Interview and #Giveaway with Angie Brashear

Howdy y'all! Crystal here, with another great Texan to introduce to you. Angie Brashear is a new friend with a new story to share. She's also generously offered to giveaway a copy to one of today's commenters. :) So let's get this party started...

Tell us a bit about yourself, Angie.

My “normal” activities surround raising three amazing kids, as well as a career in public education with a focus on students with disabilities. I love to read and I love to run, especially now that my kids are old enough to do both with me. And now I love to write books into the wee hours of the night, after my kids fall asleep. LOL!

Ooo, girl, I'm tired just hearing all that. :) Congratulations on your newest release though! What is your story about?

Thanks! Of the Persecuted is a fantasy with a strong thread of romance geared toward young adult females. The story surrounds an insecure girl who believes she is no more than a burden to the people she loves. But in the midst of physical and spiritual war, and through the loss of loved ones, as well as the turmoil of unrequited love, she discovers her true worth lies in her faith.

Here's the Back Cover Blurb:

Laila Pennedy awaits death by hanging. For the Rendow Clan rules the Woodlands Region, aiming to slaughter the Faithful. And she deserves to die. But Lars Landre, the man destined to lead the Faithful out of persecution, has other plans hidden behind his rare and mysterious blue eyes. Rescue.

Following the daring escape, Laila seeks the path of a warrior and vows revenge against the Rendow Clan. She embarks on a dangerous journey with Lars, one in which they endeavor to reach the promised safety of a magical village, to train for battle, and to ultimately assure freedom for those with faith in the Maker.

Clashes of weapons and souls. Brutal loss of lives. Unrequited love. How in all the Woodlands will Laila survive?

Where did you get the inspiration for your story?

When I was in the fifth grade, my teacher read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis aloud to my class. In doing so, she opened my eyes to adventure and possibilities, all the while helping me escape a world of darkness for a short time. At its conclusion, I wondered, Is God real? He couldn’t be, right? For if He existed, innocent young girls wouldn’t suffer the wrath of drunken addicts, or the torment of abandonment. I continued to speculate. Each time God placed believers in my path—a high school teacher, a college friend, and a college coach—my fascination with the possibility grew stronger until the truth stunned me like a slap to the face. God indeed lives in the form of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. He rescues. He saves. And He waited for me. Then He embraced me. It all started with a little seed, planted in the empty heart of the girl I once was. A love for reading expanded to a love for writing. A desire to know God became a desire to serve Him, to reach nonbelievers. So I write, in hopes of reaching at least one lost girl.

Do you have a favorite scene in the book? If so, can you tell us a bit about it?

Wow—tough question. Hmmm. My editor recently commented on a scene, and her comment resonated with me at a level that now affects me on a daily basis. As such, the scene has emerged as one of my favorites. So, here’s a snippet from the scene followed by her comment. 

A virtuous image swayed in front of him, spreading colossal wings. The being’s garment flowed, yet it appeared as solid as white gemstone. Its wings waved, yet remained motionless. Masculine and powerful, yet gentle. Humanlike, yet celestial. 

“A beautiful testimony, Angie. Truly a fantastic culmination of your book’s message, enough to make Clive Staples Lewis smile.”

What do you plan to work on next?

In the midst of activities surrounding the release of Of the Persecuted, I’m also working on the sequel, Legends of the Woodlands: Book Two, which is currently untitled. While Book One focuses on persecution, Book Two will focus on forgiveness. I’m only about one-third of the way finished, so I have a lot of work ahead of me.

Where can readers connect with you? Where can readers buy your book?

Readers can connect with me on my website (http://angiebrashear.com), on Facebook (http://facebook.com/AngieBrashearAuthor), and on Twitter (https://twitter.com/AngieBrashear). Thus far, I’ve received the most support on Facebook, so it’s easier for readers to connect with me there. Readers can buy my book on Amazon.

Last but not least, apart from writing, what is your favorite creative outlet?

I’m a long distance runner, though I’m not sure if my lifelong passion is actually considered a creative outlet. Running relaxes me, clears my mind. As such, it’s a great time for me to seek counsel from God. My cross country teammates and I lived by Philippians 4:13 in college. We usually began and ended each day with intense and exhausting distance training. Because we aimed to glorify God with our efforts and attitudes, we focused on allowing Him to work through us. I pray my endeavors as a writer do nothing less. In Him, we can do all things to His glory. So, I suppose running is a creative outlet. [big smile]

I suppose it is. :) Thanks so much for sharing with us today, Angie. I hope God can use Of the Persecuted for great things. 

