Fiction Full of Faith

Coffee with Elaine Stock ~*PLUS*~ a paperback Giveaway!

March 25, 2019 in coffee with paula marie

Today I am excited to have Elaine Stock with us for coffee and a chance to get to know her better!

PM: I see you are a New York native! I am from NJ and love NY, my father is from Greenwood Lake, and he never stopped loving the area! My favorite part is actually the Catskills, I spent many a summer day up there! What is your favorite part of the area you live in?

Paula, heartfelt thanks and much appreciation for hosting me on your lovely blog. May your mission of sharing Christian Fiction with readers continue to be blessed.

Yes, I was born in Brooklyn, NY and lived with my family there until I was fifteen when we moved to the then half rural-half suburb area a little north of the city (it’s now massively suburb, nearly city status in population). Small world!! I lived not far from Greenwood Lake and have visited that area often, having had friends who lived there. As I write this reply I look out my window and see snow everywhere, and ice on the cars. Yet, as much as I daydream and long for 70 degree weather and sunshine year-round, it would be difficult for me to shake loose of my NY origins. There’s something wonderful about the Hudson River that always calls to me. While I’m not too fond of big city living anymore, I do love the more rural areal where I live now. I enjoy the back dirt roads with canopied tree-shade and thick woods. I marvel at the hills and lakes, and of the grassy meadows where cows, horses, and sheep graze. But, permit me to burst a myth: Country life is not quiet. LOL—well, at least not where I live.

PM: That all sounds so beautiful to me, wish I could join you! Thank you for your kind words, I hope to be a blessing for many with this little blog! Have you always known you had the writing bug (and ability)?

As a child I was greatly influenced by my mother who glorified books and reading (and dabbled in poetry) and my aunt who loved to entertain my brother and I with oral stories. I remember creating my own story-worlds without thinking much more about it, however as far back as 3rd grade I did win a writing contest of some sort (the sweet honor remains in my mind, but not the details). Throughout high school and in my young 20s I wrote for the pleasure of it, but it wasn’t until I was 26, when my mother died from ovarian cancer, did I take my writing more seriously. She was a creative soul whose mental illness limited her abilities to express herself.

PM: I have read Her Good Girl, and found myself quite intrigued at the depth of where you were able to take the storyline. What surprises did you find while researching this?

There are three.

First is the scope of mental illness in a family (please note: since I associated above the term “mental illness” with my mother I’d like to emphasize that the problems she suffered from were not Munchausen by Proxy Disorder; Her Good Girl is not autobiographical). To fully understand MBP one must see that this disorder extends way beyond the giver and the recipient and peer into the blinded eyes of the other family members and perhaps friends. And, for that matter, anyone in the medical or social services area that don’t recognize what’s happening. Yet, to be fair, this disorder is extremely sneaky. It has an everything-is-fine persona on the outside to present to the public, but behind closed doors it’s a whole different story. There’s also the surprise of how strong the desire to cling to normalcy in the face of denial can be for a family member.

Second is the subject of underground caving. Wow! Understatement. I researched heavily caving techniques and watched hours of caving videos (and had a spelunker check the manuscript). How these people can go into the darkness of this below ground earth is still beyond my ability to comprehend fully. It is not for the meek and timid, for sure.

Last, I have to admit, I surprised myself with the degree I assimilated into each of the characters. While I wrote this story, I’d slipped out of myself, away from upstate NY, and was transported to West Virginia with Sadie and her family.

PM: Wow – that is a lot of information you gathered! I admit, I kind of got carried away with the characters journey as well! If we were to open your refrigerator right now, what would we find in it?

What a fun and unique question! With desserts now reserved for only weekends, one would find lots of fresh veggies like kale, carrots, and Brussels sprouts, salad fixings, fruit, and because as of 1.5 years ago I’ve become lactose intolerant, Lactaid milk. Also, because I often fix both breakfast and dinner in the morning due to my day job (I work until 8 p.m. and eat dinner there) and my husband’s uh…let’s say…limited cooking style, one would find his homemade meal in the fridge waiting for him.

PM: If you couldn’t be a writer, what career path do you think you’d choose to be on?

Interestingly, I’d majored in psychology and sociology in college but have no regrets that I didn’t make this into a profession. In all things connected to writing and marketing, what I’ve really come to love is graphic arts. If not disciplined I could easily spend too many hours playing with designs and fonts, so perhaps I would have gone into opening a business to design for other authors/businesses. Perhaps I would have taken up an old childhood pastime of designing house interiors on graph paper (call me weird, if you’d like!) and become an architect. Who knows! Quoting Popeye: I yam what I yam.

PM: Who was your greatest influence when you decided to become an author?

