book Description:
Elisha Evans is out of luck. By the age of twenty-five, he’d planned to have his own ranch. Instead, a series of losses forces him to beg for a job at an isolated mountain ranch. The loss of his parents at a young age has left Elisha longing for a place of his own and a family to provide for and to protect. But betrayal and loss have left him fearful that he will never attain his dreams. The only job he is offered is the line rider out of the isolated cabin on Pinto Creek. As he hunts for cattle alone in the high Colorado Rockies, he finds a broken-down wagon in the snow with an old preacher and his granddaughter, Susana, stranded inside. Elisha manages to bring them to the cabin just ahead of the winter snows that blocks the way out of the valley.




The old man’s dying wish is that Elisha should marry his granddaughter. The old man knows that the two young people will be snow bound for the next five months and the grandfather wants to spiritually protect his granddaughter by leaving her married. Elisha wrestles with the dilemma of consenting to a marriage he did not plan. He understands the reasoning of the old man. Although he does not know much about God, he respects what this grandfather is trying to do for his granddaughter. Is he man enough to take on the responsibility? But will marriage to a stranger change his life for better or worse?


Only sixteen, Susana Jamison has no choice but to marry this stranger, although he is an unbeliever. Faced with the brutal conditions of frontier living and the dangers she encounters alongside her new husband, she is challenged to the limit of her strength, hope, and faith. Can she hold on to her faith in the midst of this desperate situation? An inspirational historical Western romance, Cabin On Pinto is the first in the Cedar Ridge Chronicles.

Shawn Grady ~through the fire ~ Book Review

I hadn't planned to be a firefighter when I picked up Shawn Grady's debut novel, Through the Fire. But that's what it felt like as I plunged into the action with firefighter, Aidan O'Neill.

Wow! This guy can write. And are you serious? This is his first novel?

"Relying on his experience as both firefighter and paramedic, first time novelist Shawn Grady pens a sizzling suspense thriller.... The story's protagonist, Aidan O'Neill, is cocky, confident, self-righteous, bitter and lonely and yet the reader will be able to identify with him. The supporting cast is well-rounded and easy to empathize with, in regard to their personalities and stories. The underlying romance adds to the redemptive flow and healing process as Julianne and Aidan wrestle with personal issues that affect their individual lives and their work together.

The author's descriptive, imaginative word pictures help recreate life and death situations in Through The Fire. Shawn Grady's debut novel is an exploding blend of extreme action, sweet romance, and constant danger, to say the least. --Dale Lewis, TitleTrakk.com"

In a couple of weeks I will be hosting Shawn Grady as he shares with us his second novel, Tomorrow We Die (July 2010). Look for it.

THE HUSBAND TREE by Mary Connealy – Just a fun read

I had such an enjoyable afternoon reading an engaging, fun book. Husband Tree by Mary Connealy starts out with Belle Tanner burying her third husband, who has fallen off the roof of their shack, under the tree with her other two husbands. Left with four girls to raise, she is determined to get over her poor judgment in men. Even her three older daughters beg her to promise, no more husbands! Then along comes Silas. 

Mary writes well, gives great characters, real humor, and stories that can bring you to tears or laughter. This book was definitely a five out of five.

“Hit the trail into the Old West, where a tough lady rancher and a seemingly aimless wrangler attempt to avoid the matrimonial noose. When Belle Tanner hires Silas Harden to help her get her cattle to market, the last thing she’s looking for is romance. So why does she turn into jelly whenever he’s near? Silas wants nothing to do with women, but he can’t seem to resist the pull of love when it comes to Belle. Can they make it through this cattle drive without getting hitched? Or will they steer straight into a commitment neither one counted on?”
Book Description
Belle Tanner only wants a man to move her cattle—nothing else. Silas Harden needs a job, even if it means he’ll be the only man at hand. As they move a herd to market, the pull of love seems irresistible. Will they be able to steer clear of the matrimonial noose?

