Author Chat with Cindy Regnier

Welcome to Stitches Thru Time, Cindy. We’re excited about your new release, Mail-Order Refuge. Mail-order bride stories are always a favorite. How did you decide on this for your debut novel?

I needed a way to get Carly to Kansas and it fit perfectly with Rand’s situation. Mail-order bride stories are still popular, probably because in today’s world it’s so hard to imagine traveling away from all you know to marry a man you’ve never met. I think Mail-Order Refuge is a fresh enough take on the mail-order bride trope to make it an exciting story.

I agree. You've tossed a couple of curves into that time-tested trope. Your hero is a rancher raising two young orphaned nieces. Tell us why readers are going to fall in love with him.

Rand is definitely book-boyfriend material. He’s a little rough around the edges, but that is easily forgiven when you see his heart. He is protective of his family, sacrifices his own hopes and dreams to achieve theirs, and, well, he’s a cowboy. Enough said.

You got me with "cowboy." Your heroine is running from something. We won’t give any spoilers here, but tell us why readers will sympathize with her.

Carly has to run away to save herself and her brother from a tough situation she found herself in because of a bad decision on her part. We’ve all made those decisions we wish we could have a do-over on, and the guilt she suffers is a familiar feeling. Beyond that, we see into her heart of gold and cheer her selfless nature as she clears a path through the unknown territory of becoming a wife and mother.

Yes, we can all understand those feelings. Your story is set in Kansas, which I understand is near and dear to your heart. What is it about that area that appeals to you, and how do you convey that to your readers?

I spent a good deal of my childhood in the Kansas Flint Hills because both sets of my grandparents lived there. They instilled in me a love for the beautiful setting as well as a rich family heritage of settling, farming, and ranching in the area from the generations of their parents and grandparents. I want to give that same heritage and love of the land to my characters in order to convey my deep feelings for it to my readers.

I love it when authors bring bits of their pasts to life in their stories. This is your debut novel, how exciting! Tell us a little bit about your journey to publication.

I have been writing ever since I wrote plays for my friends to perform in class back in 3^rd grade. Being published is a dream I’ve chased for a long time because I see it as a way to share parts of myself and my background with people I might not otherwise connect with. My love of country living, animals, and maybe even handsome cowboy sometimes feels like it will explode inside me if I don’t share it through my writing.

We're very happy that you didn't explode.  ;)  Thank you for stopping by Stitches Thru Time, is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

I appreciate the invitation to visit Stitches in Time, and I love to hear from readers. Connect with me on social media and I might even ask you to help with planning my next novel. I’m thinking of writing a romance for Mary Jo, and need to know if she falls for a cowboy from her uncle’s ranch or a city boy from art school. Opinions welcome!

Where to find Cindy:

https://cindyregnier.com/

https://www.facebook.com/CindyRegnierauthor/

https://twitter.com/CindySRegnier

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19069509.Cindy_Regnier

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cindy-regnier

Flights of Fancy by Jen Turano

FLIGHTS OF FANCY: Miss Isadora Delafield may be an heiress, but her life is far from carefree. When her mother begins pressuring her to marry an elderly and uncouth duke, she escapes from the high society world she's always known and finds herself to be an unlikely candidate for a housekeeper position in rural Pennsylvania.

Mr. Ian MacKenzie is known for his savvy business sense and has built his reputation and fortune completely on his own merits. But when his adopted parents are in need of a new housekeeper and Isadora is thrown into his path, he's unexpectedly charmed by her unconventional manner.

Neither Isadora nor Ian expected to find the other so intriguing, but when mysterious incidents on the farm and the truth of Isadora's secret threaten those they love, they'll have to set aside everything they thought they wanted for a chance at happy-ever-after.

Heidi here. Jen Turano is one of my favorite Christian historical fiction authors. She always writes with a lighthearted and comical twist. FLIGHTS OF FANCY does not disappoint.

The premise was simple, Isadora's mother will do just about anything to ensure that Isadora marries well. She goes a little too far and Isadora flees her home and assumes a new identity as a housekeeper. Except, as an heiress she has never done housework. Somehow Isadora is able to talk her way out of anything. Ian takes a liking to her and a romance ensues. As always, a very enjoyable read.