If you meant which authors greatly influenced me, I’d say Jodi Picoult, Joy Fielding, Harlan Coben, and yes, I admit, the earlier writings of Danielle Steele. As for sticking out the much-too-long process of writing, editing, and honing craft and patience, without hesitation I thank God for His love of me whether or not I would ever publish a book.

PM: What is one thing about you that your readers would be shocked to know?

Well, I don’t know whether it’s shocking or not, but I am daily challenged by my social awkwardness. I am a true introvert who lives on Planet Earth, a place where it’s not so much of survival of the fittest but survival of the brave to move one foot in front of the other and face the world despite daydreaming of running home and slamming the door shut to the outside. Again, I beseech my loving Father to help me because without Him, I’d never get out of bed and venture beyond my front door. 

PM: How can readers keep up with you and your new releases? 

I enjoy interacting with readers; I love the book community! The best way to keep up with my new releases (Book 2 of the Kindred Lake Romance Series will be out this spring) is to subscribe to my Author Newsletter. Here’s the link, plus how one can receive my Free novella, And You Came Along: https://elainestock.com/free-gift-for-you

My website is: https://elainestock.com

My Amazon author page: http://amzn.to/1JYAwNy

Also, here are the social media links I’m on (I’m slowly branching out to others this year):

Twitter  http://www.twitter.com/ElaineStock
 Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AuthorElaineStock
 Goodreads  http://goodreads.com/ElaineStock

PM: Finally, coffee or tea? Cream, sugar?

Definitely coffee, preferably with Lactaid Milk or black, and no sugar. I’ve been a proud coffee drinker since my grandmother introduced me to the heavenly beverage when I was eight…and no, it hadn’t stunted my growth—LOL.

Author Bio:

Elaine Stock is dedicated to uplifting and encouraging all readers through the power of story to see hope during both the bright and dark times of life. She is the author of several award winning novels, notably Her Good Girl, which was graced with the Outstanding Christian/Religious Fiction in the 2018 IAN Book of the Year Awards, 2018 Readers’ Favorite Silver Medal in Christian Fiction and the 2018 American Fiction Awards in the Christian Inspirational category.

Elaine is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Romance Writers of America, and Women’s Fiction Writers Association. For fun and occasional eyebrow lifts of amazement, she hangs out on Twitter and Facebook, and of course, Goodreads.

Born in Brooklyn, NY, Elaine has now been living in upstate, rural New York with her husband for more years than her stint as a NYC gal. She enjoys long walks down country roads, visiting New England towns, and of course, a good book.

Elaine Stock is being so kind as to offer one of our wonderful USA BASED readers a free paperback of Her Good Girl! Simply comment on this post and tell us one item we could find in YOUR refridgerator! Contest will be open for one week from today and winner will be notified via email!

80 Comments

Review & Giveaway of Whatever Comes Our Way by Jaycee Weaver!

March 21, 2019 in my point of view


Gina Hernandez, Brynn’s best friend, has had her ups and downs. A sketchy home life and childhood trauma made her into a determined young woman who struggles with insecurities. She’s a passionate caregiver whose heart beats for others, even if she doesn’t fully trust them.

Youth pastor Jaydon Bennett has seen his share of the ugly side of life. The pain of a failed marriage still taunts him, but snarky Gina reawakens his hopes for a healthy relationship. But there’s something about the new girl in his youth group that reminds him of Gina.

While sparks fly and their bond grows stronger, Jaydon and Gina have to navigate some tough situations to figure out how they can help the girl and her family before Gina’s history repeats itself. Or worse.

Can Gina trust herself, trust Jaydon, and hardest of all, trust God to handle it all?

my point of view:

This is my first book by Jaycee Weaver, and i was blessed to have received this in a contest giveaway. I promise you it will not be my last! I absolutely adored this story, the writing, the characters, the struggles, and most importantly the faith behind every word written! Even though this is the second book in the series, I never read the first one and I can promise you this stands on its own quite beautifully. I was so taken with Gina, she has such a huge personality that will have you literally laughing out loud! I just know I would be friends with her in real life. To me, that is one of the highest praises I can give a character in a novel!

Gina has had such a rough go in her upbringing that has caused her to have insecurities we can only imagine….but she has a faith in God that is unshakable, and this makes for one amazing heroine! Gina is so giving and caring about everyone around her, that sometimes you lose sight of yourself, until you meet that one person who really sees inside you….enter Jaydon. Ah, the big bear of a youth pastor that has such a gentle heart…a heart that has been broken, but not shattered. Can these two help each other while they continue to help all those around them? You will need to read it to find out, lol! I promise you will not be disappointed!