About the Author
Mary Connealy is an author, journalist, and teacher. She lives on a Nebraska farm with her husband, Ivan, and has four mostly grown daughters. If you hunt hard enough, you can find Mary on the Internet like a middle-aged, female “Where’s Waldo” at http://www.maryconnealy.com/

Welcome To Margaret Brownley - Book Give Away

Help me welcome Margaret Brownley who has penned more than twenty historical and contemporary novels. Her books have won numerous awards including the Reader's Choice. Though successful, she decided to leave behind the secular publishing world to follow God's will for her: to write inspirational fiction. Happily married to her real life hero, Margaret and her husband have three grown children and live in Southern California.

What three things are you most thankful for in your life that others might think silly?
First I want to thank you for letting me stop by today. It’s great to be here. It’s been a really exciting year for me. A Lady Like Sarah (A Rocky Creek Romance) was chosen a Women of Faith book for 2010 and is a Romance Writers of America RITA finalist. I’m counting my blessings.

I’m thankful I grew up during a time when children were free to play outside—and did.

I’m thankful for sleepless nights because that’s when my characters talk to me.

Tell us about A Lady Like Sarah. Give us, first, the best thirty-word description, then the longer paragraph version.
Short version: She’s an outlaw; he’s a preacher. Both are in need of a miracle.

Longer version: Preacher JUSTIN WELLS leaves Boston in disgrace, heading out alone on the dusty trail to Texas. But when the once-respected clergyman encounters a feisty redhead in handcuffs with a dying U.S. Marshal at her side, his journey takes a dramatic turn. When he promises the injured lawman to take his prisoner to Texas, Justin has no idea the trouble that lies ahead.

The slightly-built prisoner turns out to be SARAH PRESCOTT—sister of the notorious Prescott brothers—and she’s determined to miss the hanging party waiting for her in Texas.

Nothing is more sacred to Justin than a promise made to a dying man, but how can he turn the blue-eyed beauty over to the hangmen? She’s tough as leather, but there’s something about her that is pure and good.

Justin can’t bear to lose her, but how can a simple preacher fight an entire town? And how can either one of them know that miracles come in many guises—including love?

What do you hope readers will take away from this book?

I hope readers will root for Sarah and come away with a renewed belief that all things are possible with God.

Every reader likes to learn more about characters, as they get further into the story. How do the secrets of your characters come to life?
Before you reveal too much information it’s important to establish a reader/character relationship. If readers don’t like or can’t identify with the protagonist, they’re not going to care about his or her secrets. I like to feed background information into dialogue rather than narrative. If the hero is sharing something painful with the heroine it says a lot about him and their relationship. Either he trusts her or he’s testing her. This is how I bring secrets to life.

Some authors report writing 5-10 thousand words a day. Do scenes flow freely from your veins, or do you have to tweeze each word out?
I aim for ten pages a day during the first draft. It’s pretty rough, of course, but I don’t worry too much about that until later drafts. Some scenes are easier to write than others. I just wrote a scene that felt like I was chiseling each word out of rock. After countless rewrites, I finally realized the scene needed to be written from another character’s viewpoint. I try to make every scene accomplish at least three things. If a scene doesn’t add to the story, characterize, increase the suspense, and impart important information, I either cut it or rewrite it.

What led you to the career choice of becoming a writer?
I don’t know if it was a choice as much as a natural progression. Even as a child I loved the process of putting words on paper. I wrote my first novel in 5th grade. The career part simply followed.

What are some of the spiritual themes you like to write about?

I love to write characters in a crisis of faith, and how they find their way back to God.

Many times, people (and other authors) think you have it made with so many books published. What is your most difficult problem with writing at this time in your career?

In my other life I was a teacher. At a teacher’s workshop I once attended the instructor asked the following life
changing questions: At the end of your career which will you be able to say? That you taught for 35 years? Or that you taught one year 35 times?
I use that same philosophy in my writing career. I don’t want to write the same book 35 or 40 times. So the most difficult challenge for me is to stay fresh.