Okay, everyone, here's your chance! Angie's generously agreed to give away one copy of her book to one commenter today (a print copy for those within the US or a digital copy for those outside it). Leave a comment (with your email address included) and you'll be entered for a chance to win. Remember those who comment on this post, or any post this week, will also be entered into the weekly giveaway drawing! Check out all our fantastic giveaways on our Prizes Galore page! 

Daisies are Forever

Right now in Lebanon there are around 6,000 Syrian refugees living in run-down tents with limited access to food and medicine, facing difficulties that can be hard for us as Americans to imagine. But what if we could get a glimpse into their lives? A life of fleeing and struggling to obtain the most basic necessities that so many of us take for granted.  A life full of disease, death, and absolute deprivation.

Well, we have been provided such an opportunity in Liz Tolsoma’s book Daisies are Forever, which details the plight of Prussian refugees as they flee the brutal invading Russian army who levels whole cities and mauls down people with their fighter jets.  

The book follows Gisela a Prussian-American woman as she flees with her nieces, neighbors, and an American POW as they try to reach Berlin, a place they hope to find deliverance. During the struggle, they face starvation, constant brutal deaths, and decisions that make them choose between right and wrong and survival.

At one point, the characters in the book remind me of the characters in Farewell to Arms. In Hemingway’s classic we are introduced to characters who face so much brutality and hardship they stop feeling and become mindless robots just trying to survive.

We see this fully displayed in Gisela. At the beginning of the book, she faces intense emotional pain each time she witnesses a loss of life, but towards the middle of the book, she becomes someone who will easily take a much-needed coat off a recently mauled-down refugee with barely any emotion.

Makes one wonder how many Syrians have lost all sense of emotions as they just try to survive.

I believe this is a must read for everyone. Why? It will remind us that there are real people behind the news images we have become so accustomed to seeing on T.V. as another country erupts into war. And it will remind us to keep those people in our daily prayers.

So tonight when you lay your head on your pillow, take a second to ask God to hold all refugees in his hands.

To learn more about author Liz Tolsma please visit her website at:

http://www.liztolsma.com/

Josette Downey  is the christian romance author of A Time to Say Goodbye and Bonds of Tradition. She has master’s degree in English From East Carolina University, and currently works for a premier test scoring company. She is the mother of a precocious six-year-old girl, who enjoys bugs, snakes and superman.  She enjoys southern cooking, reading and exploring emerging technology, but is best defined by her devotion to her faith and the empowerment of women in the modern world.

To learn more follow her at

https://www.facebook.com/J.M.Downeysouthernrosepress

and

http://jmdowneysouthernrosepress.weebly.com/index.html

What Once Was Lost ~ By ~ Kim Vogel Sawyer

Versatile author, KIM VOGEL SAWYER has done it again. . .

This bright, warm, prolific author and Christian woman has struck another chord with me with her 2013 publication ~

~WHAT ONCE WAS LOST~

A woman meant to serve,

        A child in the dark,

                A man standing apart ~ can these three souls embrace a God with new plans for them?

     On a small Kansas farm, Christina Willems lovingly shepherds a gruop of poor and displaced individuals who count on her leadership and have come to see the Brambleville Asylum for the Poor as their home.

     Through events beyond her control and with no other options, Christina is forced to approach Levi Jonnson, a reclusive mill owner, to take in a young blind boy named Tommy Kilgore. Levi agrees, with reluctance, but finds himself surprised by the bond that quickly grows between him and Tommy.

     Obstacles hinder Christina's plans to rebuild. . .and when an old adversary challenges Christina, will she find an unlikely ally - or more - in the aloof Levi? Can Levi reconcile with the rejection that led  to his hermit-like existence and open his heart to something more, especially a relationship with a loving God?

The answers to those questions are bound into this book in such a way that will grab you and not let you go until those final words. . . .THE END!

It was my pleasure and privilege to meet this warm and kind-hearted author at the ACFW CONFERENCE in ST LOUIS, MO  2011. She exudes a vibrant personality, a gentle spirit, and a warmth that is NOT of the false-sugar variety. At that conference she was the Volunteer Coordinator and did a superb job of filling the needs for volunteers at the conference.
Her books have a very special place of honor on the "S" shelf of my personal library's KEEPER SHELVES. . .along with her other previous novels.

~ WHAT ONCE WAS LOST ~
  Touched my heart with it's plot about the displaced/homeless. . .today, unless we go to the inner cities of our country, we rarely see those who have no home. Most of us live a life of privilege in so many ways and have blessings we forget to be grateful for. One woman's concern. . .even when it's somewhat misguided. . .puts so many of us to shame. The message in this book was a take-a-way on several levels for me. I'm a control freak much of the time. I want things done my way. . .TOO MUCH OF THE TIME. . .but. . .I'm ashamed to say, it's not always in things that are meant to benefit others.