About the author:

Jaycee Weaver lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with her amazing husband, three daughters, a crazy shih-tzu, and a dwarf rabbit. When she’s not writing, she’s probably in hot pursuit of her 90 million other hobbies or shuttling the kids around. Jaycee loves to read books in multiple genres, drink too much coffee (honestly, when are they going to make the coffee IV a real thing?!), sing, take landscape and floral photos, sew, cook, bake, and craft nearly anything. She considers herself a recovering perfectionist and sometimes hot mess. She does her best to live her faith in action, being open, honest, and real; letting God be Lord over the good, the bad, and the ugly even when it’s hard.

Jaycee Weaver has generously offered to gift one of our readers with a free ebook of Whatever Comes Our Way! Simply comment on this post and tell us what your favorite dish is to make for your loved ones to enter! Contest will run for one week from the publish of this post and winner will be notified via email!

30 Comments

Coffee with Lynnette Bonner PLUS a Giveaway!!

March 18, 2019 in coffee with paula marie

PM: I am so excited to have Lynnette Bonner with us this week for coffee! Lynnette has written so many books, both contemporary and historical, and I have been blessed to be able to read both genres and loved every moment of them! Thank you, Lynnette for taking the time to answer this nosy reader’s questions, lol!  I just have to ask this, I am sure you get it a lot, but what is your favorite time period to write in, contemporary or historical? You are so good at both of them, I imagine this a hard one for you to answer!

LB: Yes, it is hard. I enjoy both of them at different times, which is probably why I end up writing in both. My historicals take quite a bit more thought because it’s important for me to remove myself from our current time-period and ways of thinking and put myself into the characters’ time-period.

PM: What are you reading for fun right now?

LB: I’m currently reading a historical called Rose’s Pledge by Sally Laity and Dianna Crawford.

PM: I am sure your life is extremely busy with four children! When do you find the time to write? Where is your favorite place to write?

LB: Admittedly, when they were all little it was much harder. I had a lot of years of only writing a bit here and there. But now they are all adults, except for my last, who is a sophomore in high school, so I have quite a bit more time. Homeschooling does take up a good deal of my mornings, but I tell people that everyone makes time to do the things they love.

PM: Having been raised in Africa, what was your biggest ‘culture shock” upon arriving in the United States?

LB: I think one of the biggest shocks each time we came home was the sheer amount of “stuff” in all the stores. So much frivolous junk that no one truly needs. How many types of laundry detergent does one country really need? Or brands of bread? This was probably made more evident by the vast needs in the country we’d only so recently left (where one bar of soap might be shared among a group of women beating their clothes “clean” on the rocks at the edge of a muddy river bank.)

PM: What was your most beloved book to read as a child?

LB: I think I would have to go by ages, with this. The first books I remember loving and reading for hours were Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys. That was when I was about eight. Then followed a phase of the Old Mother West Wind series by Thornton W. Burgess. Loved, loved, loved those books. In high school you would find me with my nose in one Christian romance book or another, but my favorites of those were the Zion books by the Thoenes.

PM: If there was a news story about your life, what would the headline say?

LB: Author Saved by Grace Hopes Others Experience Same.

PM: Do you get to travel back to Africa a lot?

LB: I do not. It is so expensive to travel to Africa. Thousands just for the tickets to get there, not to mention lodging and food on arrival. Raising four kids on a pastor’s salary has made it impossible to go back since I married in 1992. I’d love to go back on a mission’s trip someday. It just hasn’t happened yet.

PM: What is your favorite go to snack, midnight or any time?

LB: Chocolate. Is there anything else? Speaking of which…it’s nearing Easter and those Cadbury Eggs in the purple bags? Yes!

PM: What’s your favorite song?

LB: This is difficult. I think right now I have two. They are both by Zach Williams. One is Fear is a Liar. The other is Chain Breaker. I choose these because of some things our family is going through right now. So thankful to have Jesus to cling to and share my concerns with. And his Word of Truth to stand on as a firm foundation.

PM: How can readers keep up with you and your new releases?

LB: My website is: https://www.lynnettebonner.com. They can also join my newsletter and get a free short romance called My Blue Havyn at https://www.lynnettebonner.com/newsletter.

PM: Finally, coffee or tea? Cream, sugar?

LB: I drink both and enjoy both. Most mornings it’s coffee with just cream, no sugar. My preference is with a little sugar, but I’ve been trying to cut way back on sugar and since I’m a chocoholic, I choose to get my intake of sugar that way instead of in my coffee. I drink tea, both hot and iced, at other times of the day.