While writing this I noticed that FLIGHTS OF FANCY by Jen Turano is on deep discount for the kindle, so grad your copy today!

A Tender Hope by Amanda Cabot

A TENDER HOPE: As far as Thea Michener is concerned, it's time for a change. With her husband murdered and her much-anticipated baby stillborn, there is nothing left for her in Ladreville. Having accepted a position as Cimarron Creek's midwife, she has no intention of remarrying and trying for another child. So when a handsome Texas Ranger appears on her doorstep with an abandoned baby, Thea isn't sure her heart can take it.

Ranger Jackson Guthrie isn't concerned only with the baby's welfare. He's been looking for Thea, convinced that her late husband was part of the gang that killed his brother. But it soon becomes clear that the situation is far more complicated than he anticipated--and he'll need Thea's help if he's ever to find the justice he seeks.

Amanda Cabot invites readers back to Cimarron Creek for a tender story of loss, betrayal, and love in the majestic Texas Hill Country.

Heidi here. A TENDER HOPE is another enjoyable historical by Amanda Cabot. It has a believable and poignant premise with a strong character in Thea Michener. There is a twist on her backstory that was very believable and moved Thea to not want to fall in love again. Ranger Jackson Guthrie also has an issue in his past that leaves him unable to trust. 

A TENDER HOPE has twists and turns that make you care for the characters even more around every corner. A witty and expertly written love story.

Amanda Cabot did a character interview with Warner Gray on Saturday and there is still an active giveaway (I'll draw a random name on Sunday). US addresses only. Just leave a note with your email address in the comments section of the character interview post.

Book Review of "The Blessed" by Ann Gabhart

The Blessed by Ann H. Gabhart
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I've enjoyed all of Ann Gabhart's shaker books and couldn't believe I'd missed one ... but I had! So I grabbed a copy and read it in a couple of days. As usual, it was full of the characters who had not always experienced the best things in life, had not always made the right choices, and these characters were living through the consequences of their actions. In short, Ann Gabhart writes real-people-type characters the reader can relate to.

What I love about these Shaker books is that while they deal with a group of people we'd label as a cult today, the author treats them with the dignity and respect they deserve as people trying to do their best with what they know and believe. She never demeans them or makes them into caricatures. They are fully-rounded characters with strengths and weaknesses, beauty and warts. And into the lives of these people, the author weaves a tale of hardship and hope. Well worth reading. 

If you've never read one of Ann's Shaker books, you can start with any of them. They all read as stand-alone novels. Watch for the next one releasing in April of 2019, The Refuge.

Weekly Windup: Enter to win The Captain's Challenge by Elaine Manders

 Welcome to the Weekly Windup! 

Winner of Dawn of Liberty by Amber Schamel is...Connie Porter Saunders!

If you are a winner, please Contact Us with your email address to claim your prize.


This Week's Giveaway: 

  The Captain's Challenge (ebook) by Elaine Manders

Gillian Carey has spent the last eight years studying music in England. During that time, the American civil war has claimed two brothers and her mother. Another brother is still missing. She returns to her Georgia home and a dangerous world with her family hiding secrets and her father a broken and brooding man. She turns to Alex Blaine, a union captain, rooming in her ancestral home, to find her missing brother, not realizing Alex is investigating her father for insurrection.
An army intelligence officer, Alex is on a dangerous assignment to identify anarchists responsible for the unrest in post-civil war Georgia, and all clues lead to Gillian’s father. Alex is attracted to the spirited redhead, but he has secrets of his own other than his army mission. He may have been responsible for her missing brother’s death.
As Alex races against time to expose an enemy bent on starting another war, Gillian is torn between her loyalty to her family and her growing love for the handsome captain. Is he worthy of her trust, or will he betray her as others have?

Check it out on Amazon

Be sure to leave comments throughout the week to get your name in the drawing. Giveaway ends October 21st. Winner will be announced in the October 22nd edition of the Weekly Windup.

Coming up this week:

Tuesday, October 9: Strike! by Linda Shenton Matchett
Thursday, October 11: Thoughtful Thursday - A book review by Jenn Fromke

Weaving Fact & Fiction

One of my favorite questions to ask authors, is how they weave facts in with their fiction, and what true facts inspired the story. So today I thought it'd be fun to show how some of those real-life aspects have woven into my own books.

