WEAPONS OF WARFARE! By Guest Marti Holcomb

 Guest poster, Marti Holcomb, added the second part of this wisdom, timeless and memorable.

   OPEN YOUR EYES,   OPEN YOUR EARS,  OPEN YOUR HEART   

“ BUT ”  CLOSE YOUR MOUTH    

THE DEVIL DOESN’T KNOW WHAT YOU DON’T SAY     ( 2 times  )

THE DEVIL CAN’T HEAR WHAT YOU DON’T SAY

HE CAN’T READ YOUR MIND – DON’T GIVE IT AWAY !

        

 THANK ME, PRAISE ME, LOVE ME WITH YOUR WORDS

LET DOUBTS, FEARS, AND WORRIES GO UNHEARD,

YOU CAN TELL ME THOSE THINGS IN YOUR MIND, SOUL, AND SPIRIT

YOU AND I KNOW THAT   “I CAN HEAR IT”

            

OPEN YOUR EYES,      OPEN YOUR EARS,       OPEN YOUR HEART  

“ BUT ”  CLOSE YOUR MOUTH 

THE DEVIL DOESN’T KNOW WHAT YOU DON’T SAY    ( 2 times  )

THE DEVIL CAN’T HEAR WHAT YOU DON’T SAY

HE CAN’T READ YOUR MIND – DON’T GIVE IT AWAY !

 

PROVERBS 8:34

BLESSED IS THE MAN WHO - LISTENS    TO ME,

WATCHING    DAILY AT MY GATES, 

WAITING      AT THE POSTS OF MY DOOR . . . 

This was the 2nd page.  Blessings to you, and your family.

 

William Shakespeare’s Quote:

All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players:

This quote tells a truth:  We are playing on some stage at any given time.

There are 2 stages we need to be aware of:

The enemy’s stage and God’s stage.

When we open our mouth rehearsing all that is wrong with us, our families, our brothers and sisters in Christ, our finances, and our failure to overcome and live in abundant life, etc, etc:   We are then rehearsing the negativities of our life, nursing them, and cursing them.  It so entertains the enemy as we play out our trauma and drama on “ his stage ”.  It also says God is incompetent and is not doing anything in our areas of distress.  It sabotages our faith.

When the Lord showed me that - I got mad.  I decided I am sick of entertaining the enemy and demeaning my Father, my Lord, and the Holy Spirit.

I told God I have decided to entertain Him on His stage {The Kingdom }   Now I will  -  Thank Him – Praise Him – Love Him with my words and let doubts, fears, and worries go unheard. 

As soon as I start to get my pitiful persona on and my words of defeat and drama, trauma, and self pity start to come out of my mouth . . .  The spirit immediately takes me to:  Thank Him . . Praise Him….  Love Him with my words …. Then I thank Him for His plan for GOOD for my life and using the enemy and all his plans to bring forth His Godfilled plan for GOOD for me, my family, and everyone that I pray for and love.  The enemy hears my “life filled”, God ordained words and leaves as he hates hearing it.

 Jeremiah 29:11-13

11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for GOOD and for peace, not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.  13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.

 

Thank you Marti for this wisdom and time honoring plan to play on Our Father's stage and not be entertaining the enemy, the hater of our souls! You are a blessing!

 

 







NEVER BORROW A BARONET By Regina Scott

 

 

This historical, the second in the Fortune’s Bride Series by award-winning author Regina Scott, entertained me and kept me guessing! Regina has a knack for inventing characters we can all identify with—some we like and some, not so much! Thankfully, I really like the main characters. Fortune, the cat, plays a larger role in this book and I smiled through those scenes!

Everyone from Gussie to Beau Villers to the main characters—Patience Ramsey and Sir Harry Orwell as well as those secondary characters sprinkled between the lines, made this a fun and interesting novel. I like the setting and time period—Essex, England, March 1812. There is just something about slipping into the past and watching characters duck in and out of the social expectations and bondage to make choices that can loosen those restraints for them to become a bit more free and courageous!