About Lynnette Bonner

Born and raised in Malawi, Africa. Lynnette Bonner spent the first years of her life reveling in warm equatorial sunshine and the late evening duets of cicadas and hyenas. The year she turned eight she was off to Rift Valley Academy, a boarding school in Kenya where she spent many joy-filled years, and graduated in 1990.

That fall, she traded to a new duet–one of traffic and rain–when she moved to Kirkland, Washington to attend Northwest University. It was there that she met her husband and a few years later they moved to the small town of Pierce, Idaho.

During the time they lived in Idaho, while studying the history of their little town, Lynnette was inspired to begin the Shepherd’s Heart Series with Rocky Mountain Oasis.

Marty and Lynnette have four children, and currently live in Washington where Marty pastors a church.

Lynnette is being so generous offering an ebook version of her Not A Sparrow Falls to one commenter on this post! Please comment here and tell us what your favorite childhood book was!

33 Comments

Review & Giveaway of The Heart of Home by Stephenia H. McGee

March 14, 2019 in my point of view


He asked if he could die on her porch…but instead he brought hope for new life.

Once a wistful romantic, Opal Martin now simply aspires to scrub the remnants of the War Between the States from her tattered life. But when a nearly drowned soldier appears and asks if he can die on her porch, she must guard against the sudden revival of her heart’s hope for love. 

Haunted by the war, Tristan Stuart just wants to escape the pain. But when he wakes up at a house that looks too much like home with a woman determined to mend him, he may discover a new life worth fighting for. In order to save the last of what Opal holds dear, will he become the man she needs or let the troubled waters carry him away? 

my point of view:

I am so happy to bring you all a review for not only a new to me author, but a historical novel! I have loved to read since I was a pre-teen and have always loved historicals! I seem to have gotten away from them over the last several years, so for me it is always a treat to find a really good one! I love the descriptions of the beautiful estates, the clothing, the hairstyles, everything, really. When I was a teenager I thought I was born in the wrong time period….of course now I truly appreciate the 21st Century amenities I have all around me, but reading historicals is still so romantic! Also a good reminder of how hard a life it could be at times.

I enjoy reading this particular time period of history, as the Civil War was such an emotional time for the entire country.  For most of the women of the South at that time, finding a soul mate was probably not high on their list of priorities, I imagine, as so many men had been taken from them. Opal and her mama are both very brave and strong females, doing the best they can with the cards they have been dealt.

Tristan simply wants to escape the pain, and if that means lying down to die on someone’s porch, so be it. It’s a hard for both of them to push through each day, but that is exactly what they do, and in the process they come to realize they are stronger than they gave themselves credit for! I don’t want to give away too much, but when these characters come together to fight a common “enemy” the story takes on a whole new life! I definitely had a hard time putting this one down! Looking forward to reading many more of Stephenia’s books in the future, so glad I took a ‘chance’ and picked this up! Now it’s your turn, you can pick this up on Kindle Unlimited, or enter below to win a free ebook copy!

About Stephenia H. McGee

Stephenia H. McGee writes stories of faith, hope, and healing set in the Deep South. After earning a degree in Animal and Dairy Sciences, she discovered her heart truly lies with the art of story. She put pen to page and never looked back. Visit her at www.StepheniaMcGee.com for books and updates.

 

Stephania McGee has been so kind to offer one of our commenters on this post a free ebook! Please enter by telling us what your favorite time period is to read in Christian Fiction! Winner will be notified by email, contest will be open for one week from today!

Coffee with Elaine Marie Cooper!

March 11, 2019 in coffee with paula marie


I am so thrilled to introduce you all to a “new to me” author today! Please join Elaine Marie Cooper and I for some coffee as we get to know each other!

PM: We’ll start off with a “soft-ball” question, what’s your favorite song?

EMC: That’s a tough one!! I love lots of music.
If I had to choose one Praise & Worship song, I think it would be Revelation Song by Phillips, Craig & Dean.
Two of my favorite songs to listen to are, “I Shall Not Want” and “Spirit of the Living God” by Audrey Assad (I love her voice!)

PM: What are you reading for fun right now?

EMC: The book I’m reading right now is for research, but I recently read Laura Frantz’s “A Bound Heart.” AWESOME novel!!

PM: Have you always known you had the writing bug (and ability)?

EMC: I’ve enjoyed writing since I was very young but I didn’t realize I had the ability until I was much older. I’ve always struggled with feeling I could be good enough.

PM: Don’t we all struggle with that at some point in our lives? At least I know I certainly do! I see you are a writer of a difficult time period in history – the American Revolution. I imagine that involves a great deal of research, what has been the most interesting thing you discovered that wasn’t in all our history books?