For my Christmas book, The Swaddling Clothes, I actually had to study the art of weaving. In order to craft a story about the creation of the swaddling clothes, I had to study how threads were spun, how many threads would be used to create a fabric, etc. I was amazed at the amount of skill it would take to weave thousands of tiny threads into a single piece. Weaving stories is much the same. We have to take history, truth,

inspiration, character, faults, habits, then draw in something likable about the character, a plot twist, a red herring...and before you know it there are a thousand threads that make up the story. This information molded the beginning portion of the book when King David summons all the skilled weavers of the land to choose one to create the swaddling clothes for his soon-to-be-born son, Solomon. In addition to selecting the weaver, he then has to carefully choose the threads, because color, thickness, texture, all affects the fabric and each and every thread has to be able to work with the others.


In The Healer's Touch, (the first book in the Days of Messiah series) I wanted to write a story about a leper healed by Jesus. This required study of the Hebraic laws on leprosy. Most of us know that they typically lived in leper colonies segregated from the rest of society. But it was much more than that. Many of them never saw their families again. And if they happened to be out and about when someone 'normal' was coming toward them, they had to shout out a warning proclaiming themselves 'unclean' so that individual could avoid them. All of this tradition and law made it especially hard on my poor Aaliyah. Appearing before Jesus, especially with the size of the crowd that was always around Him, made such an act life-threatening. Because being caught among 'clean' people meant they could (and probably would) stone you for endangering the health of others.

In Dawn of Liberty, Samuel Adams and the Declaration of Independence were my subjects. There's LOTS of fun history to draw from there. I dug pretty deep into the lives of many of the members of Congress, and I found out so many juicy tidbits. There were several delegates that were opposed to the Declaration, so I studied out WHY. What I came away with was a story of how those delegates changed their minds or decided to abstain their votes so that liberty could pass.

Now it's your turn! What have been your favorite instances of fact woven in fiction? (This can be a book you read, or for you authors, one you wrote.)

 Tell me the book and author in the comments below to get your name in the drawing for A Flute in the Willows by Carole Brown!

*****

Amber Schamel writes riveting stories that bring HIStory to life. She has a passion for travel, history, books and her Savior. This combination results in what her readers call "historical fiction at its finest".  Her title, Dawn of Liberty, was awarded the 2017 CSPA Book of the Year award in Historical Fiction. She lives in Colorado and spends half her time volunteering in the Ozarks. Amber is a proud member of the American Christian Fiction Writers Association. Visit her online at www.AmberSchamel.com/ and download a FREE story by subscribing to her Newsletter!

The Outlaw Takes a Bride: A Book Review

I love historical fiction-my favorite era being WWII, but I'll read just about anything. Recently it seems like most of the books I've read have been set in the Old West, and it's been fun to immerse myself in that time period of America's history. I've learned about laws and customs, but I've also gotten a taste of what it would be like to live off the land-growing your food, hunting your meat, building your home, etc.

Chores such as doing laundry was an all day event: pump water into a huge tub (or get it from a nearby river or lake), build a fire, heat water over the fire, scrub clothes, rinse, hang to dry, and by the way, don't catch your long skirts on fire while you're working. I certainly have a new appreciation for the men and women who often left family behind to scratch out a living in a primitive land.

One of the Old West books I read is Susan Page Davis's The Outlaw Takes a Bride. I won it in a drawing from her website, and a review was not required, but I enjoyed the book so much I wanted to share it with Stitches Thru Time followers. I've included the buy link below because you're going to want to get this book! So without further ado, here's my review:

This is the first Susan Page Davis book that I’ve read, and I wish I had discovered her writings much sooner. I love historical fiction, but don’t read a lot of “cowboy” stories. I may need to change that. The Outlaw Takes a Bride is a well-written, well-researched story with a fascinating premise. The characters are realistic and complex, with strengths and struggles. Sally is sensitive and tender, yet resilient. Her faith is a natural part of her everyday life. Despite living a lie, John is a true gentleman in his thoughts and behaviors to ally. He is not cavalier about the situation, but rather his subterfuge gnaws at him as the story progresses. 

