FEATURED BOOK: FAMILY LESSONS

Next Stop: Home

After a catastrophe strands a train—and eight orphaned children—near Evans Grove, Nebraska, schoolteacher Holly Sanders sees hope in the chaos. These children are the new start her community needs. And Holly is stubbornly determined to give the townspeople, the children…and even gruff sheriff Mason Wright…the happy families they deserve.

How can anyone so petite have so much gumption? Watching Holly rally her young charges wins Mason's admiration—and reminds him of his own failures. No matter what Holly or the orphan boy Liam think, Mason's no hero and he doesn't merit a second chance. Can Holly's faith, Liam's trust and God's grace open Mason's heart to love's greatest lesson?

Ask Elnora--About the weather? Lenora Worth

Hello, my spring chicks. Is it cold at your house? Or is it warm and raining? Has anyone seen any sunshine yet for spring? All this crazy weather got me to thinking about how the weather has to be part of our setting and how the weather can play a big part in our writing.

For example, yesterday it was muddy and rainy around my bay. The humidity was so thick you could hold it in your hand. But after that nasty bad weather came through last night, it is now cool and breezy and not as humid. But that will change in about thirty minutes.

So I hope everyone is safe and warm and dry.

But I'm still interested in how my craftie ladies use the weather in books.  I use the weather as a big part of the setting and for setting the mood. It might be a bright sunshiny day when my heroine and hero start out on a nice walk. But a rogue thunderstorm might change that to a dark, dreary and cold walk. Or ... it could change because while they are on the walk and just as the storm comes, the bad guy shows up and starts chasing them through the woods. And the only way home is through a low river bed that always floods when a torrential rain comes.  Or something like that.

Let's play with this concept. I'll start our story and you can add your own comments. But whatever you add has to be about the weather. Here we go:

The night wind washed over the woods in a gentle nudge. The moon laughed down on Joe and Jennifer, lighting their way along the old path.......

Allie Pleiter on using a details...

As writers, we try to capture the little things, the details that make our character come alive.  Sometimes they come to us out of the depths of our imagination, sometime from keen observation, or sometimes from something we know well.

I needed a great teacher skill for Holly Sanders in Family Lessons.  I needed some essential trick to catch Mason Wright’s eye, to wake him up to Holly’s talents as a teacher.  I didn’t have to look far--I went to the best teachers around me.  My children are far out of elementary school, so I went through my world to see what Sunday school teachers--many of whom are friends of mine--did that I found impressive.

Holly’s “clap once if you can hear me,” trick to focus the children’s attention in a crisis is a ploy used by my friend Angie.  She’s an awesome teacher--devoted and creative--and kids love her.  Her personality is nothing like Holly’s, but that doesn’t matter.  This is a detail, not a broad stroke.

Mason’s mouth-wide-open reaction to how well her strategy works is a favorite moment of the book for me.  I remember being astonished the first time I saw my friend Angie use the “clap once if you can hear me.”  I couldn’t believe it worked so well in a room full of rowdy second graders!  It was great fun to get to give her talents a literary nod.

What about you?  What great teachers do you remember from your early school days as either a student or a parent?

Reviews

Terri Reed here.  I'm racing toward a deadline and coming up for air.  This weekend I received a google alert on my name.  When I clicked on the link I found a review of my upcoming May book, Scent of Danger, on a legal news site.  Very interesting place to find a mention of my book!
 http://legalpronews.findlaw.com/article/0aDS9G5fyz0Hh?q=crime+OR+criminal+OR+arrested
From there you have to click on the link to the full article at Fresh Fiction.  The reviewer, Clare O'Beara gave Scent of Danger a favorable review!  For those of you who aren't familiar with Fresh Fiction, its a book review site of popular genre fiction.  I highly recommend stopping in to check out the site.

Which reminds me,  Romantic Times Magazine recently reviewed this book as well.