EMC: I never cease to be amazed at how much is missing from our history books. Right now, the series I’m writing about involves attacks on three Connecticut towns in 1779. Before I found this online, I had no idea it had occurred.
Probably the most surprising historical discovery was learning about events that occurred right in my hometown of Arlington, MA. The battles that took place in Concord and Lexington paled in comparison to the drama that unfolded at the Jason Russell House on the same day. I wrote about it in my novel, “Fields of the Fatherless.”

PM: What was your most beloved book to read as a child?

EMC: I fell in love with “Jane Eyre” when I was a pre-teen. Although my life was nothing like hers, the struggles and emotions Jane experienced somehow resonated with me. To this day, window seats to read in and escape from the world, always bring this novel to my mind.

PM: Oh, I adore window seats! Yes, curled up with a novel, best place to be! I see you grew up in Massachusetts, one of my favorite places to visit having grown up in New Jersey. If you were to have an out of town visitor, where would be the one place you insisted they visit?

EMC: I think the wonder and spirit of the Revolutionary War is best felt at the Old North Bridge in Concord, MA. Besides the monument that depicts the Minute Men who were simple farmers, there is a gravesite for the two British soldiers who were killed there on the first day of the war, April 19, 1775. The best time to visit is early in the morning before the crowds arrive. In the stillness of dawn, one can feel the solemnity of the events that occurred there. It is a sobering time of reflection to realize the sacrifices that were made in that place and then continued for eight more years.

PM: I have actually been there, Elaine, and you described it perfectly. Do you have any family pets that currently own you?

EMC: My husband Steve and I are at the beck and call of our 9-pound Chihuahua/ terrier mix, Mocha. She definitely has “small dog syndrome” and believes she is in charge of the world. Or at least our neighborhood. 😉

PM: How sweet! I bet she is spoiled too, lol! If you could have dinner with anyone from history, who would it be, and why?

EMC: I think it would be with my ancestor, Daniel Prince, who arrived in America as a British soldier to fight against the colonists. He escaped from a line of war prisoners after the Battle of Saratoga, then somehow met and married my 4th great grandmother in western Massachusetts. I would have SO many questions to ask him!

PM: That sounds posatively fascinating! I bet he would have some amazing stories to tell! How can readers keep up with you and your new releases?

EMC: My readers can contact me through my Facebook author page: https://www.Facebook.com/ElaineMarieCooperAuthor or at my website/blog: www.elainemariecooper.com

PM: Finally, coffee or tea? Cream, sugar?

EMC: If I had to CHOOSE, I would choose Twinings English Breakfast tea, black. But I also love coffee with a smidge of sugar, and 2% milk.
Thank you for having me on your blog, Paula! I am honored to be your guest!

About Elaine

Elaine Marie Cooper has two new historical fiction books that just released: War’s Respite (Prequel novella) and Love’s Kindling. Love’s Kindling is available in both e-book and paperback. They are the first two books in the Dawn of America Series set in Revolutionary War Connecticut. Cooper is the award-winning author of Fields of the Fatherless and Bethany’s Calendar. Her 2016 release (Saratoga Letters) was finalist in Historical Romance in both the Selah Awards and Next Generation Indie Book Awards. She penned the three-book Deer Run Saga and has been published in numerous magazines and anthologies. You can visit her website/ blog at www.elainemariecooper.com

Review & Giveaway of Season of Amor by Alexa Verde! PLUS a chance to win an Amazon GIft card!

March 7, 2019 in my point of view

Stranded in a small town, she might find love-or lose her life…
After Dr. Sylvia Barron is dumped by her boyfriend on the way to their vacation without her purse or ID, she lands in a puddle of beer and sprains her ankle. Desperate, she accepts help from a handsome passerby, nurse Ray Macalister. Blaming herself for her only sibling’s tragic death, she dedicated all her time to fulfilling his dream and became a successful surgeon. As her attraction to Ray grows, she wants to finally open her aching heart to amor. But when deadly threats start, will she have to walk away to avoid putting his life in danger?
Since his fiancée traded him for fame in a big city, Ray Macalister is done with career women. Growing up without a father, all he’s ever wanted is to be a good dad someday. He doesn’t hesitate to help a woman he considers a homeless drunk. Soon he realizes his error, but he’s drawn to the attractive doctor with a painful past. When someone is clearly after her, he wants to protect her, even when she runs away from him. But how can he protect his own heart, from both emotional pain and flying bullets?

my point of view:

Okay, yes, if you are all a frequent flyer of Fiction Full of Faith, this will come as no surprise to you – I adore Alexa Verde, there I said it, so we can just go on from here….LOL Seriously though, it takes a lot for me to enjoy a book so much that I want to not only review it on my blog, but promote it to everyone I possibly can!

