Pepin, Wisconsin--What Famous American Was Born There?

 Hi Lyn Cote here!

My newest series, "Wilderness Brides" debuts this month with the release of Their Frontier Family, book one. I chose my home state Wisconsin because I think it's overlooked as a setting for homesteading prairie romances (though Their Frontier Family has elements of a Western too) and I chose Pepin because it sits on the Mississippi River so that means a lot of strangers coming
 and going

and BECAUSE A FAMOUS AMERICAN WAS BORN THERE! Who?

Here are some hints:

·         She's a well known person whose life was fictionalized.

·         Children all over the world read about her life.

·         Her story inspired a long-running popular TV series.

·         Her daughter also wrote and edited her stories.

·         Who is she?

If you've read my book, you already know. I'll give away a copy of Their Frontier Family to the first person who gives the right answer AND tells me the name of her daughter!

Also several other Love Inspired Historical Authors, to be specific:

·         Cheryl St.John http://www.cherylstjohn.net/

·         Valerie Hansen http://www.valeriehansen.com/

·         Janet Lee Barton www.janetleebarton.com  

·         Naomi Rawlings www.naomirawlings.com

·         Deborah Hale http://www.deborahhale.com

·         Victoria Bylin http://www.victoriabylin.com

·         Linda Ford  www.lindaford.org

·         Laurie Kingery LaurieKingery.com

    Cheryl Bolen www.CherylBolen.com

·         Eva Marie Hamilton www.evamariahamilton.com

·         Rhonda Gibson http://www.rhondagibson.net

·         Regina Scott http://www.reginascott.com

·         Janet Dean www.janetdean.net

·         Winnie Griggs www.winniegriggs.com 

    

     Lyn Cote http://www.BooksbyLynCote.com

contributed one or more recipes to something we started on the GoodReads LIH group discussion about old family recipes. If you'd like a copy, click any of the authors listed and they'll gladly email you a PDF copy of the booklet! Some of the recipes: 

Datch
Daffy Cakes
Dick Brown's Crabby Dip
Momma's Cracker Pudding!

This is our gift to you for the holidays! So who's the famous American & her daughter and who wants a free recipe booklet?--Lyn

Living Generously-Barbara Phinney's perspective

Years ago, a man new to our church said to me, "By not giving generously, a person misses out on God's blessings."
I mulled over his comment for years and now that we are doing generous living devotional at our church, I'm beginning to see that what this man said was so true. 

It started after Hurricane Sandy hit the northeast United States. I want to do something to help. All I could think of at the time was to lower my romantic comedy, All For A Good Cause, to the lowest price Amazon would allow, in an effort to cheer up a few of those people with this fun story about charities that get out of hand.
(Yes, you may roll your eyes. I did. Such an effort was hardly sacrificial.)
Then, this week past, my church sent out an e-mail saying that a woman in nearby town has made the proper arrangements to send supplies down to New York and New Jersey. This was my chance to be really sacrificial.
Let me back up for a moment. Last week, our bank gave us a yearly review of our accounts to see if they could save us some money. It turned out that they couldn't save us anything, just update our account. Oh well. C'est la vie.
So, back to the present, last Friday, my husband and I settled on an amount we would spend, about $125, to buy toiletries, baby supplies, winter boots, and such to contribute to the supplies going to the United States.
And might I add, that I get a little pleasure out of this, too. I get to shop! Of course it was limited by my husband's limited patience, but I still had fun!
After we got home, it was like Christmas for me, sorting through the presents, packing them up, putting them in boxes and laundry baskets to take to our church.

I also decided to pray that the Lord would help me not look for a blessing, not to expect one, but to give this simply because I wanted to be obedient.
After I was finished, I returned to my writing, knowing that I should not check the sales of my independently published books because I had specifically asked for no blessing.
The phone rang. It was our bank. The woman who had given us our banking review apologized for giving us incorrect information. The account we just switched to offered a signing bonus of 15,000 points, equivalent to $125 in cash! 
The blessing had come from the least likely place and taught me a valuable lesson. Don't go looking for blessings, don't ask for them, just give generously, and know that your Father will give back to you, in His own way, thanking you for taking the first step.

Has God surprised you lately? What blessings did you receive that you can encourage us with today?

What Do You See?