You will NOT be wasting your time if you read any one of Kim Vogel Sawyer's novels, but this one, is certainly a MUST HAVE!

An Author's Garden

By Susan F. Craft

      I’m creating an “Author’s Garden” in my yard in honor of my Revolutionary War novel, The Chamomile, published in 2011, and its two sequels entitled, Laurel and Cassia, which will be published in 2015 by Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas. I’ve already planted six chamomiles and three laurel bushes.
     When they bloom, chamomile flowers look like daisies, except the yellow centers are cone-shaped instead of flat. When you walk through them, they give off an aroma of apples.
     The laurels, or mountain laurels, will have pink blossoms and glossy dark green leaves.
     I’ve ordered a cassia tree from a nursery, but it hasn’t arrived yet. It will have brilliant yellow, cascading blooms and will reach about ten feet tall. Cassia, the “poor man’s cinnamon,” is mentioned in the Bible several times as one of the ingredients of anointing oil. According to Psalm 45:8, when the Messiah returns, his robes will smell of cassia. (All your robes are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia; from palaces adorned with ivory the music of the strings makes you glad. NIV)
     I’ve been searching for some garden sculpture and have found several that I like. Some are more serious and some are whimsical. Please, let me know which you like the best.

     I'm also thinking of painting some bricks like these.

Susan F. Craft is the author of the award-winning Revolutionary War Novel, The Chamomile.

V is for Victory Gardens

It's springtime, and I have a close friend who loves to garden. And she's very good at it. She grows vegetables and fruit and often has plenty to share. A recent conversation with her brought to mind the Victory Gardens of WWII. During the war, families planted “Victory Gardens” to stretch their ration coupons and ensure there was enough food to send to troops overseas. More than twenty million gardens were planted across the United States, and by 1944 they were responsible for producing over 40% of all vegetables grown. People with no yards used window boxes, and some city dwellers created roof top gardens. Even First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt got involved when she put a Victory Garden on the White House grounds.

Because vegetable gardening was new to many people, the government issued pamphlets with instructions on how to prepare home grown vegetables, proper canning techniques and recipes. These pamphlets were specific to the various geographic areas of the country. Keep in mind that creating and maintaining these gardens added to an already overwhelming workload for the folks left at home, many of whom were women whose husbands were off at war.

My husband and I tried vegetable gardening when we were living in Virginia many years ago. We had an acre of land, and it seemed like a fun project. After all – how hard could it be? Well, considering that the year we did this we experienced a drought, it was very hard!

The soil where we lived was heavy clay, so before we did anything we had to till it and add peat moss to loosen it up. Once that was done, we added fertilizer and built mounded rows in which to put our seeds. Never ones do anything halfway, we planted a huge garden - bush beans, pole beans, carrots, several varieties of tomatoes, green peppers, hot peppers, corn, potatoes, and lettuce. We watered as we could (the town had rationed water usage due to the drought), weeded and watched. Finally! Sprouts began to push their way through the dirt then a few days later the leaves began to come on. It was working!

One morning I went out to check on the plants to see if there was anything to harvest. I trotted across the yard to the garden and noticed a pair of cute bunnies watching me from near by. I should have noticed their fat bellies and the satisfied gleam in their eyes. They had eaten the bean plants – every last one of them! There was a row of identical two inch stalks where the night before there had been beautiful little seedlings. Later we found out that most people fence their gardens for this very reason. Live and learn!

We had the garden for several years, and as time went by we got more knowledgeable and it got a little easier. But that first year's experience gave me a great appreciation for what folks did to get by during the war. And my hat is off to the many farmers who produce today's food for the public.

Have you ever planted a vegetable garden? How did it go?

A freelance writer for over ten years, Linda Matchett also writes historical fiction. She is currently seeking a publisher for her series about war correspondent Ruth Brown. www.lindashentonmatchett.com

A Day to Remember

Many celebrate Memorial Day with picnics or simply think of it as part of a three day weekend - a day to not have to go to work.

But that isn't the reason why we have this day set aside. It's to be a day of remembrance for those who have served in our military and have given their life in order to provide the freedoms we now experience. I suppose this holiday is especially meaningful to me since several members of my family and my husband's family have served in our military. I have a son serving in the Navy now.

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. John 15:13

I encourage you to spend part of today thanking God for the men and women who have willingly given their all so you can live in a free nation.

Let us not forget the high price many have freely given.

 

Comment to win Love Comes Calling by Siri Mitchell

Congratulations to Melanie Backus who was the winner of last week's Giveaway of A Familiar Shore by Jennifer Fromke!