Here it is:

SCENT OF DANGER
by Terri Reed

Genre: Series, Love Inspired Suspense, Current Series Imprints

RT Rating

SCENT OF DANGER (4.5) by Terri Reed: Detective Melody Zachary is shocked to find an intruder in her office at the local youth center where she volunteers. Melody does not believe that the break-in is coincidental, but instead related to the unsolved death of her nephew, Daniel. Then, Detective Parker Adams appears, investigating rumors of drug deals at the center. Meanwhile, local crime lord “The Boss” is still at large, seeking the mysterious “code.” Are the center, and Daniel, linked to the “code”? Can Parker help Melody — and keep her alive? This fast-paced tale, punctuated with determined characters who tie in nicely with the other books, continues the collaborative Texas K-9 Unit series.(Reviewed by:  Leslie McKee)

Speaking of reviews, what do you all think of reviews?
Do reviews influence your book buying?
Personally, I try not to let reviews influence my enjoyment or displeasure in a book.  Or a movie, for that matter.  As a writer reviews are part of the business.  I am happy when someone likes my book enough to give it a favorable review and I shrug off the unfavorable.  Reviews are out of my control.  And if we all liked the same type of story or movie, there wouldn't be much variety.  I like variety.
What about you?

KNOCK, KNOCK...

How would you like to knock on a door and find that face on the other side? In the opening pages of Alaskan Hero, my upcoming May release from Love Inspired, that's exactly what happens to heroine Anya Petrova.

Sort of.

What she really finds is a man dressed in a bear costume.

Some might say that's more disturbing than coming across an actual bear. Why would anyone in his right mind walk around dressed as a grizzly? And just what does he look like underneath that bear head?

Find out in this excerpt from Chapter One of Alaskan Hero:

Anya Petrova shoved her mittened hands in the pockets of her parka as she stood on Brock Parker's threshold and tried not to react. The man had answered the door dressed in a furry bear costume. It wasn't every day that she knocked on a stranger's door and found a grizzly bear, albeit a fake one, on the other side. Even in Alaska.

She pasted on a smile. "Hi, I'm Anya Petrova. I emailed you about my dog. You're Brock, right?"  

He nodded, but made no move to take off the bear head.

Super. Anya had to stop herself from exhaling a frustrated sigh.

She'd expected someone normal, especially considering Brock Parker's reputation. He was new in town, an avalanche search and rescue expert and alleged dog genius, at least according to what Anya's friend Clementine had told her. Anya had been trying in vain to reach him for the past two days, but he appeared to be a mystery. He didn't even have a locally listed phone number, and he'd yet to make an appearance in town. And she'd been looking—hard—because a dog genius is exactly what she needed at the moment.

Fortunately, Clementine had managed to procure Brock's email address. Anya had fired off a message and was thrilled when he agreed to meet with her. Clementine had predicted he would turn out to be the answer to Anya's prayers. What she'd failed to predict was that Brock Parker would be dressed head to toe in a grizzly bear costume when he answered his front door.

The odds are good, but the goods are odd.  

Some considered it Alaska's best kept secret.

The rest of the free world seemed all too aware of the fact that men outnumbered women in the Land of the Midnight Sun. So much so that sometimes the statistics Anya Petrova saw on the subject made her shake her head in disbelief, if not snort with laughter. Fifteen to one? Did people in the Lower 48 really believe that?  

Anya had lived in Aurora, Alaska, since the day she was born. She even had a dash of Inuit blood in her veins, and she knew as well as every other Alaskan woman that such statistics were exaggerated at best. At worst, they were baloney. In any event, the exact ratio didn't make a bit of difference. Because the men of Alaska weren't like other men. The majority of them, anyway. Like anything else, there were exceptions.

A few.  

A very few.

The odds are good, but the goods are odd. Or, to put it nicely, Alaskan men could be eccentric. And it wasn't just the locals. Sometimes the transplants could be even worse. There seemed to be something about Alaska that attracted independent spirits, adventurers…and oddballs. Case in point—the man standing in front of her in a bear costume.

Not that she cared a whit about Aurora's bachelor population, strange or otherwise. She'd learned a long time ago that men were trouble. In her infancy, actually. Being abandoned by her father at three months of age didn't exactly set her up for success in the man department. Neither did being unceremoniously dumped on top of the highest mountain in Aurora for the entire town to witness. More than the town's population, actually, because television cameras had been involved.

As a result, dating wasn't anywhere on the list of things that mattered most to Anya. Her life was simple. She cared about three things—God, coffee and her dog.

She had a good handle on the coffee situation. As the manager of the Northern Lights Inn coffee bar, she was given free rein to develop all sorts of lattes, mochas and espresso drinks. Whatever struck her fancy, really. She enjoyed it. And she was good at it. Sometimes—particularly on days when all she did was serve up cup after cup of plain black coffee—she wondered if there was something else she should be doing with her life. Something more meaningful. But that was normal, wasn't it? Did people really ever feel completely fulfilled by their jobs?