Merrillee here with a little guessing game. What image do you see in the photo below? Do you see a bunch of rocks, a mountain, or did your gaze gravitate to the sky? The photo was taken in Sedona, Arizona. This particular rock formation is called the “Snoopy Rock.” Do you see Snoopy? It is often said that a dozen witnesses to an accident will see a dozen different things. We are all different, and our life experiences can color what we see. When you read a book, do you imagine the characters like a movie playing in your head? As a writer, I write down the movie playing in my mind. I am the director, and my characters are the actors. What do you see when you read a book?

Their Frontier Family Interview

How exciting to have Sunny Whitmore, heroine from Their Frontier Family written by  Lyn Cote a November 2012 release from Love Inspired Historical Romance .

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

Nobody has ever asked me a question like that. I really don't like to talk about my past. Living above a saloon for most all my life till Noah Whitmore proposed isn't something I want  to talk about.

2.  What do you do for fun?

Well, life is pretty hard here in the wilderness of Wisconsin, but I do enjoy getting together with my friends, Nan and Ophelia. And I love to play with my baby girl Dawn.

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

Laundry is a chore I don't enjoy but I do love seeing everything fresh and clean.  I never had to do laundry in my past, always sent my clothes to the Chinese laundry.

4.  What are you afraid of most in life?

That someone will find out about my past and it will destroy my little girl's life and reputation.

5.  What do you want out of life?

I only want a good life for my little Dawn.

6.  What is the most important thing to you?

My daughter.  I would do anything to protect her and give her a better life. Growing up the daughter of a prostitute made me an outcast.

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

I'd erase the awful memories I have from my former life.

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

We have a stray dog that came to us. She thinks Noah is the best.

9. Can you tell us a little interesting tidbit about the time period you live in?

The Civil War is just four years gone and we are still suffering what it did to our nation. Noah is still having nightmares from the war, I think. I wish I could help him.

To purchase, click here.

Featured Book: Their Frontier Family

No one is more surprised than Sunny Licht when Noah Whitmore proposes. She's a scarlet woman and an unwed mother—an outcast even in her small Quaker community. But she can't resist Noah's offer of a fresh start in a place where her scandalous past is unknown. 

In Sunny, the former Union soldier sees a woman whose loneliness matches his own. When they arrive in Wisconsin, he'll see that she and her baby daughter want for nothing…except the love that war burned out of him. Yet Sunny makes him hope once more—for the home they're building, and the family he never hoped to find.

Ask Elnora--About Peace On Earth--Lenora Worth

Hello, my thanksgiving friends. This has been a long and strange week, but this blog will be short and sweet. Elnora is on the road again. I'm beginning to feel like Willie Nelson. While I'm traveling, let's discuss how to find peace on earth when it sometimes seem as if chaos is the rule of the day. I posted a picture on facebook because I found some peace when Big Daddy and I went for a sunset walk along the Gulf. Even though people are hurting, confused, cold, hungry and frightened, God is still with us. We do not live with a spirit of fear. God always sends us hope--to help those in need, to understand those who are different from us, to embrace grace and rebuke intolerance, to show love by putting out a hand in friendship instead of spouting out words of hate. Let's discuss finding peace on earth and if you don't want to discuss, then just listen and let God's light shine through you, no matter what. I'd rather shine a light in darkness than stumble along a road full of hate. What do you think?

Janet Lee Barton here. This is my first blog for Craftie Ladies and I am so excited to be part of this group!

I love writing about New York City at the turn of the century. Love the research--I have shelves of books on New York City, files and photos from the late 1890's on my computer. I've loved learning so much about the city at that time and the photos I've found take me back to a time and place far removed from today.  I hope I am able bring this city to life at a time when women were joining the workforce in huge numbers, living in boarding houses similar to Heaton House, the boarding house in my first LIH, Somewhere to Call Home.

(Photo taken by Stacy Cashman at ramblingtraveler.com) 

And although some of the places my characters visit are still there, many are not. Central Park is still there of course, and taking a walk in it now is probably much the same now as would have been  at the turn of the century. But the skyline around it, from then to now, keeps changing.  

Of course many of the changes through the years have been for the better and yet it saddens me that so many landmarks are gone. In writing about history we must try to preserve the settings and events that take place in our stories so that our readers can get a real feel for the time and the place, so they can relate to the history of the time. We never know when storms or events will take those things away as Hurricane Sandy did, especially along the east coast.