This Week's Giveaway is:

Love Comes Calling by Siri Mitchell

A girl with the best of intentions.
A heart set on Hollywood.
An empty pocketbook.
That's all it takes for Ellis Eton to find herself working as a telephone operator for a look-alike friend. For Ellis, this job will provide not only acting practice but the funds to get her a start in the movies. She's tired of always being a disappointment to her traditional Boston family, and though she can't deny the way he makes her head spin, she knows she's not good enough for Griffin Phillips, either. It's simple: avoid Griff's attentions, work, and get paid. But in typical Ellis fashion, her simple plan spirals out of control when she overhears a menacing phone call...with her very own Griff as the target.

Comment on this post or any post this week to get your name in the drawing for this great giveaway!

Coming up this week:

Musing Monday: HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!!! A Day to Remember with Jodie Wolfe

Tidbit Tuesday: V is for Victory Gardens by Linda Matchett

Woven Wednesday: An Author's Garden with Susan Craft

Thoughtful Thursday: Joy Avery Melville reviews Ruth Axtell

Fun Friday: Daisies are Forever with Josie Downey

Sit-Down Saturday: Crystal Barnes will be Interviewing Author Angie Brashear

We look forward to hanging out with you this week!

Check out our Prizes Galore Page to see all our giveaways!

Interview with Nancy Kimball

I'm so excited to introduce you to my friend Nancy Kimball. Her debut novel Chasing the Lion is amazing, and if you haven't already read it, you need to now. Well, right after you read this interview.

 

Nancy was the first person I met when I joined the Houston chapter of ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers). She has the gift of hospitality in addition to the ability to take readers on a literary roller coaster ride.

1. Thanks for stopping by Stitches Thru Time, Nancy. Can you tell us about Chasing the Lion?
This story burdened me with an overwhelming responsibility to steward it well. Jonathan was a much better character than I was an author, and it took me a few years to catch up to him. His story has become so much more than the tale of a young Roman noble betrayed into slavery who would come to faith as a gladiator and save the life of the woman he loves. Bringing his story to the page affected me deeply and was used by God in my life repeatedly. To see and hear this story resonating with readers as deeply as it is blesses me so much, and I hope it inspires others to never give up.

2. That is a good lesson--and a hard one to learn. Jonathan, the hero, is a fantastic character who goes through one hardship after another. Just when I thought he was going to be okay, you'd put him in danger again! Why do you think Jonathan will win the hearts of readers?
Jonathan's drive to always do the right thing runs marrow-deep. Even when it's misdirected in his own anger and frustration, or heartrendingly being used against him, the man that he is deep within demands it. As we watch his journey in its broken failures and soaring triumphs on a divine course to his destiny, at times the reader sees in him who we really are in the dark, and who we hope to be, in equal measures along the way.

 

 

3. Early reviews (mine included) compare Chasing the Lion to Francine Rivers' Mark of the Lion series. How does that make you feel?



Well, I was conditioned in query and proposal not to compare yourself to the greats ever, so I didn't. (Watch me tell the truth right here and shame the devil, LOL) Honestly, though, I was praying that just ONE of my endorsers would say that. Nope, haha. So I almost asked, but then knew it wasn't fair to solicit it so I just let it go. When the reviews started coming into Amazon, I had to laugh at God. It is both deeply humbling, and also makes me nervous. Nervous because Jonathan's story is very different from the beloved Hadassah, Marcus and Atretes. I don't want readers to expect a retelling of Mark of the Lion because they will be disappointed if so. I believe the comparison comes from the epic scope of a long and tedious faith journey through some very difficult circumstances. That's a battle that is timeless, whether in Ancient Rome or contemporary culture, and part of what I hope readers take away.

4. Chasing the Lion releases June 1st. After pursuing traditional publishing for years, what made you

jump into the indie water?
The paperback and Kindle version are available now at Amazon, and for Nook at Barnes & Noble. June 1st is our official launch date and the one we've been pushing to give our early readers and core influencers time to get reviews posted and iron out an Indie kinks. Which there were none, Praise Jesus! =) I'm grateful for what I learned and the connections I made in the four years I pursued traditional publication. Ultimately, I decided it wasn't fair to Jonathan and the many people who believed in his story to delay any longer. And I was honest with myself that holding out for a contract with a prestigious traditional publisher had become more about pride than anything else. The surest way to slay that dragon was to go forward in faith as an Indie author and self-publish.

5. What are you working on now?
Ohh, I'm so glad you asked! I'm working on the audiobook due out  August 10th. God blessed us with an amazing narrator, Joseph Narducci, who loves the Lord and if talent were sand, he'd cover an entire gladiator arena. I squeal like a little school girl every time he uploads a new chapter to approve because for the first time, I get to experience Chasing the Lion like the readers do. I never know quite how Joseph will interpret a scene, or a character, and it's like watching the movie with my eyes closed. When I'm not binging on the audio like it's the first box of Girl Scout cookies, I'm working hard on Book 2 in the series, Charging the Darkness.

