Book Review: From Author Barbara Derksen: Essence of Evil

The second book in this series, Derksen provided another suspense driven book that rivets the reader until the last page. Can you imagine searching for another missing child and trying to understand the attraction you feel toward a man who is also a co-detective/fellow worker/friend all the while being surrounded by a depth of evilness that is all the more real because of the subject: pedophilia.

• Will Christine finally have her eyes open that God is real in an evil world? 
• Can she see the God that Jeremy tries to serve? 
• And can she survive the evil that is stalking and preventing her from a normal life. 

What I love:

• The nuances of changes in the characters are just the right touch; not too much to appear unrealistic yet enough to be satisfying. 
• The real world topic of child molestation is real and well done by this experienced writer. I applaud her efforts of tackling such a tough subject and handling it well. 

I heartily recommend this book along with her others. She's an author to keep an eye on. Established, talented and well-versed in suspense!

If you love suspense and a book about real topics, give Essence of Evil a read. And enjoy!

Blessings

Make Do and Mend

During WWII, one of the many slogans seen on posters and in brochures was “Make Do and Mend.” Making rag rugs (also called peggy or proddy rugs) was a way to do this. These type rugs are often confused with latchhook rugs that can be purchased as kits from many hobby and craft shops.

Latch hooking uses a hinged hook (a bit like a crochet hook with a short hinge piece on the shank) to form a knotted shaggy pile from short, pre-cut pieces of yarn on backing material that is stiffer and has larger holes than used in traditional rug hooking. Latch hooking emerged as a craft long after rug hooking was well-established. Latch hooked rugs are also generally “shaggy” and appear like the shag pile carpets popular during the 1970s.

Proddy rugs use fabric, and the backing material is typically linen or burlap or other open weave fabric. The hooking material is cut into strips and pushed through the fabric from the back with a blunt pointed tool, called a prodder, an implement that resembles a short knitting needle with a ball handle. By working from the back, the rug maker can easily see and manage the design.

During WWII, rug makers often used burlap grain or feedbags for the backing fabric and whatever was available – leftover scraps from worn out clothing, towels, blankets or other fabric household items – for the hooking material. The size of the rug depended on the amount of material at hand. Despite the utilitarian aspect of these rugs, the variety of fabric used allowed the rug maker to create a beautiful work of art.

As someone who is “craft impaired” I find the idea of these rugs fascinating and seemingly easy to do. I may just give it a try. Have you ever “prodded” a rug? Or perhaps you have a make do and mend story...

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. Visit her at www.lindashentonmatchett.com

Weekly Wind-up Comment to win The Hesitant Heiress by Dawn Crandall!

Congratulations to Diane Estrella who was the winner of last week's Giveaway of The Governess of Highland Hall by Carrie Turansky!

This week's Giveaway:

The Hesitant Heiress by Dawn Crandall (psst...we get to meet this author on Saturday!)

After being unjustly expelled from the Boston Conservatory of Music, Amaryllis Brigham sees her dreams of founding a music academy disappearing before her very eyes. Now the only way to achieve her goal comes with high stakes for someone set on avoiding men as much as possible: marry within the year to inherit her grandmother’s fortune. Amaryllis reluctantly takes part in her aunt’s society, intent on getting to the west coast on her own… and without a husband.

Despite her own misgivings, she soon finds herself falling in love with the most unlikely of men, Nathan Everstone, whose father not only had a part in her expulsion, but whose ominous presence has haunted her dreams for a decade since her mother’s tragic death. Nathan turns out to be much more than he seems and everything she never knew she wanted. But just as everything Amaryllis has recently hoped for comes to fruition, it all falls apart when she finds that the real culprit who has been managing her life isn't who she thought at all.

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: Strength When We Are Weary by Jodie Wolfe

Tidbit Tuesday with Susan Craft

Woven Wednesday: Make Do and Mend with Linda Matchett

Thoughtful Thursday: Book Review by Joy Avery Melville

Fun Friday: No Greater Love with Josie Downey

Sit-Down Saturday: Author interview with Dawn Crandall the author of this week's book giveaway!