Just as my heart went out to the people of the City after 9/11, it goes out to them now as they deal with the aftermath of Sandy. As the Crafie Ladies, our editors live and work in the city and our thoughts and prayers are with them and all who were in the path of the storm.

Do you like real history weaved into the historical stories you read? Do you like real settings or ficitonal places best? 

Daily Dose of Suspense

Pamela Tracy here.

Nine times out of ten, when I finish a book it’s suspense. It’s been that way since about age eight when Nancy Drew, Trixie Beldon, Robin Kane, and Donna Parker lined my bookcases.

I love suspenses that put me on the edge of my seat because

1. a secret put the main character(s) in danger.

2. something not secret put the main character(s) in danger.

3. Is there a third category or do all suspenses fall under the above two descriptions?

I don’t like suspenses that involved bad guys who resemble Freddy Kruger (if I’m in the mood for that – which the older I get, the less I am – I’ll read horror) and I don’t like suspenses that have serial killers (I once had to read ten in a row).

Suspense is a feeling of uncertainty, combined with anxiety, about how (not only how the bad guy loses all but how the hero and heroine gain all) the story will unfold.

Right now I’m listening to a fairly new Elizabeth Peters Vicki Bliss novel called The Laughter of Dead Kings(hour commute back and forth to work). I’m reading a cozy paranormal called It Takes a Witch by Heather Blake. On my Kindle (purse book) I’m reading Space Farms (it’s not a mystery; it's for my 2013 release which takes place on a zoo).

There you have it, I always have a book at my fingertips.
How about you?
What are you reading?
And what would you put for number three above?

Linda Goodnight here, talking about sacrifice. That’s a word most of us don’t want to think about. Oh, I might sacrifice a cookie to save a few calories. I might sacrifice an hour or two to help out at school or church. But I’m talking about real sacrifice, the kind that costs us something we’d rather not lose. I’ve known people who gave up Christmas to work in a soup kitchen. Other’s who gave up summer vacation to serve on the mission field. Of course, nothing can match the sacrificial love of Jesus.

When I start a book, I try to come up with something really important to a main character—and then I make him/her give up that one thing for the sake of love.

In my latest Love Inspired, A SNOWGLOBE CHRISTMAS, hero Rafe Westfield makes a major sacrifice before the story opens and his choice costs him more than the girl he loves.

In my ebook, CANDLELIGHT CHRISTMAS, a duo with Mary Connealy, my hero Seth faces a different kind of sacrifice. The sacrifice of revenge.

I can think of many books and movies that feature sacrificial characters. Remember Patrick Dempsey in Sweet Home Alabama? Because he loved Melanie, he let her go. Made me cry!!

What kind of sacrifices do you like to see characters make? Do you have a favorite from a book or movie?

Legacy of Love Interview

Hello everyone. I’m Anna Simmons from Pearlman, Michigan, and I’m excited to have here with me today Brandon Landers, the dreamy hero of my very own story, as told by Christine Johnson in her November 2012 Love Inspired Historical release, Legacy of Love. Brandon doesn’t like to talk about himself, but we’ve got him cornered now. I can hardly wait to hear what secrets he’s going to reveal.

1. Brandon, tell me the most interesting thing about you that I don’t already know. And stop frowning! This is supposed to be fun.

Anna, I told you not to ask any personal questions. Besides, what could I possibly tell you that you don’t already know? You’re relentless in unearthing my past. [grin] Did I tell you that I went to Luxor and saw the Valley of the Kings? Of course Mr. Carter hadn’t discovered King Tutankhamun’s tomb yet, but plenty of workers were on site.

  

2. Oh my, I wish I’d been there. Maybe someday. I suppose I know the answer to this question, but I still have to ask. What do you do for fun?

Work is fun. I love reading about antiquities, sniffing around curio shops and going through old books. Nothing is more exciting than finding a curiosity that piques the imagination.

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

Dread is rather a strong word. A man must tackle even the most unpleasant tasks in due order, but if you mean which tasks I dislike, it would have to be bailing my kid brother out of trouble. Unfortunately that happens far too often. 

4. Is that what you’re most afraid of in life, that your brother will get into trouble again?

In a way. I don’t want to lose the respect of the people I care for, and his behavior has been irresponsible at times. Granted, I’ve made some mistakes in life, but I don’t want anyone to go through what I did. Respect, once lost, is gone forever.