To learn more about Chasing the Lion, and connect with Nancy, visit her official website, http://www.nancykimball.com/.

Okay, now you can go to Amazon and check out Chasing the Lion.



 

Wall Cubby Bookshelves

 

 

Are you wondering what you’re looking at?

 

It’s bookshelves built between the wall studs.

 

 My hubby made these to store my paperback book collections, which were layered two deep in my  office shelves. They now adorn the ‘library’ section of our basement family room.

Wall studs are the perfect depth for holding 4-inch wide mass market paperbacks. My husband  installed an adjustable shelving system on the sides of the studs by dadoing a recess so the metal shelving system was even with the wooden studs. Then he cut the shelves to fit, nailed trim around the openings, painted and stained the surrounding wood and ... instant bookshelves! Well, maybe not instant, but certainly a clever storage method.

 

If you don’t have any bare studs in your house you can still create these fantastic book cubbies by removing a section of drywall and installing the shelving systems between the studs. The shelves can also be attached to the stud using L brackets. You'll lose a couple of inches in storage, but won't have to mess with dadoing. Find your studs with a studfinder tool, make sure the space you've chosen is hollow, and be careful when you cut the drywall to insure you don’t hit any hidden wiring or pipes. Adding trim around the opening makes for a neater looking opening.

 

We've had these bookshelves in several of the homes we've lived in. They're handy for books and other small items you want to display. Put a door on the surface and you've got some covered storage. We happen to like our book cubbies open; it's easier to read the titles and adds color to the wall. Not only are they handy, but they make a great conversation piece when your guests visit. But watch out ... with all your books visible you may become their favorite lending library!

 

What clever ideas do you have to create book storage in your home or office?

 

I Love a Good Surprise . . .

They Almost Always Come Home by Cynthia Ruchti surprised me. I thought it would me a nice little romance. I may have downloaded it for free. I read it because I’d seen so much marketing on it over the last year, I figured I may as well see what it was all about.

Wow. I mean, what a lovely story. And not what you think. A husband on a solo wilderness trip fails to return to his wife who is about to leave him. She doesn’t know if he’s dead or if he left her first.

Most of the story deals with internal struggles, but those are amplified by outer, physical struggles that come as part of the physical search for her lost husband. I don’t want to say too much, because there are many surprises along the way. And by surprises, I’m talking about things I (as a well-read, guesser of plots) did not guess. Twists that not only surprised me, but felt perfect for the story.

It took me a little while to jump into the story, since I was not crazy about the main character at first. But trust me, she's worth it. After a few chapters, I found myself longing to get back to the book, counting the hours until I could pick it up again. And lots of sleep was lost to finish it.

The boundary waters on the border of MN and Canada provide a giant setting for this small story. But the smallness of the story has the potential to touch a vast number of lives, because there’s something everyone can relate to in it.

A tale of the broken and beautiful--I hope you’ll give it a try.

What was the last book that surprised you? Have you read They Almost Always Come Home? Were you surprised? (no spoilers, please!)

Leave a comment to win a copy of my first novel: A Familiar Shore.

Calligraphy - A Lost Art

Hi, all. Elaine, here. I really got myself into a bind with this post. My intention was to give you wonderful readers a new craft idea using an old art form—calligraphy. The project I had in mind is fast and easy and would make good gifts for the graduate. Then I hit a snag and couldn’t produce it. If I had, I’ve have posted a photo here. I’ll explain later. Needless to say, this isn't an example of my work.

Let me give you a word picture instead. The project requires wooden rectangular plaques you can buy from the craft store. If you’re a carpenter (or know one) you can make your own with scrap wood. The plaques should be from three to seven inches and sanded smoothly on one side and a hole in the back for hanging. On the front, you write in free-hand calligraphy a quote, verse, or names and dates of an important event. Then varnish it and that’s it. A good way to commemorate the day and give a keepsake that will last through the years.

Calligraphy is easy to learn, and you don’t need any artistic ability because the effect is produced by the way you hold the pen and the shape of the nib. Pens come in either steel or felt tip. You can find a free lesson on YouTube. Just google calligraphy.

Since this blog is hosted by writers and most of our followers are avid readers or writers, you might be interested in this ancient writing form. Did you know all the fonts available on your computer were developed over many years by master calligraphers?

Calligraphy means beautiful writing and has been used for centuries to record the most important words in history. Before Christ, scribes were recording religious scrolls and books. Monks took over the responsibility of copying Christian literature, using the elaborate scroll work of calligraphy. As the years went on, Gothic became popular. This is Gothic script.