That being said, Season of Amor is just THAT good! Not only is this a wonderful, spiritual romance, but it has that element of suspense and mystery that Alexa Verde is so amazing at writing! If you have already been blessed to read Season of Love and Season of Romance, then you know all about the Macalister family. Now we really get to know Ray, the lone brother of the bunch. Mind you, this book entirely stands on it’s own!

Ray is such a sweetheart, he just can’t help but take in “strays’ as his sisters rib him about all the time, lol! But Dr. Sylvia is not your ordinary stray, as Ray is quick to find out! Sylvia is a great character and easy for me to relate to, as I know how it is to grow up trying to please others all the time. It’s only when we can stop listening to the outside world and trust in God alone that we can become all that He has planned for us.

The journey of Ray and Sylvia is amazing, and I think you will all enjoy the ride! This story truly had me losing sleep, as the suspense part of it had my heart rate increasing and I just had to keep reading to find out who the culprit was! I promise you I was totally shocked! 

About the author:

Alexa Verde writes small-town Christian romances, heartfelt and heartwarming. She penned her first literary masterpiece, a rhymed poem, at the ripe age of eight, and since has had 200 short stories, articles, and poems published in the five languages that she speaks. She has bachelor’s degrees in English and Spanish, a master’s in Russian, and enjoys writing about characters with diverse cultures. She’s worn the hats of reporter, teacher, translator, model (even one day counts!), caretaker, and secretary, but thinks that the writer’s hat suits her the best. After traveling the world and living in both hemispheres, she calls a small town in south Texas home. The latter is an inspiration for the fictional setting of her popular series Rios Azules Christmas and Secrets of Rios Azules. For giveaways, news, and recipes, please sign up for her newsletter at www.alexaverde.com. Twitter: @AlexaVerde3. Facebook: www.facebook.com/alexaverdeauthor. She loves hearing from her readers and hopes and prays that her books will bring joy to them.

Alexa is being so incredibly generous as to offer not just an ebook version of this book, but also a $10 Amazon gift card!! Please comment on this post and tell us what your favorite Season is to enter! This contest will run through 6pm EST 03/14/19 and winner will be notified via email!

HOW to write a book review!

March 4, 2019 in Tutorials on Reviewing Books


Last time I wrote about the why reviews are important, today I want to discuss the how of reviewing books! If you have not already seen that post, you can view it here:  http://fictionfulloffaith.com/why-should-you-write-a-book-review/                          

It received such great responses from everyone, that I asked if they would let me share some of their comments on this installment! Reviewing books does not need to be intimidating or scary in the least! I have talked to so many people who say they don’t do reviews because they are afraid of doing it “wrong”. 

This does not need to be the case! A book review can be quite simple, or very elaborate, but the main thing to remember when crafting a book review is to state what’s in your heart! As the reviewer, you shouldn’t really give a complete run-down of the entire book. You certainly wouldn’t want to spoil the ending or reveal any surprises! I am adding some wonderful tips I received from readers, reviewers and authors to this post…

From one author: “Book reviews are a huge help to authors. If I could give readers some advice, I’d tell them two things: 1. Don’t summarize the books in long paragraphs. Either sum it up in a couple of sentences or not at all. Just tell what you like/didn’t like about the book. 2: PLEASE do not give away key plot points. If you do that, a reader has no reason to read the book anymore.” 

Here are a few things to think about when getting ready to write a review. Briefly, what was the main genre of the story about? Love story, first time love, mature couple, marriage of convenience, second chance, friends to lovers, opposites attract, etc., etc. The list is long, my friends, lol!

Were you able to relate to one or more of the characters in the story? Did they remind you of someone you know, or love, or maybe yourself? Sometimes the secondary characters resonate with me even more the main ones, and that’s okay!

In your opinion, were the main characters believable? By this you want to think about their mannerisms, personalities, sense of humor – were they over the top in anything, or totally relatable to a real-life characteristic? Did the main characters do anything unusual or extraordinary in the story? Did the story take place somewhere you’d love to visit or have ever been to in person? What were the main characters struggles, issues or major events? Did any of these points hit home with you and your own life?

These are simply starting points to get you thinking about what you want to say, you in no way need to “answer” all of the above, they are only to help you line up your thoughts when getting ready to write a review!

Okay – now, what about the negative reviews you ask….I had a LOT of feedback regarding the pros and cons of the “negative” review. Personally, I will be honest, I have a hard time leaving a negative review, but I am going to share what some readers / authors shared with me:

From S****n: “A negative review can, in fact, help the author judge what readers like and don’t like, but I never base a negative review on whether I’m going to read someone’s book or not. We all have our own particular likes and dislikes in reading. If I can’t give an author a 3 star review, I don’t give any. I don’t see the point in being so negative when someone else may truly enjoy what they’ve read. You’ll find, along with the negative reviews on books, there’s always someone who really enjoyed the story. Just my opinion.”