Why historical and particularly, Historical Romance?
I hated history in school. I don’t know how they teach history today, but when I was in school it was taught from
a male viewpoint, which meant it was all about memorizing dates and battles. It wasn’t until I read Gone With The Wind in High School that I realized history was not about battles and dates. It was about people and how they related to the world around them. That’s when I became hooked.
 As for writing romance: I discovered a long time ago that every conceivable theme in the world can be explored through the relationship of two people. You don’t need casts of thousands. That’s the fun of writing romance.

What three things do you know now about the publishing world that you wish you knew when you first started?
Oh, wow! Only three? There are so many aspects of
publishing that an author can’t control. You get a bad cover, books don’t arrive in stores, an editor leaves—the list is endless. I’ve learned to focus on what I can control, which is the quality of the writing, and ignore the rest. That’s the biggest lesson I’ve learned to date.

Has being an author been everything you thought it would be? If not, what has surprised you the most?

I’m doing what I love to do so, yes, it’s everything I thought it would be. The thing that surprised me most is that writing never gets easier. If anything, it gets harder.

What have you learned about writing and yourself since you started it?
I really enjoyed writing my Rocky Creek series and have just finished book three. I’ve been living with these characters for nearly three years and hate to let them go. Though I’ve published more than twenty books, this was my first attempt at writing inspirational fiction. I didn’t even know if I could write inspirational. Now I don’t see myself writing anything else. Faith (or lack of it) is such a major part of who we are. If we ignore that aspect in our stories we’re not writing fully developed characters.

I’m thankful for all the rejections I receive before becoming published because they made me work harder to be a better writer.

How do you keep your balance in today’s busy world?

It’s tough as I’m sure you know and it takes a lot of discipline. Someone said that writing is 15% putting words on paper and 85% ignoring the Internet. How true. There seems to be so many more distractions today than when I first began to write. I try to keep my balance by putting God first.

What can you tell authors who have been receiving only rejections from publishers?

Some rejections can turn out to be blessings in disguise. One of my books was rejected 13 times before it was picked up by a major publisher as a launch title for a new line. I’ve had other similar experiences. A rejection isn’t the end of story; sometimes it’s only the beginning.

What other books of yours are coming out soon?

The 2nd book in my Rocky Creek series, A Suitor for Jenny will be out in September, 2010.

What would you say to your readers?
I just want to thank you all for your many cards, letters and emails, and for you enthusiastic response to A Lady Like Sarah (A Rocky Creek Romance). Keep them coming—I love hearing from you.

Where can we find you on the web? www.margaretbrownley.com
Blog: www.petticoatsandpistols.
Stagecoach Etiquette for Readers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prY2q9Oasp4

Thanks for visiting with us, Margaret, and I look forward to interviewing you when your next book is released.

To have the possibility to receive a copy of A Lady Like Sarah (A Rocky Creek Romance) leave a comment with your emal (name at domain name dot com). Giveaway closes Sunday, July 12, 2010 at midnight (CST). Only US postal codes.

If you're reading this on Feedburner, Facebook, or Amazon please come to AJHawke.blogspot.com to leave your comment.

OZARK WEDDINGS Review

Ozark Weddings: The Hills Are Alive with the Ring of Romance (Romancing America), 3 books in 1 by Anita Higman and Janice Thompson from Barbour Publishing.
I’m usually disappointed in at least one story in a 3 in 1, so I read Larkspur Dreams wondering if this was the one that would disappoint. But, not so. I thoroughly enjoyed Larkspur Dreams. It was a fun, kept-my-attention read. Very satisfactory.


Now on to the second, The Love Song . Again, good settings, good characters, a good read.

All right, so it’s the third one that will disappoint. But, again, not so. Castle In The Air was a very satisfactory read. The setting and characters were particularly intriguing. Maybe my favorite of the three, or, no maybe it was Larkspur Dreams that was my favorite? Although The Love Song tugged at my heartstrings. Oh, just read them all.

So I have to recommend Ozark Weddings by Anita Higman and Janice Thompson. I found the writing well done. The settings built a story world. The characters especially believable. Filled with humor, quirkiness, and romance, I enjoyed spending a hot summer afternoon reading Ozark Weddings.