In 1454, when Johannes Gutenberg developed the printing press, he adopted Gothic as the first typeface.

Calligraphy isn’t dead yet. Modern calligraphy ranges from functional inscriptions and designs to fine art pieces where letters may or may not be legible. Calligraphy continues to flourish in the forms of wedding and event invitations, font design, topography, original hand-lettered logo design, and religious art.

The purpose of calligraphy—to record the wisdom of the ages—is past. The letters to communicate are already set in type. But we owe our ability to read and write to the calligraphers of the past.

I discovered the art of calligraphy was lost to me when I sat down to write out a motto on my plaque. Calligraphy is a skill that requires practice, and I hadn’t held a nib in over a decade. I’ve lost the skill, and it will take months of practice to regain it. That’s the one other thing you’ll need to invest in to make the craft project I described above—time to practice.

This illustrates a lesson for us all. Our God-given talents and skills must be practiced daily or we’ll lose them. I have all those wooden plaques waiting for me, so I’m going to practice my calligraphy.

What’s a favorite quote or scripture verse you could recommend for me?

Leave a comment any day this week for a chance to win a copy of Jennifer Fromke’s A Familiar Shore.

Of Shipwrecks and Surf -- with Jodie Bailey

Good morning!  (When I originally typed that, it came out "God morning," which honestly might be a better way to say it, huh?)

The last time I got to do a Tidbit Tuesday, there was a lot of information that landed on the "cutting room floor."  Once I got started writing about the Outer Banks, there was no stopping.  So… why not continue today?

The Banks are pretty much known for shipwrecks, one of the reasons there are so many gorgeous lighthouses down there.  What fewer people know is how many of those shipwrecks literally sit on the beach or in the surf.  It fascinates me that they're right there in plain view, and it's another one of my favorite things about the place.  History is literally everywhere you look.

I think my favorite--although it's not the most dramatic--is the Oriental.  Right after you come off of the Bonner Bridge onto the island, you're in the Pea Island Reserve.  If you stop at the little center and go to the beach access directly across the road, you'll spot this:

The Oriental sank during the Civil War, brought low by a sailor sleeping at his post.  As close as the ship was to shore, the men being transported simply waited out the night and, with the help of some rope and the sailors at Fort Hatteras, hauled smaller boats across the next day.  Though all of the passengers and most of the cargo was saved, the ship was left in the surf, still visible today.

It's not unusual to walk along the beach and come upon the abandoned hull of a ship, ribs and all.  This history buff finds it incredible that so much is still there and so easily accessible.  There are some pretty dramatic tourist photos out there of some of the wrecks and websites dedicated to helping you find them.  The Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum even sits at the "end of the road" down by the ferry landing on the south side of Hatteras.  With over 2,000 shipwrecks off the coast, it's really no wonder the area is called "The Graveyard of the Atlantic."

Leave a comment any day this week for a chance to win a copy of Jennifer Fromke's A Familiar Shore!

Jodie Bailey is the author of Freefall and Crossfire, both available from Love Inspired Suspense.  In October, be on the lookout for Quilted by Christmas, an Abingdon Quilts of Love novel as well as a novella in LIS's Holiday Defenders.  Right now, she's wrapping up another year of teaching but, really, she wishes her toes were in the sand of Frisco Beach.

Comment to win A Familiar Shore by Jennifer Fromke

Congratulations to Susan J. Reinhardt who was the winner of last week's Giveaway of Loving the Lawman by Ruth Logan Herne!

This Week's Giveaway is:

  A Familiar Shore by Jennifer Fromke

Meg Marks is a young lawyer raised off the coast of the Carolinas. An anonymous client hires her to arrange his will, and sends her to meet his estranged family at their lake home in northern Michigan. After a shocking discovery, she finds herself caught between his suspicious family and a deathbed promise her conscience demands that she keep. Will she sacrifice her own dreams for revenge? Or will she seek something more?

Comment on this post or any post this week to get your name in the drawing for this great giveaway!

Coming up this week:

Musing Monday: Will the Real Verbena Show by Cindy O'Brien

Tidbit Tuesday: Of Shipwrecks and Surf with Jodie Bailey

Woven Wednesday: Calligraphy a Lost Art - with Elaine Manders

Thoughtful Thursday: Jennifer Fromke reviews They Almost Always Come Home by Cynthia Ruchti

Fun Friday: Bookshelf Cubby by Catherine Castle

Sit-Down Saturday: Laura Jackson will be Interviewing Author Nancy Kimball

We look forward to hanging out with you this week!

Check out our Prizes Galore Page to see all our giveaways!

Will the Real Verbena Show Out?

I love spring and the hope of flowers to come. Nothing excites me more than to have a full day before me with nowhere to go, except maybe a quick run to Starbucks for a latte.