This story was precious, complete with the family crest “To risk is to live.” I loved the special interest that Miss Augusta Orwell, Henry’s Aunt Gussie, drew the women into assisting her with. This is a sweet romance, clean and winsome and I highly recommend this book and series so far! I did receive this novel for free to offer me the opportunity to review this. I only post reviews on the books that I can recommend highly. Every book and author has a reader. I tend to be a bit picky in my reviews for I want others to have a reading experience that they can’t put down.

 Questions for Regina:

1.      I loved the theme in this novel about concern for reputations. What inspired that focus for this novel?

 

In the Regency period, sometimes a lady’s reputation was all she had. If her family was poor or somehow lost their income, if she wasn’t particularly beautiful or talented, knowing she was a lady of virtue might still be enough to attract a gentleman’s attentions. While Patience Ramsey, my heroine, is quite pretty, she doesn’t think of herself that way. She holds her reputation dear, so when a false engagement to Harry comes up, she has to consider the price very, very carefully.

2.      This novel and Never Doubt a Duke have lovely covers. Did you design those?

 

I did not. My talent seems to be with words, not design. The wonderful Kim Killion at the Killion Group designs all my covers. The pictures of the ladies themselves are from Period Images.

 

3.      I love the character Lydia Villers. Will she be in a future novel? (My mind is inventing her future. 😉

 

I’m so glad you enjoyed Lydia! She is near to my heart too. Lydia plays a small role in the next book, Never Envy an Earl, and she gets her own book this fall in Never Vie for a Viscount.

 

4.      Was a host or hostess really so accommodating to visitors in this time period? (We authors would hate that—we like our writing time and reflection time don’t we!)

 

Yes, we do! I don’t think I could have been as accommodating as Gussie. I’m sure there were some in the Regency period who simply let it be known they did not entertain, but it wasn’t uncommon among the upper class to be invited toward the end of the summer and into the hunting season to stay at anywhere from two weeks to a month with your host at his/her country estate. Sometimes dozens of guests would be invited. It sounds like a lot, but consider the fact that Chatsworth, the home of the Dukes of Devonshire, has 250 rooms!

 

5.      I’d just watched A&E’s C. S. Forester’s Horatio Hornblower movie. This provided time for me to reflect on a side of Napoleon that I’d not known. Was the tension between England and France a deciding point for why you wrote in this time period?

 

Yes. Napoleon makes for such a wonderful villain. 😊 And it was a tense time in England. Slightly before the Regency, about 1805, there was terrible fear of invasion. Even though the French never found a way to bring troops across the Channel, many in England couldn’t forget the threat. Napoleon, Old Boney to some, was the monster under the bed. Children were told to behave, or he would come for them. He was burned in effigy every Guy Fawkes Day. Bringing him down was the goal of many an Englishman.

 

6.      Is there anything else you would like to share about this novel?

 

It was a lot of fun planning for “the worst house party in the history of England,” as one of my characters calls it. I love a swashbuckling hero, and Sir Harry with his spying and climbing in windows and proposing marriage on a whim and utter devotion to his beloved aunt Gussie, certainly qualified.

 

7.      How do you wish for your readers to contact you?

       www.reginascott.com * newsletter signup www.eepurl.com/baqwVT

           Thank you so much, Sue! I appreciate how you share books with readers!

Never Doubt a Duke, Book 1 in the new Fortune’s Brides series, 5/18/18
Never Borrow a Baronet, Book 2 in the Fortune’s Brides series, 6/13/18

 

Surrey, England, late January 1812Never Doubt A Duke by Regina Scott

I found this first of the Fortune’s Brides series to be a fun and clean Regency romance novel. Regina Scott delivered an entertaining story, which held my attention and caused me to smile throughout!

The main character, Jane Kimball, is not the model governess, which makes for a lot of conflict, surprise, and interest! This offers the reader an interesting point of view about this character’s position in a wealthy household during the early 1800s. Jane is an interesting character with strengths that were not valued in her time. Tell me everyone, can’t we all relate on some level? I enjoyed how Jane got herself into and out of predicaments!

Alaric, Duke of Way, is father to three young girls, Lady Larissa, Lady Calantha, and Lady Abelona. Their mother had passed away and they have challenged their governesses ever since. Of course, none of the governesses have stayed, which causes the reader to hold the attitude--how long will Jane last? I like Alaric and I think his opinions and challenges are worthy of every conflict and success that he shares with Jane and his family.