“Take a journey into the Ozarks where romance disrupts the lives of three women. Larkspur Wendell’s new neighbor Everett Holden is more interested in his computer than communication. Will Larkspur’s zest for life draw the reclusive Everett out of his shell or drive him in deeper? The vulnerability of Clair O’Neal attracts the attention of two different men. Can she trust their interest or their motives? Nori Kelly’s biological clock is ticking loud and clear. But she’s also a successful entrepreneur. So why does she only attract nerds like Zachary Martin? Will God move mountains to bring hearts together?” Barbour Publishing web page

Need a Good Read For the Summer? Try a Christy Winner

The association of Christian publishers announced their 2010 fiction books awards, The Christy Awards. I checked with my public library and found several. I figure that if they won the award, they are good reads. Of course, I'll make my own decision after I read them. I think I'll start with the Contemporary Romance winner. With 100 degree days ahead, staying in the air conditioning and reading a good book sounds inviting. Here's the winners.


                
Contemporary Romance
Breach of Trust (Call of Duty Series, Book 1) by Diann Mills (Tyndale House Publishers)












Contemporary Series, Sequels and Novellas

Who Do I Talk To? (Yada Yada Series)by Neta Jackson (Thomas Nelson)










Contemporary Stand Along

The Passion of Mary-Margaret by Lisa Samson (Thomas Nelson)







First Novel

Fireflies in December by Jennifer Erin Valent (Tyndale House Publishers)









Historical

Though Waters Roar by Lynn Austin (Bethany House Publishers)










Historical Romance

The Silent Governess by Julie Klassen (Bethany House Publishers)







Suspense

Lost Mission by Athol Dickson (Howard Books: a Division of Simon & Schuster)









Visionary

By Darkness Hid (Blood of Kings, book 1) by Jill Williamson (Marcher Lord Press)








Young Adult

North! Or Be Eaten: Wild escapes. A desperate journey. And the ghastly Fangs of Dang. by Andrew Peterson (Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group)

Kim Vogel Sawyer - A HOPEFUL HEART Book Giveaway

Hopeful Heart, A

Join me in welcoming Kim Vogel Sawyer, the author of fifteen novels. She is active in her church, where she leads women's fellowship and participates in music ministry.Kim and her husband, Don, reside in central Kansas, and have three daughters and six grandchildren.


What led you to the career choice of becoming a writer?
Very simply: GOD, and the deterioration of my health. As a kid, being a writer is all I dreamed about. But I become a single mom very unexpectedly in the early 1980's and I had to find a way to support my daughter. So I became a teacher. Truly loved teaching, too, and used my writing in the classroom.
But between 1990 and 2000, I was diagnosed with six different chronic illnesses that really impacted my strength and mobility. I had to drop to part-time teaching. About that same time, my dad began pestering me to take up the writing again. With a half day to fill, I followed his direction, and began attending Christian writing conferences. Eventually I landed an agent, but despite her best efforts we just couldn't seem to land a contract.
In 2004, I was ready to quit seeking publication, but God made it possible (through scholarships and the kindness of an anonymous angel) for me to attend the ACFW (www.ACFW.com) Conference in Denver. So I went, and while there a fifteen-minute meeting in the prayer room changed my life. He reached down through a prayer warrior named Brandilyn and healed me of every chronic illness as well as an emotional burden that had held me captive since childhood. Then He instructed me to close my classroom door. I did, and He swung wide the door to publication, giving me ten contracts in a six-month period. I've been writing full-time ever since. I see it as my God-ordained ministry, and I love every minute of giving Him glory through the stories I write.