The God thing was new, so she really couldn't say how that was going. But it mattered to her. More than she ever knew it could, so it went on the list.  

But the dog was another issue entirely. And that's where Brock Parker came into the picture, or so Anya hoped. Clementine had been so sure he could help her. She'd used the word genius to describe his proficiency at training.  

He sure didn't look like a genius standing there in his doorway in that bear costume. Then again, what did Anya know about geniuses? Hadn't she read somewhere that Albert Einstein couldn't tie his own shoes? Maybe Einstein had a bear suit too.  

She glanced down at Brock's feet poking out from the dark-brown fur. He wore hiking boots, and they were indeed tied.  

Was that a good thing? Who knew?  

She inhaled a deep breath of frigid winter air and tried again. "I have a very anxious dog, and I was told you might be able to help me. I'm kind of desperate."

She'd planned to tell him more, but suddenly her eyes burned with the telltale sting of tears. To say she was desperate was an understatement. Things seemed bad enough when she'd first rescued Dolce. The poor thing hid under the bed all the time. Anya barely saw her. Little did she know Dolce's shyness was the least of her problems.  

The tiny dog also howled at the top of her canine lungs. At first, Anya had been able to convince the people at the Northern Lights Inn—who were not only her employer, but also her landlord—to give the dog some time. Surely Dolce would settle down.  

She hadn't. Not yet anyway. And the hotel management had run out of patience. They'd finally given her an ultimatum—give up either the dog or her rent-free cottage.  

The choice was hers. She had a mere fourteen days to fix the problem or lose her dog or her home. She'd pinned her last hope on Brock's purported genius, and from the looks of things, that might have been a mistake.  

She sniffed and willed herself not to shed a tear. Desperate or not, crying in front of a man dressed as a bear was simply out of the question.  

She heard a sigh. Brock's furry chest rose and fell. Then—finally—he removed the bear head, exposing his face.

Anya wasn't altogether sure what she'd expected, but the cool blue eyes, straight perfect nose and high cheekbones that looked as though they'd been chiseled from granite were most definitely not it. The man resembled some kind of dreamy Nordic statue. Anya had to blink to make sure she wasn't seeing things.  

"You say your dog is anxious? How anxious?" He spoke without cracking the slightest smile, which only made him look more like something Michelangelo had carved out of stone.

Anya swallowed. Her mouth had abruptly gone dry. The snowflakes floating against her cheeks felt colder all of a sudden, and she realized her face had grown quite warm. "Very. I rescued her from a bad situation, and unless she's attached to a leash, I can't get her to come out from under my bed. She even eats there and only in the dark."  

It was pathetic. Every night when Anya drifted off to sleep, it was to the sound of poor Dolce crunching on kibble.

"But that's not the worst of it. She howls. Rather loudly." Anya's voice grew wobbly. "I'm about to be kicked out of my cottage."  

"I see." Brock nodded, and a lock of his disheveled blond hair fell across his forehead.

She'd heard of bedhead, but never bearhead. It, too, appeared to have its charms.

Alaskan Hero, Coming in May from Harlequin Love Inspired. Available for pre-order now!

FEATURED BOOK: GEORGIA SWEETHEARTS BY MISSY TIPPENS

After inheriting her great-aunt's failing yarn shop, Lilly Barnes is determined to make it a success. All she wants is stability, something she doesn't think possible in the small town of Corinthia, Georgia. Then Pastor Daniel Foreman rents space in her store to hold meetings for his growing congregation, and this proves to be her lifeline. At first Lilly wants nothing to do with Daniel's big dreams, but she soon finds herself starting to share his goals. Yet trouble between her customers and his congregation make them both doubt the path they're on. That is, until practical Lilly shows him that love is a risk worth taking.

Meet Libby Barnes from GEORGIA SWEETHEARTS

How exciting to have Lilly Barnes, the heroine from Georgia Sweethearts, written by Missy Tippens, an April 2013 release from Love Inspired Romance .




1. Lilly, tell me the most interesting thing about you.

Well, I've inherited a yarn shop, and I'm not crafty at all! I can barely knit.