Descriptions of daily tasks effectively evoke the era and gave me an understanding for how challenging it would be to live without modern conveniences, yet made me appreciate the simplicity of the lifestyle. I learned a lot about the social customs, attitudes, and attire of the Old West, and I enjoy a writer who can include that sort of information without it being dry or textbookish. I enjoyed getting to know Sally’s parents, and how they were integrated into the story at the end. I loved the ending. It was exciting and unexpected, and kept me turning pages. This book won a Will Rogers Medallion Award, and I can see why. I look forward to reading more by this author. Highly recommended.

You can purchase The Outlaw Takes a Bride from Amazon.

Don't forget to comment for your chance to win Driver's Confessional by David Winters. Winner will be announced at the January 29th Weekly Windup.

Linda Shenton Matchett is an author, journalist, blogger, and history geek. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, a stone's throw from Fort McHenry, she has lived in historic places most of her life. A member of ACFW, RWA and SinC, she writes historical romance and mysteries. Linda is a docent for the Wright Museum of WWII and a trustee for her local public library. She lives in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire. Visit Linda at www.LindaShentonMatchett.com or sign up for her newsletter. 

Weekly Windup: Still Time to Enter to Win A Very Present Help by Sharon K. Connell

Hello Friends, and welcome to the Weekly Windup!

The team here at Stitches Thru Time is gearing up with some great ideas for the new year. But we'd love to hear from you! So stay tuned for some exciting stuff coming your way.

In the meantime, there's still time to get your name in the drawing for A Very Present Help by Sharon K. Connell.

   If you are a winner, please Contact Us to claim your prize.

 

This Week's Giveaway:

  A Very Present Help (ebook) by Sharon K. Connell

Teacher Shannon Collins has her life all figured out—but after the attack of September 11, her world turns upside down. Her boyfriend enlists in the Marines and proposes before heading to Afghanistan. As Shannon waits and prays for his safe return, she meets another Marine. Her engagement makes her off-limits. The Marine departs with a simple kiss on her hand and no contact information exchanged. But can she forget him?

Life takes a strange turn for Shannon when a rich, unscrupulous businessman sets his sights on her, and her fiancé falls in love with someone else. Can Shannon trust God to weave her shattered emotions into a beautiful tapestry? Fear and betrayal will cause Shannon to cling to “…A Very Present Help in time of trouble.”

Check it out on Amazon!

Comment on any post now through January 14th to get your name in the drawing! Winner will be announced in the January 15th issue of the Weekly Windup. Paperback giveaways are for U.S. residents only.

January 2018 New Release

Are you looking for some great reads for the new year? Consider this month's releases. More in-depth descriptions of the books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website.


Contemporary Romance:
Her Handyman Hero by Lorraine Beatty -- Reid Blackthorn arrives in Dover on a personal mission—to make sure his terminally ill brother gets a chance to meet his daughter. Deceiving little Lily’s guardian isn’t his intention. Yet once Tori Montgomery mistakes Reid for her new handyman, he knows it’s the only way to be close to his niece. Tori is honoring her friend’s last wish by keeping Lily away from her father’s family. And once she learns who Reid truly is, she realizes there’s too much at stake—including custody of Lily—for her to fall for the former DEA agent. But in keeping a promise, is she losing out on her chance for a happily-ever-after? (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

Beneath the Summer Sun by Kelly Irvin -- It’s been four years since Jennie’s husband died in a farming accident. Long enough that the elders in her Amish community think it’s time to marry again for the sake of her seven children. What they don’t know is that grief isn’t holding her back from a new relationship. Fear is. A terrible secret in her past keeps her from moving forward. Meanwhile, Leo Graber nurtures a decades-long love for Jennie, but guilt plagues him—guilt for letting Jennie marry someone else and guilt for his father’s death on a hunting trip many years ago. How could anyone love him again—and how could he ever take a chance to love in return? (Contemporary Romance from HarperCollins Christian Publishing)

  Ain’t Misbehaving by Marji Laine -- True, Annalee’s crime amounted to very little, but not in terms of community service hours. Her probation officer encouraged her with a promise of an easy job in an air-conditioned downtown environment. She didn’t expect her role to be little better than a janitor at an after-school daycare in the worst area of town. Carlton Whelen hides behind the nickname of CJ so people won’t treat him like the wealthy son of the Whelen Foundation director. Working at the foundation’s after-school program delights him and annoys his business-oriented father. When a gorgeous prima donna is assigned to his team, he not only cringes at her mistakes but also has to avoid the attraction that builds from the first time he sees her. (Contemporary Romance from Write Integrity Press)