We look forward to hanging out with you this week!

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

 Announcements:

August is Stitches Thru Time's first birthday and we're throwing a party!

We'll be featuring special guest bloggers, with surprise giveaways, as well as one grand prize at the end of the month!

The grand prize is a package of 5 books from beloved authors of historical and contemporary Christian fiction.  Leave comments during the month to enter!

 

An Author's Garden, Brick Books

Bricks painted to look like antique books.

 

Susan F. Craft

Since my Revolutionary War and Post Revolutionary novels have the names of flowers, I'm growing an author's garden with chamomiles, laurels, and cassias.

When looking for garden art, I came across the idea of painting bricks to look like antique books, which I'll place among the flowers.

My granddaughter and I painted six books, 3 named after my novels, and 3 after our favorite books (Ben Hur and Jane Eyre for me; and Tuesdays with Morrie for Kenzie).

I'm amazed at how much they look like real antique books!

Here's the video my granddaughter and I followed -- How to Make a Brick Book www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8JkAyjNf1Q

Susan F. Craft is the author of the SIBA award winning Revolutionary War romantic suspense, The Chamomile. The two sequels, entitled Laurel and Cassia, will be released in 2015 by Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas. Susan is represented by Linda S. Glaz, Hartline Literary Agency.

Strength When We Are Weary

Youths may faint and grow weary,
and young men stumble and fall,
 but those who trust in the Lord
will renew their strength;
they will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary;
they will walk and not faint.

Isaiah 40:30-31

 

I don't know about you, but I feel like I've been running weary all summer long. It started in May when I started writing a new novel. By the end of June I had finished the first draft of my 94,000 word book.

 

Then we went right into helping my in-laws prepare to move to a senior community. Each weekend we've been traveling two hours one way to help downsize and get things ready for the move. It's been exhausting.

 

In the midst of all the weariness, I'm so thankful that I can always turn to God to renew my strength. I also love the promises from Psalm 54:4. 

 

"God is my helper;

the Lord is the sustainer of my life."

 

When's the last time you went to the Lord to renew your strength?

 

 

Author Interview – Linda Evans Shepherd

I have the privilege of welcoming multi-published Christian author Linda Evans Shepherd to discuss her writing career and latest book release in May 2014, "Praying Through Hard Times: Finding Strength in God's Presence." She’s written on tough topics like suicide and fun fiction books including a series, “The Potluck Club,” with acclaimed Christian author Eva Marie Everson.

Welcome, Linda. Would you share a brief overview of your latest book including your inspiration for it?

Life storms happen; jobs disappear, children go through crisis, loved ones die, illnesses visit, tornadoes destroy, and marriages sometimes tremble or even evaporate under the strain of difficulties.

As a storm-survivor myself, I have learned how to reach out to God in ways that not only connects me to Him in times of trouble but helps me remember that God is bigger than my storms.

I was inspired to write this book because of the people I’ve met as I’ve spoken at conferences across North America.  It’s shocking to see the levels of pain and heartache in the body of Christ. It’s heartbreaking to see that so many count their difficulties as God’s rejection or abandonment. I try to help my audiences move beyond these lies. I love to come along side of them and teach them how to give their troubles to the Lord. It’s such a joy to see my audiences come back to life; to joy, hope and trust in God.

I wanted to share these same secrets with my readers. 

You’ve been published in both fiction and non-fiction genres. What’s your favorite of the two? Is one more challenging than the other to write?

I love to write in both genres. Fiction is fun because it’s the only time you actually have control of your own little world. And what I’ve learned from writing fiction is that sometimes I, as a loving writer, have to give my characters difficulties so that they grow and develop. I have to say no to the temptation to write my characters’ lives without their black moments or otherwise I won’t have a story to tell.

I see God our creator in this same role. He allows pain and trials into our personal lives so that we can grow, develop and turn to him.

I love to take these deeper truths to my non-fiction readers as well, weaving my personal stories throughout the books to hopefully not only entertain, but to relate.