2. What do you do for fun?

I love photography. In fact, my goal is to someday become a photojournalist.

3. What do you put off doing because you dread it?

I'm the type person who usually jumps in when something needs doing. Probably the most difficult for me is dealing with emotions from my past. I don't like dredging up old hurts.

4. What are you afraid of most in life?

Being rejected or deserted.

5. What is the most important thing to you?

Security. I grew up with a father who was a dreamer and moved our family over and over, never allowing us to put down roots. I long for a home and people who love me.

6. Do you read books? If so, what is your favorite type of book?

I'm so busy now that there's not much time. But when I was a child, always moving around and becoming the new kid at each school, I escaped in books.

7. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

I wish I didn't worry so much about what people think about me. I wish I was more confident in who I am.

8. Do you have a pet? If so, what is it and why that pet?

I love dogs! I briefly had one and would love to have one again someday.

9. If you could travel back in time, where would you go and why?

I'm so happy with my bright future that I don't think I would ever go back.

Ask Elnora--How Does Your Garden Grow? Lenora Worth

Hello, little green-thumbed garden girls. Spring is in the air and that got me to thinking about my garden. I used to have a big, rambling yard that included a swimming pool and a palm tree and a spot that I called the Dark Forest (very shady and full of surprises.) We had Confederate Jasmine and lilies and azaleas. But that home belongs to someone else now. Now we don't even have to mow the yard but that also means we don't actually have a garden. So being the innovative woman that I am, I decide I'd come up with a new kind of garden--a dish garden. And since I've been subscribing to Southern Living Magazine since I wore my first pair of plastic pink fuzzy high-heels, I knew exactly what I needed for my little garden--a thriller, a filler and a spiller. I hope to have several different dish or container gardens on my deck this summer. I like a lot of color and fragrance. I have a gardenia and some lavender out front in our little walkway space and I plan to plant a hibiscus out front, too.

So all of this talk about gardening also got me thinking about our books. When we write, we also have to have a thriller, filler and spiller kind of plot, don't we? Our plots are much like garden plots--we till the soil--the germ of an idea. We come up with a grid--our outline and synopsis. We plan out the main plot points--our thriller, our filler and our spiller. The thrill comes with the set-up and the call to whatever quest our character decides to pursue. The filler is the middle, the lush, thickly held part of our story that carries our characters through and the spiller comes when we push through the black moment and tumble over into that happy ending. A beautiful combination.

So how does your garden grow? What seeds to you try to plant whenever you start a book?

Here is my new little garden spot. It has already brightened our deck. I hope to add new furniture and a few other treasures to make this little spot intriguing and inviting. I hope to do the same with my stories. Let's discuss!

Dream Vacations

Happy Spring, ladies! Karen Kirst here to talk about favorite vacation destinations. The sunnier, warmer days make me want to plan a trip. How about you? But where? The beach? Mountains? Maybe a quaint little town with a cozy bed and breakfast?

My favorite place to visit is the Czech Republic. That’s partially because my husband grew up there and his family still lives there. (We like to tease him that he’s now a redneck Czech.) But family aside, it’s a beautiful country with centuries-old castles, jaw-dropping cathedrals, stone-paved roads and the best hot chocolate I’ve ever tasted-so thick and rich it’s almost like pudding. I love the unique pottery, the Bohemian crystal and china. The bakeries and aisles of all types of salami and fresh-baked bread. Their stucco houses are often painted pastel colors, pale yellows and greens and pinks that brighten the long, snowy winters. I haven’t been for three years and am longing to go back!
What about you? What places do you like to visit? Or dream of visiting one day?

On the heels of my most recent mission trip to Haiti (you can read all about it at my blog) I have found that this Easter season has really seen me grow as a Christian. 
Then this past Good Friday service at our church had a wonderful recreation of da Vinci's Last Supper. And I was struck at how much of a sinner I really was.

It sounds pretentious, I know. And I already knew how little I deserved God's saving grace, but watching our church perform The Last Supper and watching The Bible mini series on TV really hit me hard. It just seems like I learn more as time goes on, especially at what God did for us.

Do you marvel at how great God is and how little we deserve His love? What wonderful thing did you experience this Easter season?

Welcoming New LI Blogger Deb Kastner and Celebrating with Missy Tippens

Missy Tippens, here. I'm pleased to introduce a new blogger to our Craftie Ladies blog. Welcome Deb Kastner!