From K****y: “As far as negative reviews, first I try to evaluate, if it was something that I, personally didn’t like because it just wasn’t my thing. That’s not to say it wouldn’t for someone else. So I either, don’t write a review at all or I just say for me it was not for me. Here recently, when I’m having trouble writing a review that I’m just not sure about or maybe misread, I send it to the author first to try to work it out together.”

From V****a: “The Negative Review. You make a lot of great points about how positive reviews help authors, but it seems like you’ve ignored negative reviews here. I’ve had a lot of readers tell me that negative reviews have helped them to avoid a book that may have looked like it was for them, but in reality really isn’t for them. While authors don’t like them much, I think a negative review is more for the reader than the author, though the author may get constructive criticism out of it too, and thus they have a place in the reviewing world, especially if you take care not to bash the author directly.”

From Author, Autumn: “I think when we put out books out there, authors need to be ready to accept whatever the reader’s honest opinion is, regardless if it’s 1* or 5*. As a reviewer, you have a responsibility to other readers to be honest, and I applaud you for that.

Negative reviews can be an ouch for an author, but a well-written and constructive negative review can be just as much a gift to the author as a glowing 5*.

And far more of a gift to other readers! When considering buying a book, I admit to checking any negative reviews first to decide whether the book is for me or not.

The “Didn’t enjoy the book,” reviews giving no reason why are frustrating! Though it’s way harder to craft a good negative review, a 1* or 2* that doesn’t give the reasons why helps no one.”

Just keep in mind a review does not need to be paragraph after paragraph and detailed to the point you are retelling the story, lol! It can be just a sentence or two even, anything that is a positive review counts! This is an honest to goodness review I left on a book:

“I so enjoyed this first book I ever read of XXXXX XXXXX! It was a very heart warming story, and by the time I was finished, I was down loading everything she has written!”

Just two sentences! I have also left longer reviews on other books, but honestly, the point of a book review is to get other readers to be interested in reading this book as well! I sincerely hope that this information will help those of you who have been avoiding writing reviews on books you have read. next month be on the look-out for my post on where to leave reviews!

Still think you need some extra help? Here is an AWESOME form to help you when writing a book review – Anyone can use this to help when you are writing a review!

Fiction Reader Book Review Form

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Review & Giveaway of Proven Love by Mary Manners!

February 28, 2019 in my point of view

HAVE THE YEARS TAUGHT THEM HOW TO FORGIVE…AND TO TRUST THEIR HEARTS?

Megann Reilly returns home to Wildwood, Tennessee to help nurse her estranged mother back to health. She’s grateful for her newfound job as an administrative assistant at Wildwood Community Church…until she runs into Colton Kendrick, the bad-boy-wannabe who broke her heart. Colt’s job as Youth Director at the church is a cavernous stretch from his high school days as the town’s privileged rich kid. The death of his sister has left him with a young niece to raise and an unruly puppy to tame. He’s not the self-centered person who once hurt Megann, and all he wants is a chance to prove to her the man he’s become—and to love her.

Is it true that time heals all wounds, or has Colt found Megann…only to lose her again?

my point of view:

This book hits home pretty hard, in so many ways….I have issues with forgiveness in so many ways, and trust, ah, I’m not even going to go there, lol! Where I will go is here – this book was so lovely, and so REAL, I mean it was not all sweet and happy – which there is nothing wrong with those, mind you! But now and then you want a story that you can say, yes, people like these characters are so real, it’s almost painful to read about them! Well, I like to read those kinds of stories sometimes, and maybe you do too! If so, this is the book for you!

I have read many of The Potter’s House series, and have yet to be disappointed. A lot of these books deal with hard hitting issues, and this one is no exception – there are several situations to navigate throughout Proven Love.  Abandonment issues, striving for perfect, infidelity – living a life without God as the center, and then there is the issue of substance abuse, not a direct issue for our hero or heroine – mostly in the past of a parent, but it still affects everyone in the present. Many people do not understand what it is like to be raised by an alcoholic and that how can affect every single relationship that person has in the future!

I mean learning to forgive and move on is hard enough, but how do you deal with hurt and betrayal from your own parents? Megann and Colt know they really can’t move forward in any healthy relationship when they have these kinds of issues to deal with….but must it be so difficult? Now, lets mix in the sweetest little girl, a girl who will simply steal your heart! She is the glue that brings all of these characters together and keeps everyone on the right path through Jesus, our Lord! Thank you , Mary Manners, for this amazing heart felt story of brokenness turned to forgiveness through God!