So, the way I see it, I get to share the joys of all worlds.  However, in fiction I’m only sharing the ‘make-believe’ trials of my characters while in nonfiction, I am sharing from my very real and personal trials.  Therefore, I find that fiction is definitely easier to write. 

You talk a lot about giving God your burdens.  For some, this might create a mental image of God as a majestic bellhop. How do you see him?

I wouldn’t call God a bellhop, but he does ask us to give him our troubles. 

To illustrate this point, I tell about the time I was traveling through the New York subway with heavy bags.  A teenager saw me struggling to carry my bags up a steep staircase and asked if he could ‘have’ one of my bags.

I was sure he meant he wanted me to ‘give’ him my suitcase. Because I was about to lose my balance and fall down a flight of stairs, I gave him my bag expecting to never see it again. But I had it wrong; this teen ran up the stairs and waited for me. 

In other words, he only took the weight of my bag. That’s exactly what God wants to do for us; he wants to carry the weight of our troubles so we can experience more of his peace and joy.

What are you currently working on?

My next book, “The Stress Cure; Praying Your Way to Personal Peace” comes out this September. I wrote about the true remedy to stress; learning how to reach out to God’s power through prayer. I want my readers to recognize God’s continual presence and yield their troubles to the Prince of Peace.

I also have a September deadline, to turn in a book about intercessory prayer. It’s been exciting to research amazing stories of answered prayer. I can’t wait to share these stories with my readers.

Many struggling writers wonder how long it takes to get a book published. Obviously, the process is probably more streamlined as you publish books. How long did it take from the time you started writing your first book until it was published?

The Lord totally tricked me into writing books. I’d wanted to be a youth director, but God had other ideas that led me into writing technical documentation in the high tech world. So when I felt His call to write Christian books for publication, I knew I didn’t know a thing about that process. That’s why I attended a Christian writers conference and bought all the recordings of all the classes. By the time the following conference rolled around a year later, I came armed with a book idea for teens. I met with an editor who had five teens at home. This gentleman had no difficulty catching my vision. A year later my first two teen novels, “Ryan’s Trials” and “Kara’s Quest,” were published. So I started the process thinking publishing was a snap. But in the years since, I’ve learned different. I think God gave me an easy in to help keep me motivated in my leaner more difficult days of publishing; days which certainly came my way.  

What encouragement do you have for other Christian writers struggling to get published, especially when rejection letters keep coming? 

I think we’ve all been there, and honestly, I think God uses those rejection letters in a couple of ways; to help us hone our craft, and to teach us how to survive rejection. I know that when I was a bright-eyed author off my first book projects, I assumed rejection wouldn’t come my way. But when it did I realized, Well, why not me? Didn’t our Lord Jesus suffer rejection? Do I think I am better than Jesus?

The Lord taught me a lot through the rejection process. As for encouragement; count your rejection as an honor and continue to follow your call if you want to press into victory.

Linda Evans Shepherd, the author of over 30 books, is a repeat Selah Award winner and the author of the bestselling When You Don’t Know What to Pray, (Revell) and the co-author of the bestselling novel series The Potluck Club and The Potluck Catering Club (Revell).

Linda is the founder and leader of Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, President of the non-profit ministry Right to the Heart, and the publisher of the women’s magazine Leading Hearts, found on ISSUU as well as the Apple News Stand. She’s married to Paul and has two children. 

Link to book’s website: http://gottopray.com/when-you-cant-find-god/ 

Other notables: A Selah Christian Living Book of the Year.

***************

Laura Hodges Poole blogs weekly at  "A Word of Encouragement." She may be contacted at laurapoole565@gmail.com. Follow her on Twitter @ Laura_Poole.

Friendship and the Ritual of Tea

Do you long for a simpler time? Do you ever dream of a slower lifestyle, one where you have more hours in your day?

I do.

I love the opening lines in the header of this blog…

 "Whether it's a conversation with a friend, a word that is penned, or a craft that is made, everything we do leaves a stitch in the fabric of time…"

These words evoke in me feelings of an era gone by, a simpler time.

There are pleasant ways in this busy world of ours to carve out quality time and return to days of yesteryear.