Finding Grace by Melanie D. Snitker -- Single dad Tyler Martin can't be more grateful to the woman who finds his missing daughter. Even though he feels a spark between them, falling in love is a risk he shouldn't take. Too bad chance encounters and his stubborn heart keep trying to convince him otherwise. After escaping a nightmarish relationship, Beth Davenport is content with her safe and blessedly normal life. Yet something about Tyler and his adorable daughter makes her wish for more. With the walls around her heart finally starting to crumble, she's afraid of a future she can't predict. Can they let go of their fear and trust God to lead them to the love they desperately need? (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)
 

Marrying Mandy by Melanie D. Snitker -- Mandy Hudson swore she'd never marry. Abandoned by her parents and raised by her grandparents, she has a hard time trusting that real love will last. When her grandmother dies, Mandy's shocked to discover a stipulation in the will. Considering marriage to her best friend may be the only way to keep her family's beloved bed-and-breakfast. The loss of his job threatens Preston Yarrow's shaky financial stability. Besides, he can't watch his best friend give up the only real home she's ever known. Frustrated by Mandy's stubborn refusal to let him help, he's certain they are stronger together than they are apart. A marriage of convenience might be crazy... or an answer to both their prayers. (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)

Historical:
Son of Promise by Caryl McAdoo -- Can a wife find the grace to forgive when her husband’s withheld the truth? Travis Buckmeyer has a secret son, and the morning’s come to tell his sweet wife. He hates breaking Emma Lee’s heart. She promised him one ten years ago, but hasn’t been blessed to carry a baby to term. Every miscarriage made the telling harder, but now his clock’s run out. He’s going for his son, praying he won’t lose her. Cody knows who his mother claims his father is, but he’s only interested in getting sprung from reform school then boosting enough from the do-gooder to bust out on his own. Can Travis find redemption, Emma Lee forgiveness, or Cody the love he’s been longing for? (Historical, Independently Published)

Historical Romance:
Hearts Entwined by Mary Connealy, Melissa Jagears, Regina Jennings, and Karen Witemeyer -- Four top historical romance novelists team up in this new collection to offer stories of love and romance with a twist of humor. In Karen Witemeyer's "The Love Knot," Claire Nevin gets the surprise of her life awaiting her sister's arrival by train. Mary Connealy's "The Tangled Ties That Bind" offers the story of two former best friends who are reunited while escaping a stampede. Regina Jennings offers "Bound and Determined," where a most unusual trip across barren Oklahoma plains is filled with adventure, romance, and . . . camels? And Melissa Jagears' "Tied and True" entertains with a tale of two hearts from different social classes who become entwined at a cotton thread factory. (Historical Romance from Bethany House [Baker])
 

A Bouquet of Brides Collection by Mary Davis, Kathleen E. Kovach, Paula Moldenhauer, Suzanne Norquist, Donita Kathleen Paul, Donna Schlachter, and Pegg Thomas -- For seven bachelors, this bouquet of brides means a happily ever after. Meet seven American women who were named for various flowers but struggle to bloom where God planted them. Can love help them grow to their full potential? (Historical Romance from Barbour Publishing)


A Mother For His Family by Susanne Dietze -- Lady Helena Stanhope’s reputation is in tatters…and she’s lost any hope for a “respectable” ton marriage. An arranged union is the only solution. But once Helena weds formidable Scottish widower John Gordon, Lord Ardoch, and encounters his four mischievous children, she’s determined to help her new, ever-surprising family. Even if she’s sure love is too much to ask for. All John needs is someone to mother his admittedly unruly brood. He never imagined that beautiful Lady Helena would be a woman of irresistible spirit, caring and warmth. Or that facing down their pasts would give them so much in common. Now, as danger threatens, John will do whatever it takes to convince Helena their future together—and his love—are for always. (Historical Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin])