I dress quickly, sometimes heading out the door without even running a comb through my hair. That's how eager I am to get my hands in dirt.

The early morning hours are the best time of day. It's peaceful and cool, the birds are singing, and the sun is low on the horizon.

One morning recently, I was working on a bed of pink verbena. This past winter had been especially rough and some of my plants had died. Weeds grew in their place, resembling the verbena, insinuating themselves alongside the beauty of the real thing.

At times, it was difficult to distinguish the verbena from the weed. The weed produced a flower almost identical to the bloom of the verbena.

It occurred to me, as I was putting on my glasses to make sure I pulled up the right plant, that Satan uses the same tactics with us. Whatever God does, he has a counterfeit to slip into our midst to mask his identity. It may look and feel much like the real thing that we're caught in its trap, unless we put on our spiritual glasses to inspect it closely.

The weeds growing in my verbena were actually pretty, but if I'd left them alone, they would have choked out the real plants and eventually all my beautiful flowers would have died. The same is true in our spiritual lives. If we allow worldly things to override the living God in us, we become useless to Him. Our lives will lose its joy and we'll struggle for meaning and purpose.

As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful." 

Matthew 13:22 ESV

The only way to prevent unwanted weeds in the garden of our soul is to keep our spiritual glasses on at all times so we can recognize the weeds when they creep in. Staying grounded in the study of the Word is necessary to know the difference between the real and the phony.

Has there been a time in your life when you've allowed a thing of beauty to mask itself? What were the warning signs you missed along the way? I'd love to hear your experiences in the comments.

Any gardening tips would be greatly appreciated as well.

Happy Spring!


Cindy O'Brien is a novice gardener at best, but it's great therapy. You can visit her blog, My Little Corner, at http://www.cindyobrien78.blogspot.com

A Few Firsts...

Tina here since it's Sit Down Saturday, I thought it might be fun to sit down and get to know one another.

Everyone has a few firsts. Some they recall with a smile, others with a wince. Just for fun I thought we could share a few firsts.

If you're inclined, after you read mine, you're welcome to share some of your own.

One of my earliest childhood memories. We lived in Alaska, I was all dressed up (swaddled) in a pink snow suit that was so padded to keep me warm, I could hardly move. I could barely put my arms down and my legs were held apart by all the cushioning.  So I waddled. My thighs rubbed together when I walked giving off a swish swish sound.

Some of you might recall my telling about this memory once before. Any way there I was, walking, toddling, looking rather like a big pink marshmallow, out to play in the frigid air of Alaska.

My two older sisters were already out and about and seemed to be maneuvering just fine in their snow suits. They played on the slides and swings of the playground near our apartment. I tried to keep up with them, but about as soon as I got my padded body to them they were on to the next ride.

Finally, they called me to the slide and told me how wonderful it was to lick the slide. It was cool and I would really like it. One of them even acted out how I should do. Looking back I realize she never really touched the slide.  But I stuck out my tongue, leaned in, and licked the slide.

It was cold, just like my sisters said.

And guess what happened next?

I tried to pull my tongue back in,  but couldn't dislodge it from the slide.

While my sisters laughed, I fought tears and worked to get up enough spit to free myself.

Which, I finally did.

I don't really know if they thought it was funny, or if they were trying to get me back because mom said to watch me, but I do know I can't watch the Christmas Story without a touch of wince when the kid sticks his tongue on the flagpole.

My other earliest recollections happened in Alaska about the same time. I remember bears at the dump and someone killed a bear and had it laying over the back of his flatbed truck. Then the earthquake. Big Earthquake and my sister rounding us all up to get under the table.

My first kiss beyond mother and father and of an on the lips situation. I was a girl, somewhere around six or sevenish I believe. It was not the kind that made you drop your shoe, unless you counted running out of them trying to get away. We went to visit my grandmother and my uncles and aunts were waiting and one of my uncles thought it was funny to chase myself and sisters and cousins all down and give us smackers and scrub his mustache on our face. BLECK!

My first real kiss of a desired on the lips situation came around the time I was 16 1/2 and came from my boyfriend Danny who is now my husband. (33+ years) Actually, I gave the kiss to him. After six weeks of dating he wondered if I'd ever kiss him on the lips, so when he was giving me a kiss on the cheek after dropping me home, I swung my lips around and caught him on the lips. And there you have it my earth shaking kiss. Romance to warm your heart.

My first two piece bathing suit.  I was six or seven again, and my mother bought me a pink (which is not my favorite color) two piece with a white lace overlay. Now before you go thinking I wore some skimpy string bikini, (that came later and I nearly lost my top in the ocean.) this was done in the I Dream of Jeannie without the sheer leggings style. High bottoms that covered your navel and a sports type bra.  