Every reader likes to learn more about characters, as they get further into the story. How do the secrets of your characters come to life?
Secrets are revealed as the story progresses. I learn more and more about the character as I write. I don't plot, although I do get well acquainted with my characters before I write by examining what they want, why they want it, and what stands in the way. But as I write, more pieces of mystery emerge until a well-rounded story results. Actually, it's rather fun!
Some authors report writing 5-10 thousand words a day. Do scenes flow freely from your veins, or do you have to tweeze each word out?
It depends on the day and the place in the story. My beginnings and middles flow. Then I come to last fourth of the book--drawing it to an end--and my writing slows. Not because I don't know where it's going. By that time, I have a fuzzy picture in mind of how everything will come together.
But I grow to love my characters so much, I don't want the book to end. So I drag my feet, write a scene a day rather than two chapters...and then suddenly the deadline is looming over me like a monstrous storm cloud and I make a mad dash to the end. Very rarely do encounter true "writer's block"--it mostly life interruptions or a reluctance to bring things to a close that slow my writing pace.
What is the hardest part after the book is published?
Well, I love the characters in my books. They become friends, and I'm protective of my friends. So when someone posts a negative review, it can really hurt. It's very difficult not to take it personally. *sad smile* It can also be tough for me to let the characters go. I write stand-alone novels, with the occasional sequel (Where the Heart Leads (Waiting for Summer's Return Series #2) is a follow-up to Waiting for Summer's Return, and this fall In Every Heartbeat will give another glimpse into the lives of the Gallagher children from My Heart Remembers) so I really do have to bid them farewell. That's hard on my tender heart.
Why historical and particularly, Historical Romance?
Even as a child, I loved escaping into another time and place. I enjoy historical writing because I'm a history nut (I taught history to fifth graders), and I'm fascinated by the changes our country has undergone. I don't want to say it was a simpler time a hundred years ago because people had to work a whole lot harder in a lot of ways, but in some ways it was a simpler, sweeter, gentler time.
It can be pleasant to step back and relive the days when everyone knew their neighbors and lent a helping hand, or the excitement of forging into unknown territories, depending only on your family and your God to offer assistance. As for romance...God is the original writer of romance. He created love, and He is glorified when a man and a woman create a family that serves Him.
What are you working on right now?
At the moment, I am "in" an Alaskan Athabascan village in 1898 where Clay Selby is struggling to build a mission school and facing the disapproval of one very determined Athabascan woman named Lizzie. And I'm having a great time!
What other books of yours are coming out soon?
Also releasing in 2010 are Book 2 in the Katy Lambright Series, Katy's Debate, which is a young adult novel with Zondervan. Then in September, I hope readers will enjoy the follow-up story to My Heart Remembers from Bethany House, which is titled In Every Heartbeat.
What three things do you know now about the publishing world that you wish you knew when you first started?
1) You have to do more than write. There's editing (who knew someone would suggest changes???), marketing, speaking, book signings... All of those things are important and enjoyable, but they take away from the writing time. So a person needs to balance her time wisely.
2) Publishing, while rewarding, is NOT the key to endless joy and fulfillment. For most of my childhood and young adult years, I thought, "If I can be a published writer, I will always be happy." While publishing certainly brings me great joy and has moments of fulfillment, it isn't the end-all of happiness. Only my relationship with God brings me eternal joy and fulfillment. He had to give me a few good hard head-bumps to get that through my thick skull, but I certainly see the truth of it now. My writing is my way of serving HIM, not satisfying my need for happiness.
3) Go back and read #2 again. ;o)
If time and money did not enter in the equation, what would be your dream? 
I'ld love to visit every country in the world. So far I've seen parts of Europe (England and Germany), a good portion of the U.S. including Hawaii and Alaska, and Canada. But I would love to do more traveling. Maybe someday.
What can you tell authors who have been receiving only rejections from publishers?
Don't let disappointment become disaster. Try to look at rejection as a stepping stone--that one didn't work, so aim for another one. Continue to hone your craft, learn more about the industry, and try again.
If God has called you to this, He has a reason, so keep marching forward. In HIS time, His purpose will prevail and you will be a better, stronger writer/Christian because of our faithfulness.
If you could recommend only one How-To Writing Book, what would it be?
I love A Novel Idea because it is the cumulative work of several well-known, well-respected authors and it covers everything from craft to personal advice. I wish I'd had it in hand six years ago--could've saved me some wear and tear.
What gave you the inspiration for this story?
In August of 2008, my parents, husband, and I went on an Alaska cruise to celebrate my folks' 50th anniversary. While on the cruise ship, we met a woman who, upon learning we were from Kansas, said she'd spent a summer in Kansas at a herdsman school. She'd married a rancher, but he didn't have time to teach her ranching skills, so he sent her to herdsman school. I'd never heard of such a thing as a herdsman school, so the brief exchange stayed with me. Weeks later, I shared this tidbit with a group of writers, and one of them laughingly said it would be fun to use that premise in a mail-order brides type story--bring inept women from the east to learn ranching skills and then match them with western men. I loved the idea!
How did you choose your characters’ names?
Tressa was named after a sweet young girl who attended a book signing in New York. She was such a darling, and I loved her unique name, so I asked if I could use it. She was delighted to say yes. Abel is a Bible name, and I love Bible names. Aunt Hattie told me what her name should be (when you meet her, you'll understand), and other names were chosen to fit their personalities. I also borrowed each of my grandsons' names for secondary characters, which was fun.
How do you choose your settings for each book?
I mostly write Kansas settings because I've lived in Kansas all but one year of my life, so it's "home" to me. It's also a prairie state, which makes for a great place to put a "prairie-type" story.
What do you hope readers will take away from this book?
Nearly all of the characters in A Hopeful Heart are holding to a hurt from their past with such tenacity they're finding it hard to face the future with peace or security. How many of us cling to past regrets or heartaches that stifle how we reach out today? As the characters learn to heal and release those long-held hurts, I hope readers will also find the courage to discard the coverings of shame, self-recrimination, or mistrust and walk confidently into the future God has planned for them.
And what kinds of things can readers expect from your books?
When I started writing seriously in the early 1980's, I made two promises. 1) I wouldn't write anything that would embarrass my mother; and 2) I wouldn't write anything I'd be embarrassed to have my children or grandchildren read someday. So readers can be assured my stories are not rife with innuendo or improper language. Each of my stories is laden with God's grace, showing how He works in human lives. My stories have been tagged "gentle stories of hope," and the designation is not one I take lightly.