5. I can’t believe anyone would fault you for his behavior. You’re the most careful, cautious man I’ve ever met. So then, is respect what you want out of life?

Partly. After years living from place to place—from preparatory school and college to working in Boston before going to Europe in the war and then going from one hospital to another trying to recover from my injuries—I’d like to put down roots somewhere. Pearlman would be perfect. Nice slow pace.

6. Slow? You think that’s good? I’d love to see the world, go to all those places you’ve been to. Rome and Athens and Egypt would be a great start! How can little old Pearlman measure up to that? It sounds like you think this slow-paced little town would make you happy. Is that the most important thing to you?

As long as I had someone to share it with.

7. Oh! [blush] Maybe you will. Maybe you’ll find someone perfect. Ma says God made a perfect match for everyone. You just need to find that person. I guess it’s kind of like searching for hidden tombs or buried treasure. But she says that sometimes searching isn’t enough. Sometimes you have to change in order to find your dream. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

That I could still hold onto dreams like you do. I wish the war hadn’t taken that away. Hold on tightly, Anna. Don’t ever let go of your dreams.

8. I won’t. I promise. But I don’t understand why you think you’ve lost your dreams. You have this huge mansion all to yourself. You have your new antiquarian bookstore. You know archaeologists and have seen the world. What’s missing?

It can be lonely.

9. Maybe you should get a pet, then. Did you ever have a pet?

No. Father forbade animals in the home. After Mother died, I was sent to boarding school and never had a chance to have a pet.

10. That’s so sad. We had cats and dogs when I was little. Lots of them, but none the last few years. I think that’s because it was hard for Ma to make ends meet after Papa died. You could get a dog. It’ll cheer you up. After all, it’s a great time to be alive. There’s a world of opportunity! What’s your favorite thing about living in 1922? New inventions like radio or talking movies?

I prefer the slower pace of the past. The only benefit of the new technology is that it allows us to better understand our past and improve our future. Hopefully we will learn from our mistakes and never repeat the Great War. Medical advances might make influenza pandemics and diseases like polio a distant memory. Most of all I hope we hold onto each other and our communities. If these inventions can help us do that, then they’re worthwhile.

Thank you, Brandon, for stopping by to visit today. For all the readers out there, you can unearth more of Brandon’s secrets in our story, Legacy of Love. Until we meet again there, have a wonderful holiday season filled with every good thing. With love, Anna. 

Featured Book: LEGACY OF LOVE by Christine Johnson

She dreamed of digging through ancient ruins--but the only exploring Anna Simmons gets to do is in the expensive houses she cleans in Pearlman, Michigan. When Brandon Landers hires her, she's unsure whether to be furious or thrilled. He evicted Anna and her ailing mother, but she's heard rumors of hidden treasure on his land. Treasure Anna decides to find. Not just for herself, but for her new employer whose unexpected kindness has softened her heart.

Physically and spiritually wounded in the Great War, Brandon knows not to hope for the impossible--like buried riches or Anna's love. Is there still time for them to learn that the only treasure they need is a lifetime together?

Ask Elnora--About "What if" and "If only."--Lenora Worth

Hello, beautiful bloggers. This will be short and sweet since Elnora is on the road and Internet service is iffy. Iffy. Now there's a word I've been thinking about all week. Life is iffy, isn't it? When we see flooded streets and subway tunnels in New York City, we know things can get iffy. When we see iconic places destroyed with a rush of water and wind, things can get iffy. When we see a loved one going through a life-changing illness, things can get iffy. That got me to thinking about the "what if's" and "if only's" of life. The If Only types tend to look back on their lives and wish they'd done things differently. If only I could go back to that night I had that major hissy fit and told off half the universe. If only I had really listened to my mother and not dated that loser. You get the picture. The What If people tend to be more positive and forward thinking. What if we climbed up on the water tower and threw water balloons at the mayor and the city council? What if a tall, dark stranger meets a young, pretty debutante and they fall in love? Or What if the girl who thinks she's not pretty meets the man who thinks no one can love him? If we mix up the If Only's and the What If's, we could get to the It's Okay's and the Let's Move On's. Isn't this pretty much how we write our books? Don't we move our characters out of the If Only stage and into the What If stage so that they can accept the It's Okay past and go on with the Let's Move On future. Let's discuss the iffy things in life, that is, if you'd like to!