Miss Thorn’s cat, Fortune, is a pleasing addition to this story. I could identify with Fortune’s importance because my sister and brother have a cat named Millie. Yes, Millie did choose me as one of her people she likes. Millie will hide from guests generally but will be friendly and desire attention from a chosen few!

Regina Scott sent me this novel to critique, and I trust her to write entertaining feel-good stories. Her historical settings and fun characters are a joy to read. This is a highly recommended book and I’m eagerly awaiting the next story in this series!

QUESTIONS FOR REGINA:
Your characters are always interesting. Were you motivated to write any character in this novel because of someone you know? Not in this book. Jane popped up, strong-willed, durable, and determined to make a difference. She was so much fun to write.

How did you come up with Fortune the cat?
My critique partner loves cats. She’s always encouraging me to put one in my stories. I have shied away from this, as I am more of a dog person. But she recently adopted an adorable grey kitten who is such a joy to watch romp around. I thought it would be fun to have a cat be part of bringing couples together.

What idea triggered the name, Fortune? (I think this is the perfect name for this feline character!)
Originally, I wanted Miss Thorn, Fortune’s owner, to have a last name of Fortune. The Miss Fortune Employment Agency sounded so funny! But there is a long-running mystery series in which the sleuth is Miss Fortune, and I didn’t want to look as if I had taken someone else’s idea. But I loved the ideas of Fortune’s Brides, and so the name was loaned to Fortune the cat. Miss Thorn found her as she was waiting to hear whether she’d inherited enough money to live one. You might say the cat is her Fortune.

Have you traveled to Surrey? If so what was your favorite memory of that visit?
Alas, I have not had the pleasure. I have driven along the edges of Surrey, heading to London, but I haven’t been directly into the county. But the internet is such a treasure, and there are so many period paintings of the area, that I feel as if I’ve been there! One of my dreams is to take one of the canal boats along the Thames through Surrey. Perhaps one day!

Is there theme or encouragement within this story that you would like to elaborate upon?
A theme I’m told comes through often in my stories is “be your true self.” God created us to be unique individuals, with skills, abilities, and dreams. Jane embodies this. She doesn’t compromise who she is, even when doing so might have made things easier for her. I admire people who can do that.

What new novels do you have available in the future?
The sequel to Never Doubt a Duke, Never Borrow a Baronet, will be available June 13. I wanted to put the first couple books in the series close together so readers would have an idea of what to expect. The third, Never Envy an Earl, is slated for an August release. I hope to have the fourth, Never Vie for a Viscount, out in late November. It’s been a busy year for me, but I’m having a blast, and I hope readers will too.

How do you want your readers to find you? 
Thank you so much for this opportunity to share with readers, Susan! Blessings!
Regina Scott
Never Doubt a Duke, Book 1 in the new Fortune’s Brides series, 5/18/18
Never Borrow a Baronet, Book 2 in the Fortune’s Brides series, 6/13/18
www.reginascott.com * newsletter signup www.eepurl.com/baqwVT

SHADOWED BY GRACE BY CARA PUTMAN

SHADOWED BY GRACE BY CARA PUTMAN

Oh Italy! What a historic wonderland of art and culture! I love Cara’s descriptions of the masterpieces that were sought after for protection by Lieutenant Scott Lindstrom—the Monument Man in this story. Cara Putman shared the landscape of war and desperation with language in hues that were well placed, as though a skillful paintbrush of description brought her story to life.  Italy, during World War II, was not just a fascinating place to visit (in a novel) but also the perfect time and place for Captain Rachel Justice’s journey and exploration. Well done Cara Putman!

The Third Reich moved around Italy devastating ancient art and architecture and killing those who remained in their way. There is tension throughout this novel and I kept turning those pages because of my concern for my new imaginary friends—the heroine and hero! I appreciated the support characters also. This story flowed and was easy to read and enjoy!