Give us a preview of your story.

A Hopeful Heart

By

Kim Vogel Sawyer

Can she turn her second-best chance into a golden opportunity? Dowryless and desperate, Tressa Neill applies to the inaugural class of Wyatt Herdsman School in Barnett, Kansas. The school's one-of-a-kind program teaches young women from the East the skills needed to become a rancher--or the wife of one. But will Tressa have what it takes to survive Hattie Wyatt's hands-on instruction in skills such as milking a cow, branding a calf, and cooking up a mess of grub for hungry ranch hands?
Abel Samms wants nothing to do with the passel of potential brides his neighbor brought to town. He was smitten with an eastern girl once--and he got his heart broken. But there's something about quiet Tressa and her bumbling ways that makes him take notice. When trouble strikes, will Abel risk his life--and his heart--to help this eastern girl?
Where can we find you on the web?
www.KimVogelSawyer.com or www.KatyLambrightSeries.com.
I also blog weekly at www.writespassage.blogspot.com with five other historical writers.
God bless~
Kim Vogel Sawyer

Thanks for visiting with us Kim.

Want to have the opportunity to receive a copy of this book? Leave a comment with your email. Giveaway closes Sunday, July 4, 2010 at midnight (CST). Only US postal codes.


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http://ajhawke.blogspot.com/