Many years ago I was introduced to the ritual of tea, served in a teapot on a tray with dainty cups and saucers. I was mesmerized with the grace and elegance of my hosts, Denley and Ann Caughman, my pastor and his wife. They had no idea of their impact on my life at the time. They do now, but this small town girl had never been exposed to such finery.

I.  Was. Hooked.

It was more than the tea itself, it was the hospitality displayed and shared. I soaked it in and decided then and there, I wanted to pattern my life after them. Their spiritual influence continues to this day.

Hospitality doesn't have to be complicated. A cup of tea, a piece of bread, warm conversation with friends, and relationships are deepened and flourish.

Kim, Stacy, and Dawn

Recently, I shared tea in my home with three friends preparing for a Bridal Tea. We pored over recipes and sipped different tea blends as we decided which ones we liked best.

One thing I love about the ritual of tea is you can't hurry when having tea. Typically, it's hot and you must sip. This causes you to slow down, or stop altogether in your mad dash and ponder life. Also, a cup and saucer are dainty china, so this too, forces one to be easy, gentle.

Anytime you sit around the table facing people, the natural flow of lively conversation begins. Hearts open to whatever is happening in our lives. It's the way we were created…for community.

Time…we all have the same amount. We choose how we spend it. We make our lives complicated by our choices and the choices we make for our children. I don't want to get to the end of my life and wish I'd used my time better.

Investing your life in others is never a waste of time. You will reap the benefits through lifelong friendships. When all is said and done, people are the only thing we can take to heaven, metaphorically speaking that is.

My dear friends Denley and Ann are still serving people. If you want to experience true southern hospitality and be served the finest food and tea in the south, they own a bed and breakfast in Marion, South Carolina.

How do you unwind and carve out the simple life? I'd love to hear in the comments.



You can find Cindy O'Brien at her blog  My Little Corner http://www.cindyobrien78.blogspot.com.

Captured By Love - Book Review

“Captured by Love” is a beautiful novel set on Mackinac Island during the War of 1812. Having visited Mackinac Island several times, I found it fascinating to see daily life played out on the Island in that era.  The romance had just the right mix of lighthearted and playful scenes and others where you could feel the characters’ pain as they struggle to make a decision. The decision? What price are you willing to pay for love? 

Add a great romance, passionate kisses, and three-dimensional characters and you end up being totally captured by this story!

 

Michigan Territory, 1814

A voyageur and a young woman swept up in a time of upheaval and danger
discover firsthand the high price of freedom.

The British Army has taken control of Michilimackinac Island and its fort, forcing the Americans to swear an oath of loyalty to the crown in order to retain their land. Pierre Durant is a fur trader who returns after being away from the island for years, only to find the family farm a shambles and those he cares about starving and at the mercy of British invaders.

Torn between the adventurous life of fur trading and guilt over neglecting his defenseless mother, Pierre is drawn deeper into the fight against the British--and into a relationship with Angelique MacKenzie, a childhood friend who's grown into a beautiful woman. She now finds herself trapped by the circumstances of war and poverty, and the cruelty of her guardian, Ebenezer Whiley.

As tensions mount and the violence rages on, Pierre and Angelique must decide where their loyalties rest and how much they'll risk for love.

Happy Grilling!

When I gave up eating meat I knew there would be issues. Like the time my mother-in-law called and quietly whispered into the phone, “I heard something about you. Is it true? Are you a vegetarian?” 

Now, granted she’s a Michigander and vegetarians in Michigan are likened with hardened criminals. Although, since the phone call she has seen fit to forgive me,  it also made her feel better to know that once in a great while I’ll indulge in a good bite or two of safely raised fish or chicken.

Anyway, while perusing the internet on a quest to discover something wonderful, I found Hallelujah Acres website. This site promotes a raw, organic, plant-based diet. There is plethora of recipes, raw and cooked. 

This Black Bean Burger is one of them, and it’s the best veggie burger I’ve ever tried. There is nothing special about it, except the burger is delicious!