I’ve read other World War II novels, though this isn’t the usual time period for me. But never have I explored a novel set in Italy—especially with Nazis attacking and creating havoc on land and in the sky. It only took me a matter of days to enjoy Cara’s novel to the end and I highly recommend this read. I liked her heroine and the hero, and some of the support characters and their reactions to life on the pages. I also appropriately didn’t like the trouble-making bad guy! 

This story made me smile and remember that I’d tried to take Latin in high school, so that I could travel with my class to Italy many moons ago—but my mom was wise to my motivation! Who could blame me for trying!

If you want to enjoy, be entertained, and experience the past with excellent characters and a clean story – I advise you pick this book up and enjoy!

QUESTIONS FOR CARA:

1)     This is a fascinating take on the World War II. How did you choose the Monument’s Men theme?

I have always loved history. That’s one, key reason I love writing historical fiction set during World War II. I also have a great respect for the men and women of the Greatest Generation. I want to tell their stories well and honor what they did.

For Shadowed by Grace, I relied on numerous nonfiction resources. From The Day of Battle by Rick Atkinson I learned details about what Naples was like after it had been liberated by the Allies even to Italian women being paid with monopoly money. In Where the Action Was by Penny Colman I learned many details of what it was like to be a woman correspondent on the European front. I discovered War in Val d’Orica, a diary kept by a British woman who married an Italian and lived in Tuscany during WWII. It brought to life what it was like to live in occupied Italy. You can imagine my delight when the author referenced the Monuments Men in her journal.

2)     Do you have a favorite artist or painting that would be represented in this story?

There were so many…I fell in love with art during an Art Appreciation course in college. My favorites didn't necessarily make it into this book, but Primavera is an amazing painting. It’s housed at the Uffizi in Florence, and I’ve stood in front of it twice. It is amazing!

3)     Do you have a fact or scene that you would like to share that had to be left out of this story?

I actually have a couple that I’ve posted on my website. Kind of the hidden scenes. Your readers can access the lost chapters, here: http://www.caraputman.com/shadowed-grace-lost-pages/

4)     What is your next story that is coming out?

My next book is Delayed Justice, which releases in October. This is a contemporary romantic legal suspense set in Washington, D.C. I have really enjoyed writing these books because I’m an attorney and lived in the DC area for eight years. It’s been like coming home to write this series involving a group of women who are five years out from law school, and now embroiled in diverse careers and cases. At the same time, they’re finding love, which is so fun!

Here’s more on it:

She had long given up the desire to be loved. Now she only needed to be heard.

Jaime Nichols went to law school to find the voice she never had as a child, and her determination to protect girls and women who are in harm’s way drives her in ways both spoken and unspoken. As Jamie, now a criminal defense attorney, prepares to press charges against someone who wronged her long ago, she must face not only her demons but also the unimaginable forces that protect the powerful man who tore her young life apart.

Chandler Bolton, a retired veteran, is tasked with helping a young victim who must testify in court—and along with his therapy dog, Aslan, he’s up for the task. When he first meets Jaime, all brains, beauty, and brashness, he can’t help but be intrigued. But as Chandler works to break through the wall Jaime has built around herself, the two of them discover that they may have more to offer one another than they ever could have guessed—and that together, they may be able to help this endangered child.

This thrilling installment of the Hidden Justice series explores the healing power of words given voice and the resolution of wrongs. And as Jaime pursues delayed justice of her own, she unearths eternal truths that will change the course of her life.

5) How do you wish for your readers to connect with you?

I love to interact with my readers in many ways. They can find me in the following places:

Website: www.caraputman.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/caraputman

Twitter: www.twitter.com/cara_putman

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/caraputman

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/CaraPutman

Thank you Cara for an excellent interview! I appreciate your time and talent and your ability to tell a tale! I look forward to reading more of your novels and I believe that the readers here will be excited to read your novels too!

The Mark of the King by Jocelyn Green

 

  

Jocelyn Green is an author to follow! Her depth of character and plot spins the reader into a tightly woven web that does not let go until you finish the last delicious page!

Julianne Chevalier’s story begins in Paris, France in 1719—such a different time and place, especially for those caught in untoward circumstances. Jocelyn takes the reader back to the unfairness and severity of eighteenth century law. Those judgments made were much different than those of our court system today.

I immensely liked and cared about the main character’s journey. The oppositional characters earned my distrust and dislike!