Robert Elmer - WILDFLOWERS OF TEREZIN Book Giveaway

Welcome to Robert Elmer a former minister, reporter and ad copywriter who now writes from the home he shares with his wife Ronda in northern Idaho. He is the author of over fifty books, including eight contemporary novels for the adult Christian audience and several series for younger readers.
Combined, his books have sold more than half a million copies worldwide. Like his popular “Young Underground” youth series, Wildflowers of Terezin was inspired by stories Robert heard from his Denmark-born parents and family. When he’s not sailing or enjoying the outdoors, Robert often travels the country speaking to school and writers groups.
What led you to the career choice of becoming a writer?
About my writing journey… I was a voracious reader when I was little, and always wanted to write things. In the third grade I put together a family newspaper and started writing essays just because. But I was a typical boy, too, and liked being out on my bike just as much as anything else. So I didn't really start getting serious about writing until I was in intermediate and high school.
Before I had a chance to write novels I was a news reporter and editor, advertising and PR writer, college administrator and pastor. Today I still write marketing kinds of writing. I have a degree in communications and Bible from Simpson College in San Francisco and an elementary teaching credential.
I started writing books when my own kids were young, and penned the first draft of my first book in longhand, riding to and from work on the bus. And here I am, 56 books later! Whew!
What are some of the spiritual themes you like to write about?
The story is about faith in the face of deadly opposition, about choosing the right thing and making love work when it’s hard. It’s a challenge to complacent faith, and a contrast between those who seek safety and those who just do the right thing, period. Where is the safest place, really? I think we can all relate to that kind of challenge, even if we’re not living in a war zone or a prison camp.
What three things do you know now about the publishing world that you wish you knew when you first started?
Ah-ha! The perfect place to spring out one of my favorite quotes, this one by the British novelist W. Somerset Maugham:"There are three rules for writing the novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are."
How did you decide on your current project? What have you learned about writing and yourself since you started it?
This is actually the first grown-up novel concept I had, years ago, and it was suggested to me by my writer friend Bill Myers. After the success of the “Young Underground” World War 2 series for kids, Bill asked me, “Why don’t you turn this story into a novel for older readers, Bob? It would be a natural.” It took several years of playing with different scenarios and characters, but I knew that Bill was right, and that a conflict in 1943 revolving around the Jewish deportations would be the perfect crucible for a powerful story.
Where do you get your inspiration from?
My Danish heritage has flavored my interest in writing historical fiction, and I’ve always been interested in history. Perhaps it’s that way with children of immigrants. There’s a strong tie back to the old country, and when my parents and my grandmother told stories about their life in Denmark, I knew there were things there I had to pass along somehow. What was it like during the occupation years? What was it like to be a student back then, a kid? Were there lessons for us that we need to remember today? I wanted so much to tell these stories, both in the “Young Underground” novels for kids, and now in Wildflowers of Terezin.
What has been the hardest part of writing your latest book and how did you overcome it?
Probably the most difficult parts were the bleakest days for Hanne in the Terezin death camp. I won't give it away, but I have to say these were scenes where Robert Frost's quote came to mind: "No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader." I have to say those were emotional scenes to write. I didn't really "overcome" that difficulty; it was simply part of the process.
What would you tell an aspiring writer?
I do a bit of mentoring through the Christian Writers Guild, and have enjoyed leading a lot of writing workshops at Christian schools. I tell students not to give up, and not to choose a life path based on how much money they think they can make. Please! Even if they don’t end up making their primary living as a writer (most won’t) God still wants us to tell our stories to the world, and God still looks for people who will communicate hope through stories and writing. If not us, then who?
How much of your own experiences influenced your characters? What aspects became traits that were theirs and theirs alone?
I identify with elements in both the Steffen and his brother—the bold one and the safe one. And I also identify with Hanne, the courageous, compassionate nurse. All of them inspire me in different ways, and I’m hoping readers will be inspired similarly.
How do you do the research for your historical books?
My favorite sources have always been those accounts that are the closest to the actual events. Because even if they lack perspective or the ability to place history in larger context, they bear that immediacy that I value above all. Eyewitness accounts are of course ideal, but they only reach back a limited number of years. So I will use historical books written decades after the fact for outlining and fact-checking, but their perspective may or may not be accurate. It may be colored by the retelling and the distance from the actual events.
In the end I return to the newspaper accounts, first person accounts, and diaries for the real meat of my research. In my case, I’m fortunate that I can read Danish, so I was able to use a lot of first person accounts and books that were written right after World War Two as major sources. Similarly, when I was writing a series about Australian pioneer days, one of my best sources was a journal written in the 1860s. Journals are gold, especially because of the personal flavor and perspective that so closely lends itself to good storytelling.