Please visit their web site when you have time. However, everything in moderation, there is some eye-opening information there.

http://www.myhdiet.com/black-bean-burgers-by-connie/ 

The picture above is from myhdiet.com 

Black Bean Burgers

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 small onion (coarsely chopped)
• 1 medium red pepper (chopped)
• 4 medium cloves of garlic (minced)
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 1/2 cups cooked or canned organic black beans (drained)
• 1 cup cooked brown basmati rice
• 2 cups fresh whole wheat bread crumbs
• Hot pepper sauce to taste (optional)
• Also optional is adding 1 tablespoon of Ketchup (from Rhonda's Recipe book)
• 1 1/2 teaspoon Celtic Sea Salt

Instructions

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, red pepper, and garlic. Cook while stirring frequently until soft and onions are translucent. Stir in cumin, turmeric, and cook for an additional minute. In a food processor, combine beans, rice and onion/pepper/garlic mixture. Transfer to a large bowl. Add breadcrumbs and mix well. Season with salt and hot pepper if desired. Flatten 1/4 cup amounts of mix into patties and they are ready for the outdoor grill. Cook about 3-5 minutes each side. Makes 8 burgers.

plant-based diet and nutritional organic superfoods http://www.myhdiet.com/

Additional nutritional information can be found on the above web site.

American Settlers

It’s Tidbit Tuesday. Elaine here with an historical tidbit that affects us all. Immigration is one of the top news topics today. Every politician calls for a so-called comprehensive immigration plan, but for some reason or other, it never gets done. Reminds me of everyone complaining about the weather, but nobody doing anything about it.

When I was researching my western historical series I found some interesting things about immigration. The ranch in my story is based loosely on the huge 101 Ranch in Kansas, but Kansas didn’t fit into my plot, so I moved north to Nebraska. My research began with a 900-page book written by the people who settled the land.

A large number of these settlers came directly from Germany. It made sense. The Germanic people weren’t that far removed from serfdom, so the opportunity to own land was a compelling dream. They had to work hard. Under the Land Act, settlers had to produce a viable farm from virgin prairie within five years to claim ownership.

Many failed and went to the cities of the east or back to their home lands, but those who toughed it out turned this country into the breadbasket it is today.

Before the mid-1800s most immigrants came from England, Ireland, Scotland, and Africa. Between 1881 and 1885, when my series is set, over a million Germans immigrated to the mid-western states. During the 1890s into the early 1900s over five million Italians and one and a half million Swedes and Norwegians immigrated. Lauraine Snelling wrote the Red River of the North series about a Norwegian family settling in North Dakota. One of the best Christian historical series written in my opinion.

Immigration law has a checkered past. Until 1875 states passed their own immigration laws. The first federal law, the Page Act, was passed mainly to restrict Asian immigration. All the laws passed afterward were used to restrict or encourage immigration from one place or the other. In spite of the lack of law, immigration was generally an orderly process with most immigrants coming through Ellis Island.

Some of the immigrants tried to stick together, like those who settled into the industrial centers, but those who prospered most quickly acclimated into American society. The mid-western settlers are proof of that. They brought their religion and customs, but sent their children to little one-room schools and joined with other farmers in church and community events. Within a generation, no one could tell where these settlers came from. Even in the larger cities, the shop keepers and craftsmen, those who dealt with society, did better than factory workers.

I’ve never studied my ancestry, but I have German roots from my father’s side and English from my mother’s side. Honestly though, I’m a mutt and proud of it.

How about you? Do you know where your ancestors came from? Where they settled?

 

Comment anytime this week to win The Governess of Highland Hall by Carrie Turansky.

 

 

Comment to win The Governess of Highland Hall by Carrie Turansky

Congratulations to  Karen Campbell Prough who was the winner of last week's Giveaway of Julia's Hope by Leisha Kelly!

This week's Giveaway:

The Governess of Highland Hall by Carrie Turansky

 Crystal Barnes was kind enough to offer this week's giveaway! 

Worlds lie between the marketplaces of India and the halls of a magnificent country estate like Highland Hall. Will Julia be able to find her place when a governess is neither upstairs family nor downstairs help?
 