His Forgotten Fiancee by Evelyn M. Hill -- Liza Fitzpatrick is stunned when her fiancé finally arrives in Oregon City — with amnesia. Matthew Dean refuses to honor a marriage proposal he doesn’t recall making, but Liza needs his help now to bring in the harvest, and maybe she can help him remember… Matthew is attracted to the spirited Liza, and as she tries to help him regain his old memories, the new ones they’re creating together start to make him feel whole. Even as he falls for her again, though, someone’s determined to keep them apart. Will his memory return in time to save their future? (Historical Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

A Song Unheard by Roseanna M. White -- Willa Forsythe is both a violin prodigy and top-notch thief, which makes her the perfect choice for a critical task at the outset of World War I--to secure a crucial cypher key from a famous violinist currently in Wales. Lukas De Wilde has enjoyed the life of fame he's won--until now, when being recognized nearly gets him killed. Everyone wants the key to his father's work as a cryptologist. And Lukas fears that his mother and sister, who have vanished in the wake of the German invasion of Belgium, will pay the price. The only distraction he finds from his worry is in meeting the intriguing and talented Willa Forsythe. But danger presses in from every side, and Willa knows what Lukas doesn't--that she must betray him and find that key, or her own family could pay the same price his surely has. (Historical Romance from Bethany House [Baker])

Mystery:
Surgeon's Choice by Richard L. Mabry, MD -- Dr. Ben Merrick thought his biggest problem was getting his fiancé's divorced parents into the same room for the wedding--and then, people started dying. (Mystery, Independently Published through White Glove)


Romantic Suspense:

  Innocent Lies by Robin Patchen -- Desperate to be safe from the man who held her captive and ruined her life, Kelsey must ensure her child is protected before she can take her enemy on. But a string of bad luck gets her arrested and lands her face-to-face with the only man she’s ever loved—the only man who can destroy all her plans. (Romantic Suspense, Independently Published)




  Cold Truth by Susan Sleeman -- When research chemist Kiera Underwood receives the cryptic phone call about her twin brother, she tries to contact him to no avail. Her twin sense tingles, warning her that something is wrong. Kiera’s not prepared when an attempt is made on her life and Blackwell Tactical operative Cooper Ashcroft delivers her second shock of the day. Someone killed the supervisor at the research lab where her brother works and stole a deadly biotoxin. The main suspect? Her brother, and Blackwell Tactical has been hired to bring him in. If that wasn’t shocking enough, she’s suspected of colluding with him. Setting out to prove herself and her brother is innocent, she is almost abducted before Ashcroft rescues her. He’s faced with the reality that she’s telling the truth and someone has likely abducted her brother—perhaps killed him—and now Kiera’s very life is in danger, too. (Romantic Suspense, Independently Published)

The Illusionist's Apprentice

This novel is a fascinating peek into a world that is provocative and mysterious and a long time past. Cambron makes up a character who used to be Harry Houdini’s assistant. After Houdini’s death, she becomes an illusionist on her own and we get a limited view behind the scenes of a master illusionist.

Why do you think she doesn’t call him a Magician? Funny you should ask. My favorite part of this story is the historical detail she gives about the disagreement, nay, the hostility which arose between those who purported to speak with the dead, to actually command a force which they called magic, and those who believed that there was no such thing as magic, but only illusion. The difference matters, because the previous suggested control over a supernatural force, and many people dishonestly peddled this false influence in the "spirit" world for huge amounts of money, and the latter believed (knew) that those who did so were tricking people out of their money, and as such, they sometimes tried to reveal them for the frauds that they were.

Historically speaking, there was a shift from “scientific explanation” toward supernatural sensationalism at the time. Seances, table-turning, and all sorts of scams were run, but true illusionists knew they were merely creating an illusion and did not try to sell their talents as anything more than entertainment.

As a Christian author, Kristy Cambron handles this fascinating time period with grace and weaves in the truth as created by the Truth Teller in chief.

Oh. And there’s a love story too. And a mystery. And family secrets. And lies. And truth. It's really good! Have you read The Ringmaster’s Wife by Cambron? If you liked it, you’ll love this one too.

Do you have any favorite experiences with Illusionists? What's your favorite illusion?

Don't forget to leave a comment to get your name in the drawing for Grafted into Deceit by Sherri Wilson Johnson! Winner will be announced in the October 30th issue of the Weekly Windup.