Deb's Bio (from the Harlequin website):
Deb picked up her first Harlequin romance novel at the age of 11, and has been hooked ever since. Though it had always been her dream to write the books she loved, it wasn't until January of 1996 that she finally got up the courage to begin writing. Her first book, Beloved, came to fruition in August of 1998.

Deb feels blessed to have the opportunity to write inspirational category romances for Harlequin's Love Inspired imprint. She says, "It's great to be able to write love stories that incorporate faith as a natural and integral part of my characters' lives."

Deb lives with her husband, three daughters, and a Staffordshire bullterrier along the Front Range of the beautiful Rocky Mountains in Colorado. In addition to writing for Love Inspired, Deb homeschools her daughters and teaches a number of writing classes online at WritersCollege.com.

Deb has a recent Love Inspired release, Meeting Mr. Right.

When Mr. Wrong Is Mr. Right

A woman in a man's world, firefighter Vee Bishop has to be tough as nails. She's developed a hard shell that no one can penetrate. But Vee's online friend BJ sees her softer side. BJ seems so kind and caring—just the opposite of Ben Atwood. Her annoying coworker has trampled expectations all over town, or so rumor has it. Turns out, once she agrees to give Ben a fair shot, he's surprisingly vulnerable. As Vee prepares to make a difficult choice, an unexpected twist shows that love is always one step ahead.

Also! I'm very excited to announce I got a call that my 2012 Love Inspired, A House Full of Hope is a RITA^® Finalist! I'm thrilled beyond reason. You can see me celebrating in the side bar. Pamela emailed and asked me to snap a shot of myself holding my book for the blog. Of course it took about 40 tries, and I still had to settle for that one. :)

I'm also excited that my new book, Georgia Sweethearts, is on shelves now! I haven't seen it yet, but I've heard of some Walmart sightings.

Thanks for letting me celebrate both today! And for helping me welcome Deb.

Missy

FEATURED BOOK:HIS MOUNTAIN MISS

A Battle of Wills

New Orleans aristocrat Lucian Beaumont wants only to sell his estranged grandfather's property and escape the backwoods of Gatlinburg, Tennessee. But a stipulation in the will brings him head-to-head with a local beauty. Megan O'Malley and the town must have access to the house. For the first time in his life the commanding Lucian finds himself at an impasse.

Clearly the worldly gentleman doesn't fit in Megan's quaint Smoky Mountain town. But as she glimpses the man beneath the hardened veneer, she believes Lucian is here for a purpose. To heal his soul. And maybe, with Megan's help, to heal his heart.

His Mountain Miss Interview with Lucian Beaumont

How exciting to have Lucian Beaumont, the hero from His Mountain Miss written by Karen Kirst, an April 2013 release from Love Inspired Romance .

Lucian, tell me the most interesting thing about you.

I suppose to these simple mountain folks, my French accent.  I’m from New Orleans, and my father and I converse only in French.  It’s not unusual for an odd word or two to slip into my conversation. Another thing is the formality of my clothing. The men here in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, are mostly farmers, so they don’t put a lot of emphasis on clothing.  I don’t think they’ve ever seen a cravat before.  Imagine. 

What do you do for fun?

This may sound strange, but I like to work with my hands.  Get dirty.  My life is dominated by social engagements, formal dinners and balls, so whenever I get a chance, I retreat to my country estate and work in the fields alongside my staff.

What do you put off doing because you dread it?

My beloved mother died a year ago, and I’ve avoided dealing with my loss.  I can’t seem to bring myself to grieve.

What are you afraid of most in life?

I’m afraid that if I give in to these terrible emotions-sorrow, disappointment, disillusionment-that I won’t survive.  So I bury it all, hoping I can ignore it.

What do you want out of life?

That’s not something I’m prepared to answer right now.  For a long time, I thought I wanted what was expected of me-to helm my family’s shipping empire and to marry for duty and social connections.  But this backwoods town-with its slower pace and down-to-earth, kind mountain folks-is growing on me, as is one particularly lovely young lady, Megan O’Malley. 

What is the most important thing to you?

Right now, surviving each day.  Not only am I dealing with my mother’s death, but a devastating betrayal and the long-held belief that my estranged grandfather wanted nothing to do with me.  My time here in Gatlinburg is revealing difficult truths about my family.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

I could use an extra dose of courage right about now.