Missionary Julia Foster loves working alongside her parents, ministering and caring for young girls in India. But when the family must return to England due to illness, she readily accepts the burden for her parents’ financial support. Taking on a job at Highland Hall as governess, she quickly finds that teaching her four privileged, ill-mannered charges at a grand estate is more challenging than expected, and she isn’t sure what to make of the estate’s preoccupied master, Sir William Ramsey.

Widowed and left to care for his two young children and his deceased cousin Randolph’s two teenage girls, William is consumed with saving the estate from the financial ruin. The last thing he needs is any distraction coming from the kindhearted-yet-determined governess who seems to be quietly transforming his household with her persuasive personality, vibrant prayer life, and strong faith.

While both are tending past wounds and guarding fragile secrets, Julia and William are determined to do what it takes to save their families—common ground that proves fertile for unexpected feelings. But will William choose Julia’s steadfast heart and faith over the wealth and power he needs to secure Highland Hall’s future?

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

 

Coming up this week:

Musing Monday: Looking for Life in a Graveyard by Laura Jackson

Tidbit Tuesday with Elaine Manders

Woven Wednesday: Happy Grilling with Michelle Morris

Thoughtful Thursday: Book Review with Amanda Barratt

Fun Friday: Friendship and a Ritual of Tea by Cindy O'Brien

Sit-Down Saturday: Laura Hodges Poole will be interviewing a special guest!

We look forward to hanging out with you this week!

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

 Announcements:

Ebook giveaway alert!
Enter to win an ebook copy of A Jane Austen Encounter by Donna F. Crow on Amber Schamel's blog! Hurry! Drawing ends on Wednesday 7/23/14.
http://amberschamel.blogspot.com/2014/07/interview-with-author-donna-f-crow-and.html

Looking for Life in a Graveyard!

Last Sunday, my pastor taught on Ephesians 2:1-7. It's a powerful portion of scripture explaining how Christ brought us from death to life.

He made a comment about singles not looking for a mate in the graveyard and that we shouldn't date a corpse. It was funny, but I loved his point. His point was if we are alive in Christ, why would we want a mate who is spiritually dead?

It got me thinking. How many times do I look for life in things that are dead?

We search for life in people, places, and things that can never satisfy us. We strive for peace, comfort, and love among the dead.

And then we wonder why we feel spiritually dead, emotionally drained, and even physically tired.

But, we have the answer. Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well that if she drank of the living water, she'd never thirst again. We have the bread of life at our disposal 24/7, especially with the lovely invention of the Bible apps.

Drink of Him. Taste of His Word and see that it is good.

And Live, an eternal life that not even death can touch.


Are you looking for life in a graveyard? Or are you living in the spirit?


Laura Jackson loves Jesus, trees, and the Houston Rockets. She lives in a suburb of Houston, where she serves as a librarian by day and a YA author at night. Her debut novel Worth the Wait released in February, and its sequel Worth the Time comes out in January 2015. Find her at http://authorlaurajackson.blogspot.com/.

Interview with Sandra Orchard about Writing and Her Newest Book, Blind Trust...And the winner is Melanie Backus!!

by Patricia Bradley

I read Sandra Orchard's first book, a Love Inspired title - Deep Cover, in 2011 and I fell in love with her writing. I have every book she's written since then, and if you leave a comment you will be entered to win a copy of her latest, Blind Trust. Later this year we are going to be roommates in North Carolina at the Writer's Police Academy. Can't wait to see what stories come out of that! 

Tell us a bit about yourself

I’m a happily married to a man who is very supportive of my writing, although he hasn’t actually read more than a few paragraphs of it. <Grin> I’m the mother of three wonderful children that I thoroughly enjoyed homeschooling on our little hobby farm. My two youngest still live at home and my youngest daughter is a freelance writer and aspiring novelist so we have a lot of fun commiserating together when plots don’t work and celebrating when they do. My eldest daughter is married and I’ve now become one of those grandmothers. You know the kind I mean. The ones who have a gazillion pictures and shamelessly dote on them every chance they get.