As the story begins I was able to sink myself into the time period and consider for the first time the true-life struggles and conflicts that 1719 French women experienced. Mindsets and social expectations conditioned judgmental attitude toward others when they were accused of a crime.

The pacing and content of this historical provided excellent involvement for this reader. My imagination flew boundless as I followed Julianne’s experiences in France and as she acclimated herself to the heat and humidity of New Orleans, Louisiana. One circumstance lead to another, which evolved into a tale that is unforgettable and gripping.

This is a well written story which caught my emotions in a vice grip. The characters from Adelaide to Benjamin Chevalier as well as everyone in-between were noteworthy and interesting. I highly recommend this novel and this author for your reading pleasure! If you take my advice grab your tissues, block out some uninterrupted time—for you will not want to put this novel down! Well done, Jocelyn Green. I look forward with expectation to your future reads!

Questions for Jocelyn:

1)     What or who inspired your story?

It started with a list of names I found online. Genevieve, Catherine, Marie-Louise, Angelique….Aged 20. 17, 16, 24…These were names and ages of real women who were transferred from the Paris prison and orphanage of Salpetriere to go settle New Orleans in the early 1700s. I was hooked! I had to find out more, and found history that was both fascinating and new to me. There are many excellent books set in the British colonies, but the French colony of Louisiana seems to be much lesser known. The years of forced immigration, whereby Paris cleaned out its prisons to populate a floundering wilderness, was just too rife with story potential to ignore. It’s a story of incredible hardship and courage, fear and hope, judgment and redemption. It also offered an opportunity to unlock a slice of American history most of us know little about, which appeals to me a great deal.

2)     Have you been interested in France and New Orleans, Louisiana for very long?

I’m interested in France because my brother was a missionary there and married my sister-in-law who grew up outside of Paris. Before I’d heard about the French plan to colonize Louisiana, I was probably about as interested in New Orleans as most people, but the main thing I associated with it for a while was Hurricane Katrina. Now, of course, I think of what it must have been like way back when it was founded. It’s interesting to note that the site for the settlement was contested even then, and it flooded often.

3)     Laura Frantz wrote that you both created a tie between your heroines from her novel The Lacemaker and your novel A Refuge Assured. I LOVE that you did that. How did this come about?

We love the connection, too! It came about because I read her author newsletter, and she mentioned the heroine of her upcoming novel was a lacemaker. Just like mine. Both of our stories were pretty far along in the process, too. I emailed Laura immediately and we compared the similarities and differences in our stories. Laura’s story is set in colonial Williamsburg on the eve of the American Revolution. Mine starts in Paris during the French Revolution and quickly moves to Philadelphia in 1794. The connection between the lacemakers was easy to imagine, because lacemaking is typically a tradition passed down from one generation of women to the next. Laura and I had a great time creating a family tree with roots in France, and determining where the branches reached to England before spanning the ocean to America. Our heroines don’t interact with each other in either book, but the eagle-eyed readers will catch the mention of great-grandmothers they shared in each one.  

4)     If you could become skillful with an eighteenth-century craft – what would it be?

Lacemaking is so amazing but I think I’d go with embroidery. It seems a little more versatile for today’s culture.

5)     Did you have family who were lacemakers or seamstresses? If so, did you have the pleasure of knowing them first hand or did you hear about them and dream...

Not that I’m aware of!

6)     What other fiction stories have you written? What will be next?

Besides The Mark of the King and A Refuge Assured (two stand-alone novels), I’ve also written a four-book Civil War series called Heroines Behind the Lines Civil War. Those books are Wedded to War, Widow of Gettysburg, Yankee in Atlanta, and Spy of Richmond. I’m also honored to have a novella included in The Message in a Bottle Romance Collection, which has four other novellas authored by Amanda Dykes, Heather Day Gilbert, Maureen Lang, and Joanne Bischof. My next book will release February 2019, and it is titled Between Two Shores. It’s set during the Seven Years War in Montreal, New France.

7)     How do want your readers to contact you?

My Web site is www.jocelyngreen.com and has links on the contact page to all other places online where I hang out.