Do you have a pet? If so, what is it and why that pet?

My horse, D’Artagnan, named after a character in The Three Musketeers.  I was   impressed that Megan immediately recognized the name.  Of course, she’s a book lover like me, so I shouldn’t be surprised. 

          

     

Ask Elnora--It's Good Friday--Lenora Worth

Hello my friends. Today is Good Friday. So I thought it might be a good day to share what is good in our lives. I'll go first.

I'm blessed. I love my job. I love my family. I love my life.
I love Jesus Christ and believe in the power of His resurrection.
I'm not a "together" person. I fail on a daily basis. But because of The Love of Christ, I can strive to do better, be better and love more.  I can ask for forgiveness and I can forgive. This is the good that came out of Christ dying on the cross for my sins.

What is good in your life today? Happy Easter!

Movie News for Debra Clopton's Book, OPERATION MARRIED BY CHRISTMAS staring LeAnn Rimes

Hi Everyone! Debra Clopton here waving excitedly. It seems like its been forever since I blogged and I have some news that I believe will make readers of my Mule Hollow Series with Love Inspired happy! One of the number one questions I get is how wonderful it would be to see Mule Hollow come to life in a movie--well thanks to some wonderful really cool folks~~ OPERATION: MARRIED BY CHRISTMAS may very well do just that! I found out recently that it has been optioned by VAST Entertainment for an ABC Family movie starring LeAnn Rimes!

Vast Entertainment is excited about it as are all those involved. The wonderful reality is that it has been: Optioned by Vast. Picked up by Orly Adelson. Distributed through ABC. And the lead is Lead: LeAnn Rimes.

So--stay tuned and if you are interested in being in a drawing this month to win a copy of the book go to my website debraclopton.com and leave a comment beneath my post. For a second chance to win a copy leave a comment here on this blog post! I've had a lot of comments about the movie and the number one misconception is that I'm in charge :) not so. Actually, I'm just sitting back in awe that they chose my book for this honor. I can't wait to see who plays all of the roles. It will be fun to see who they come up with for the other fun quirky characters from Mule Hollow--got any thoughts of who could play them :)

Also, excited for my new release of Book 1 of my new series Cowboys of Sunrise Ranch RT Magazine gave it 41/2 stars!!! I hope you'll all be excited to meet my new cast of characters from Dew Drop, Texas I've worked hard to give my readers the fun, homey feeling they loved from Mule Hollow but with a little twist :) check it out http://debraclopton.com/coming-soon/

Have a great Thursday!!! Summer is almost here down in Texas :)

Where do Story Ideas Come From?

Mati Hari

Patty here, and I’m knee-deep in rewrites for my next Love Inspired Historical coming out next year. This is my third World War II book based around the Bell Bomber Plant in Marietta, Georgia. I’m always excited to share a new story, but the history behind this one truly amazed even a WWII fanatic like me.

If you’re familiar with the time period, one of the biggest concerns of the government was the possibility of German spies infiltrating the defense plants around the country and passing on information to the forces back in Berlin. So I was very surprised--and terribly interested when a lovely older lady stayed behind after one of my 
book signings to share her story of being one of the few female homeland spies. She was forced to make hard choices about the people she knew, reporting suspicious activities even on the ones  she loved.

Her service during the war so captivated me, I was convinced that boarding house owner Merrilee Davenport (who made an appearance in Hearts in Flight and Hearts in Hiding) would make a perfect homeland spy! But can she investigate the people she loves most in the world, including her former husband, John Davenport?

And my mother is always asking me where I come up with the stuff for my books.  God(and history) provides enough fodder for a lifetime!

       

The Holy Crown

Terri Reed here just back from a trip abroad.   I started in the UK where my daughter is studying at a university in Richmond Upon Thames.  From there we traveled by Eurostar to Paris France.   We stayed in Paris for three nights and saw only a fraction of the city.  And what a beautiful city it is!
One place that I had to see was Notre Dame Cathedral.  I fell in love with the vast beauty of the architecture as well as the awe inspiring glass windows.  I felt a sense of wonder as I walked through the church.

Because it was Lent and Friday they held the Veneration of the Holy Crown.   We arrived at the end of the ceremony.  As the priest procession carried the artifacts back to their resting place, I was within arms length of the Holy Crown.  It was such a surreal experience, one I will never forget. I will be forever humbled by His sacrifice and love.