 

I’ve been writing full-time since signing my first contract in 2010 and am currently drafting my tenth contracted novel. I write for Revell and Love Inspired Suspense, and do a bit of freelance content editing and speaking/teaching. I also do bookkeeping (since I did major in Math at university). And when it can’t be avoided any longer, I clean the house. Before I took up writing, most of my spare time was spent renovating our old farmhouse, so I’ve always had a good excuse for dust bunnies.  <Wink>

What is your story about?

This is the second book in a three-part series, and although each book has a standalone mystery, the romance and a suspense arcs the three books, so I highly recommend reading them in order to avoid spoilers. In this novel, herbal researcher, Kate Adams returns, and caught inadvertently passing counterfeit money while buying groceries for her elderly neighbor, she lands in the middle of another one of Detective Tom Parker’s investigations. Determined to prove her neighbor’s innocence, Kate stumbles into a pit of intrigue that is far deeper than a two-bit counterfeit operation–and that strikes too close to home for comfort. As family secrets come to light, her world–and her budding romance with Tom–begin to crumble. To Kate, it’s clear that she won’t be safe until she uncovers all of Port Aster’s secrets. But is it too late for her and Tom?

Here’s what Booklist had to say in their review:

“Orchard infuses romance with suspense and keeps the excitement coming page after page.  Readers will love the ever-deepening mystery as Kate extends her investigation and finds herself and her long-dead father tangled up in an international corporate conspiracy.”

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

Yes, The opening scene. This is the second book in my Port Aster Secrets series and hero and heroine haven’t seen each other for a while. It was fun to write this “reunion” in which she’s been caught counterfeiting and he’s the officer called in. His reaction: “If you wanted to see me, you could have just called.”

Since the store security guard who made the call doesn’t know their history and believes she is a thief, I had a lot of fun with the subtext of their conversation throughout the scene.

Where did you get the inspiration for your story?

There is a lot of stuff happening in the story. One reviewer counted at least 4. But the opening mystery was inspired by a counterfeit $5 bill that turned up in the offering at my neighbor’s Ladies’ Missionary Meeting.

What are you working on now?

I’m finishing the edits on the final installment in the Port Aster Secrets series, Desperate Measures, which promises to finally uncover everyone’s secrets. I’m also writing my next Love Inspired Suspense, a paramedic story featuring the cousin of the heroes in Perilous Waters (April 2014) and Identity Withheld (Nov 2014).

Where can readers connect with you?

I’m active on Facebook at: http://www.Facebook.com/SandraOrchard and would love it if you’d “like” my page!

And although I’m taking a break for the summer, I blog on Mondays at http://www.SandraOrchard.com/blog and a bit of nosing around on the site will provide lots of things of interest to both readers and writers, including bonus features for all of my novels.

Readers are also invited to subscribe to my newsletter at: http://bit.ly/OrchardNews for news of new releases, giveaways and subscriber exclusive short stories.

Where can readers buy your book?

You can ask for it at your favorite bookstore or find it online at all the major stores. At the moment it is on sale for an especially low price in E-format. The best prices I’ve found are at Amazon and CBD.com (for Epub format which works on Nook and Kobo).

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

Since taking up writing, most of my former creative outlets, which included every kind of craft you could imagine from knitting and sewing to cross-stich and jewelry making and painting, have sat untouched. So probably my most creative outlet is keeping my young grandchildren entertained.  You knew I had to come back to them, didn’t you? <grin>

 Leave a comment to be entered for a copy of Sandra's Latest book, Blind Trust. Must have a US or Canada address and at least 18 years old. Winner will be announced Sunday morning, July 20, 2014.

The Shoot-Out At the Red Crown Tavern

Near my house in rural Platte County, Missouri stands this historical marker.

The Red Crown Tourist Court and the Red Crown Tavern stood just off of Highway 71 (now I-29), ready to provide shelter and nourishment for weary travelers. On July 18, 1933 (or maybe July 19th according to some accounts), just such a group checked into the adjoining cabins. Clyde Barrows and his girlfriend Bonnie Parker, along with members of their gang needed some time to heal up from a spate of robberies and shoot-outs.