Tell us about the story of Wildflowers of Terezin.
Wildflowers of Terezin is a sweeping historical novel set against a backdrop of danger. A Danish Lutheran pastor’s complacent faith is stretched to the breaking point during World War II when he meets a young Jewish nurse Hanne Abrahamsen and becomes deeply involved in Resistance efforts to save Denmark’s Jews from the Nazi prison camp at Terezin, Czechoslovakia—also known as Theresienstadt.
Challenged by his activist brother and swayed by his own attraction to Hanne, Steffen abandons his formerly quiet, uninvolved life and hesitantly volunteers to help smuggle Denmark’s Jews out of the country before a Nazi roundup. Steffen finds that helping his Jewish neighbors is the most decent, spiritual thing he has ever done. As he actually does God’s work, rather than just talking about it, Steffen’s faith deepens and he takes greater risks in his sermons.
When things go terribly wrong and Hanne is sent to Terezin, Steffen finds his heart fully engaged. He undertakes protests and rescues that are more and more dangerous, never imagining where it will lead him, or the ultimate cost of his decision to get directly involved.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with my readers?
Did I say how excited I am about Wildflowers of Terezin? Maybe you’ve heard other writers say about a story that “this is the story I was born to write.” Well, this is probably the story I was born to write. My heart’s all there in this one, along with my roots, my passion, and everything I know about crafting a story. I held nothing back. It’s the best I can do at this point in my career. And this is, as Romans 12 puts it, my “spiritual act of worship.” Please read it. 
Where can we find you on the web?
http://www.robertelmerbooks.com/
Thanks for visiting with us, Robert.
 
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Finding Jeena by Miralee Ferrell

This novel hit a little too close to home, the home of secret fears. The fear of getting so wrapped up in things that I lose sight of what is truly important. The fear that choices of boyfriends are not always wise. The fear that the job, the credit cards, the house, everything could go away and I’m left looking for a woman’s shelter to take me in. This is what happens to Jeena in Miralee Ferrell’s latest novel. A view into the world of what happens when everything is gone and one has to depend on the kindness of strangers for food and shelter. Even when the circumstances are not one’s own fault, consequences can still happen. How does one cope and how can one rebuild?



I recommend Finding Jeena: A Novel.

Will have an interview with Miralee Ferrell soon. What questions do you have for her? Leave them in the comments.

Wildflowers of Terezin by Robert Elmer

I have to admit that I was hesitant to open the newest entry from multi-published Robert Elmer. Not because of the author, who has several novels such as The Duet and The Celebrity, young adult series A Way Through the Sea, The Young Underground Series and Promise Breaker (Promise of Zion, Book 1), and a non-fiction Practicing God's Presence: Brother Lawrence for Today's Reader under his belt, and has already proven his ability to write.


My concern was the time and place of the historical fiction, Wildflowers of Terezin. The suffering of the Jews during WWII can be too graphic for me. I hurt for the pain and death that was fostered on men, women, and children. But I was intrigued by the setting, Denmark. My ignorance never ceases to amaze me and here I found another aspect of it. I thought I knew all about WWII, but found I knew nothing of the history of the WWII and the Danish people, and the Danish Jews in Denmark.

The story of the preacher, Steffen, the resistance fighter, Henning, and the Danish Jewish nurse Hanne revealed an epoch in the broad canvas that was that terrible war. I love to read historical fiction and learn at the same time from historical fictions such as Wildflowers of Terezin.

Word of caution, I found that the beginning was a little dull, mostly Steffen. He couldn't seem to comprehend the danger. I wanted to slap him and say, "Wake up. Don't you understand the evil that is loose on your world?" Of course, many people of that time did not understand the danger until it was upon them. I found the character very believable. But once he did see the terror approaching he acted to the point of putting his own life at risk. I found it fascinating to confirm the historical facts of the bravery of the Danes in helping to save thousands of their citizens. A good read, I recommend it.

Soon I will be hosting Robert Elmer for a interview. Have any questions for him? If so, leave them as a comment.