What do you say reader? Are you as ready to sign up for Jocelyn Green's news letters and do you have an incredible urge to go shopping for her novels! If you do--we are of one and the same mind!

Thank you all for stopping by!

 

PENS OF PRAISE TUESDAY, MAY 15

 



PENS OF PRAISE

CHRISTIAN WRITERS GROUP

Let us know if your attending so we can save a seat just for you!

MAY 15, 2018

Tuesday 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Faith Free Church

2201 42^nd St.

Manitowoc, WI  54220

 

This month’s speaker is Susan Marlene. Susan will share a teaching on This, That & The Other Thing! This will be a merging of information regarding dialogue, plot and whatever else captivates Susan’s mind! Come join us as we seek, retrieve and sneak a peek at this hodgepodge of tools and techniques!

Prompt:  This That & The Other Thing! If you wish to use this as practice for your cozy, or poem or short story – etc. the world is your oyster! Enjoy! Yes, you may write a blurb or scene for this prompt if you like.

Bring your WIP (work in progress) to share a five-minute read. We are a safe place to share and grow. 

Pens Novel Readers: Susan Marlene is putting together a group email for those who want to join in picking novels and discussion meetings. (We want to respect those who are too busy or who are uninterested in a reader’s group.)

Stop at a local coffee shop or bring your own coffee or soda and relax with us a while.

 

May the Lord bless your creative endeavors as you write for Him! Any concerns or questions feel free to contact susanmarlenekinney@gmail.com or rebeccamclafferty@gmail.com

 

Blessings!

 

 

Lord of Order and Might

Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. And he said to his people, “Look, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we, come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and it happen, in the event of war, that they also join our enemies and fight against us, and so go up out of the land.  Exodus 1:8 - 10

Just to imagine the jealousy and evil intent of the Egyptian king, who thought Israel might become a problem, is mind boggling to me. His taskmasters sent to afflict Israel, burdened them with mortar, brick, and backbreaking work in the fields. Yet, Israel flourished and increased in numbers, tormenting Pharaoh and all Egypt anew with increasing fear. Dread of Israel motivated Pharaoh to fall to the lowest levels of all. He demanded that the Egyptians murder the Hebrew male babies by tossing them in the Nile—Egypt’s symbol of regeneration of life.

But, when Father God wants something done, the same will be accomplished. The rich history and scripture of Exodus makes that fact obvious. Pharaoh sensed that something dangerous and destructive to his kingdom and rule lingered on the horizon. Yet, for all of his selfish efforts he remained blind to that threat. He had no inkling of what was to come.

A three-month-old infant rested in an ark of bulrushes nestled among the reeds of the river Nile when Pharaoh’s daughter decided to adopted the Hebrew baby. The one Elohim destined to be Israel’s deliverer!  The reeds, how symbolic of Moses life. These plants are slow growing and are often found in infertile soil. Evergreen, but not flashy in appearance or color. One could say humble looking. The reeds have sets of three leaves situated three times along the stem and the fruit has three sections with many seeds.

The Moses of the Bible, is extremely humble. Though he’d been raised in Pharaoh’s royal household, privileged with training and favor, he later became a shepherd—an occupation looked down upon by Egyptians. Once Elohim sent Moses to deliver Israel from slavery, there were many Hebrews who didn’t have fertile soil in their hearts to accept the Lord’s blessings and rule. The reeds by the river Nile and the repetitive number of groups of three leaves symbolize the Trinity to me. The fruit of the reeds has three sections with many seeds—that equates to God’s multiplication, in my opinion. Old Testament Jews and New Testament Christians alike have been blessed by the seeds of truth and love provided by Elohim’s design for centuries.

Doesn’t it seem as though God’s own thumb print is present here for anyone to see? As though He chuckled as he prepared a way for Israel’s redemption! He alone is the Lord of order and might. Who can stand in His way? No one. Pharaoh proved clueless to God’s involvement all around him though he jealously watched, dreaded, and chose evil solutions. My daily longing is to be aware of Him and joyfully follow His lead. To be the planting of the Lord in any location. So, what about you, have you noticed what God is up to in your life lately? Just look around, but especially, look up and see.

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, And He delights in his way. Psalm 37:23