Anyway back to the story. I had this spiffy new two piece (not my usual underwear suit) and my parents even bought one of them little pools that fit about three kids side by side if you didn't want to move. Up until that point we ran through the sprinklers (far more fun than a cramped pool) and had water fights.

I played and played in that pool then finally crawled out and laid in the sun to dry and promptly fell to sleep. By the time I awoke, my backside was the color of my spiffy new two piece.

My First Pet. I've always loved dogs. My first pet was Floppy. She was the runt of the pack and she had short little legs and long ears which she seemed to step on when she ran.

My First (and only) Boyfriend of the Boyfriend instead of Boy Friend type variety. That would Danny the man who bestowed on me my first kiss and married me 33+ years ago. Up until that point,  most guys were truly just my friends. They didn't see the beautiful Cinderella waiting under the tomboy. We played catch, pitched football and stuff, but no woo. When it came time to discuss girls, they would ask me about my girlfriends. I guess Danny saw the girl behind my tomboy exterior.

My First Car. A 1956 Two Tone Green New Yorker with push button shifting, power steering and windows, I lovingly called the 'Tank'. I gave it the nickname for two reasons. First, it was rather heavy and big and kind of like a tank. Second, it drank gas like a thirsty man in the desert and I could never keep the gas tank full. I don't know how many times I sat in traffic in Denver and watched the needle clock down toward E, praying I would get home before I ran out.

I received some of the funniest looks whenever I got in the Tank. Not the hey-checkout-that-babe-in- the-hot-car kind either. It was more look-at-the-nerd-in-the-junkermobile type, with a few laughs thrown in.

People would pull up beside me, snicker and race their engines to let me know they could whoop me in a race. I wasn't much of a racer, but every so often, for dignities sake, I would give them a run for their money. They pretty much had me at the start. (Tanks take a while to get up to speed.) But when my Tank got to going, I could usually pass them up. And I flew by their face would twist with confusion and I'd be the one smiling.

My First Crush. (yes, Tomboys do have them) So many years ago. So dumb now. But it was… wait for it…

Mark Lester. (the boy, not the man now)

I can see your faces right now. Confusion personified. Who in the world is he? He played in Black Beauty and Oliver. Hey I was a kid. What do I know? I think about it now and am a bit flummoxed myself. And that's pretty much all I have to say about it. I also liked Hoss - Dan Blocker on Bonanza, not cause of a crush, I just thought he was funny and kind.


My First Foray into Frosting Making.  This happened while we lived in Germany. I believe it was for my fourth grade class and it happened right around the time I made my first pudding. Plum. Using ground green plums and cream of tartar and a few other ingredients, my friend and I made pudding that you could bounce a quarter off of, and ended up making ourselves sick. So you can probably gather that I have my cooking skills down.

Anyway, I could make cakes and cookies pretty good, and a few other things as well, but I wanted to make a cake for class and do my own frosting. So I mixed up a bit of ingredients and boiled it for a time, then poured it over my cake. It tasted awesome. I knew everyone would love it. But come the next day at school, and no one could get a taste of the frosting or the cake because you couldn't cut through the nearly 1/2 inch thick hard candy shell my frosting became after setting up. We literally had to take a hammer to it.

My First Time Sewing.  I had been taking classes with a seamstress so I was learning the stitches and how to cut out patterns. She had me make a skirt which I did fairly well. It took a bit to get the zipper in and to put the decorative buttons together. When I sat down to sew the buttons on and finish up the hem, I was pretty proud of myself. Until I lifted the skirt off my leg and found I'd sewed the skirt to my pants.

My First Book. I started the story in elementary school and went back to it when I was in my early twenties and had three children, plus babysitting three other children. All five and under. Needless to say, I couldn't concentrate, so after writing for a time and doing a touch of research, I decided to sit the story aside. A few years later, when my boys were in school full days and I had time, I pulled it out again and started to write and write and write. Unfortunately when I got to around 500 pages my computer when on the blink and ate my story. Thankfully, I had saved a paper copy of my work and had about half of the story backed up on floppy disk. So I sat down and started again. And some 900 pages later my story was finished. When Shadows Fall was my masterpiece about the Civil War and the Oregon Trail. I was pleased. But no one wanted an epic story from the likes of me. Unknown writer that I was. So I split the story. When Shadows Fall, Shadowed Dreams, To Catch a Shadow and This Shadowed Land are all available in eBook form.

Leave a comment and share about your first car or a first, and you will be entered to win the full set. Plus your name will be added to the weekly drawing here at Stitches Thru Time

Well, that concludes the stories behind a few of my firsts. There are more, but I promised not to bore you to insanity.

Thank you so much for spending time with me.