Holy Week by Merrillee Whren

This week is a special week for Christians across the world as we lead up to the most glorious celebration of our faith--the resurrection of Jesus our Lord. Yesterday was Palm Sunday, a day we remember the triumphal entry that Jesus made into Jerusalem the week before He was crucified for us. Below is a photo of children carrying palm branches as they prepare to sing. In the following photos they are singing praises to God in the way that only children do. No wonder Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

 What special things do you do to celebrate Holy Week?

FEATURED BOOK: BOUND TO THE WARRIOR BY BARBARA PHINNEY

A Heart Unconquered


Widowed Saxon Lady Ediva Dunmow will do anything to protect her people—even marry one of the invading Norman knights. The king sees it as a way to keep Ediva, her lands and her tenants subdued. But Ediva's embittered heart, still healing from the abuse of her first husband, will not yield so easily.

Marriage never held any appeal for Adrien de Ries. Yet it is his king's will, and perhaps his Lord's, too—though he finds his faith tested daily by Ediva's staunch refusal to trust him. As a knight, Adrien survived many battles, but the fight to win Ediva's heart may be his most challenging—and rewarding.

Meet Ediva Dunmow

Howdy, Barbara Phinney.  I  hear you've written a heroine who's had quite the adventure.  We're all looking forward to meeting her.   What's her name?

My name is Ediva Dunmow and I would not call my life and adventure. I was a widow, because the battle at Hastings and good riddance to my husband, who was killed there! I apologize if that sounds harsh, but he was a brutal man. And I won't miss him one bit! But suddenly, one day, some of King William's men dragged me off to London and forced me to marry yet another knight, or forfeit my lands. If you want to call that adventure, go ahead, but I call that fear. Terrible fear.

During the book you met Adrien de Ries. Tell us a bit about him. What was your first impression? When did you know it was love?

The first time I looked upon Adrien was in front of King William. He was as shocked as I was that we were to be married immediately. Oddly, at the ceremony, I felt a certain gentleness about him. Oh no, I wasn't going to trust him one bit. But I knew strangely that my life would never be the same. And love? Oh, it's an elusive thing. It sneaks up on you until it's right there at the worst possible moment. Oh, why couldn't Adrien have been as cruel as my first husband? T'would have been so easy to hate him. But he looked at me with respect and gentleness and told me how much God loved me. Began to know that I was falling for my husband.

What strengths/skills do you have? What is your greatest weakness?

I have trained all my life to be the mistress of the keep. 'Twas what I was meant to be. I am skilled at languages and my numbers. I can organize men and help with births. I am a champion of the women in my village. But alas, Adrien has shown me my greatest weakness. I cannot take care of myself properly. And I cannot tuck my heart away where it won't be hurt. And, I hate to say, my greatest weakness is not forgiving my Lord for what He put me through.

What scares you?

'Tis easy to tell you that. Falling in love with my husband is my greatest fear. He is determined to be a soldier in King William's army. Will I lose yet another husband?

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

I think I would want to let go of my mistrust in my God. I do not know what he has in store for me. And so far it has been so horrible. If I could trust as a babe trusts!

Where are you in your faith at the start of your story?

At the start of this adventure as you so aptly put it, where was my faith? Shattered and destroyed and trampled on, that's where it was. I would rarely go to Chapel, and when I did it was by obligation. My keep's chaplain, did nothing to help me. I could only rely on myself. That was where my faith was.

Where are you in your faith at the end of the story?

Adrien has shown me so much about God's love. And it snuck up on me like my love for Adrien snuck up on me and slipped itself into my heart. 'Twas not a great deliverance from heaven, my newfound faith in God, as Paul experienced. Nay, 'twas a quiet little thing that wormed its way into my heart.

You’ve got a scripture at the beginning of the story. Tell us why this scripture is significant.

1 John 4:8 states, whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. That is so significant for me! For I could not love until I learned to love God. I learned that God loved me. It was such a comfort to know that, yes. God did love me!

If you could be a dessert what would you be and why?

Dessert? We're a poor keep, and don't waste our resources on frivolous food, but I must say my cook can make pastries, glistening with honey and filled with nuts and fruit and sweet cheese. My mouth waters. With such a delight!