One of the double cabins

Bonnie had been badly burned in a one-car accident nearly a month before, but a bungled robbery by W.D. Jones and Clyde’s brother, Buck, had forced them to keep moving. Now, Clyde, against his brother’s advice, decided the Red Crown Tourist Court would be the place to hole up for a few days.

The Red Crown Tavern with cabins behind

One bad decision led to another…and another. Clyde thought to disguise their numbers by renting the cabins for three people instead of five, so when Blanche, Buck’s wife, kept ordering food for five, the cabins’ owner began to get suspicious. Clyde had also backed the car into the garage “gangster style” and subsequently covered the cabins’ windows with newspaper.

Well, Platte City might not have been a sophisticated metropolis, but its citizens knew odd behavior when they saw it.

Unfortunately, local sheriff Holt Coffey had trouble convincing the sheriff of Kansas City’s Jackson County to assist. The man simply didn't believe there could possibly be notorious gangsters in Platte City. Sheriff Coffey was finally able to wheedle a couple officers with weapons and an armored car.

Blanche, acting as the go-fer for the gang, began to notice some rather unusual attention from the locals. Clyde told her it was her imagination.

Consequently, on the morning of July 20, 1933, when Sheriff Coffey armed to the teeth and carrying a shield made of boilerplate pounded on Clyde’s cabin door, the gang was completely unprepared.

After a brief burst of gunfire, Clyde and Jones bundled Bonnie into the car and waited for the other two to join them, but the officers had pulled the armored car across their path. When Buck and Blanche made their dash for the car, the law opened fire, hitting Buck in the temple.

Meanwhile, the officers in the armored car, having sustained considerable damage, pulled the car away from the cabins.

Blanche succeeded in getting her injured husband into the car and the gang took advantage of their opportunity.

The lawmen offered no pursuit. Four days later, the gang found themselves in another gun battle with the law—this time just outside Dexter, Iowa.

The already critically injured Buck and Blanche were captured, but the other three escaped. Buck died a few days later. Blanche was tried and sentenced to ten years in prison. She died in 1988.

Sheriff Coffey, who sustained two scratches from buckshot, got a lot of mileage out of being shot by Bonnie and Clyde. The other officers decided not to ruin his story. He’d actually been hit by friendly fire.

When Highway 71 became Interstate I-29, all traces of the Red Crown Tavern and Tourist Court were obliterated. But it still makes for a great local story!

Any good stories in your neck of the woods? 

~Lora Young

Back in the Day . . .

Do you ever wish you lived in the days of the butcher, the baker, and the candlestick maker? How about the Cobbler, the Haberdasher, and the Milliner?

Speaking of Milliners . . . I just read this great book about a hatmaker. Carla Stewart’s The Hatmaker’s Heart. Stewart is known for her “nostalgic novels.” They generally have to do with a specific moment in time, and when I read her stories, I want to go back. Ok, keeping it real . . .. I’ve never actually lived in the roaring twenties, but when I read Hatmaker, I felt like I was there. And I wished I could wear one of her hats . . . and go back there.

It’s a story about postwar (between the wars) women and explores the paradigm shift whereby women sought after careers and college education in greater numbers than ever before. It examines the plight of women who lost husbands in the war, and tried to find a way to support families on their own. And how they came up against the old guard who promoted their traditions of women at home. 

The Hatmaker’s Heart follows a girl who loves designing and making hats back in the day when nearly every outfit required a different, matching hat. 1920s high fashion in NYC and then London dominates the scenes and provides a colorful backdrop for the drama which unfolds as Nell discovers who she is and learns to stand up for herself in a male-dominated workforce at a time of great change.

Nowadays, hats are for fun, sun, or warmth. What was the last hat you purchased for yourself? Do you like hats? Would you wear one every day if that was in style? Leave us a comment for a chance to win this week’s drawing.

The Hatmaker’s Heart is a quick and fun read. I hope you’ll give it a try.

Review by Jennifer Fromke