About Mary Manners

Mary Manners is a multi award-winning author of sweet romance. She currently lives along the foothills of the Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee with her husband Tim, rescue dog Axel, cats Colby and Rascal, six mischievous chickens, and thirteen fish.

Mary writes stories that tease the senses while warming the heart and soul. While growing up in Chicago, she journeyed through a variety of jobs including paper girl, figure skating instructor, pizza chef, and nanny before settling into teaching and finally, full-time writing. Many of these experiences add a touch of humor to her stories.

Mary loves long sunrise runs, lazy mountain sunsets, flavored coffee, and dark chocolate–lots and lots of chocolate.

Mary Manners has so graciously offered a free ebook to one commenter on this blog post! Please tell us what your favorite amusement park ride is? Hint – mine is not the rollercoaster, lol!! Contest is open for one week from today and winner will be notified via email.

Coffee with Narelle Atkins & a PRINT GIVEAWAY!

February 25, 2019 in coffee with paula marie

About Narelle Atkins

Thank you again for participating, Narelle, it means so much to me!

PM I love that you are Australian and keep your books set there – it’s like I get to go on a mini vacation when reading! Have you ever been pressured to write settings in other locations?

Narelle: I enjoy writing contemporary romance set in Australia, and I’m glad you love armchair traveling to my beautiful country. 

I was fortunate to pick up a traditional publishing contract in 2013 with Harlequin (Heartsong Presents) for my Aussie books. I’m planning to bring those books back into print in late 2019 and early 2020. 

I think the pressure to write American characters in a US setting still exists, but it’s subtle and primarily an issue for authors seeking a traditional publishing contract. Traditional US Christian publishers tend to be wary of foreign settings, especially for contemporary fiction, because the book sales have historically been lower for non-US setting books. 

Indie publishing is wonderful because I have the freedom to choose my book settings. The flip side is that choosing a non-US setting may reduce my book earnings. 

PM: What is one thing about you that your readers would be shocked to know?

Narelle: I’m an Aussie who doesn’t like eating Vegemite! 

PM: If you couldn’t be a writer, what career path do you think you’d choose to be on?

Narelle: I have a part-time day job that’s a close match to my ideal non-writing career. I like helping people, and I have opportunities to do that in both my day job and the writing world. I’m fortunate to have the best of both worlds. 

PM: What is your favorite thing to do in Sydney Australia – something you would tell any visitor they MUST do while there?

Narelle: That’s a hard question to answer! My agent, Steve Laube, is coming to Sydney, Australia in October for our national Christian writing conference (Omega Writers Conference), and your question is on my mind. 

A ferry ride from the city to Manly and a walk along the Manly ocean beach promenade to Shelly Beach is one of my favorite things to do in Sydney. 

PM: Have you always known you had the writing bug (and ability)? 

Narelle: I’ve always loved to read, and when I was younger I thought it would be fun to write a book. It wasn’t until after I married that the writing bug took hold and the characters in my head demanded I write their stories. 

I have an Economics Degree and I could hold my own with technical writing. Fiction writing is a specialised skill. I spent many years learning how to write romance fiction before my debut book was published. I’m still learning and growing as a writer. 

PM: What’s your favorite color? Any reason why?

Narelle: Interestingly, I go through phases where I prefer different colours. At the moment I like green the best. 

PM: I loved your contribution to A Tuscan Legacy, any more plans for collaborating on other group projects?

Narelle: I’m glad you loved Sienna and Dave’s romance in Solo Tu. It’s on my 2019 list to write a novelette length story set at their wedding in Tuscany. 

I love collaborating on group projects, but at this stage I don’t have any plans. My focus in 2019 is to finish the book I’m currently writing for my agent to shop around (contemporary Christian romance set in the US with an Aussie connection) plus put my six Heartsong books back in print. But I never say never, and the right group project may come along at the right time. 

PM: What is your favorite go to snack, midnight or any time?

Narelle: Definitely fresh fruit, depending on what’s is season. Strawberries, mangoes, cherries, nectarines, pineapple and apples are my favorites.

PM: How can readers keep up with you and your new releases?

My website https://www.narelleatkins.com and my newsletter. I tend to only send out a newsletter when I have a book releasing or something special is happening. 

PM: Finally, coffee or tea? Cream, sugar?

Both because I’m an Aussie, lol. I love hot black tea with milk, no sugar. Or, coffee with milk, no sugar. I like lattes. 

Paula, thank you for inviting me to visit with you at Fiction Full of Faith. It was lovely to chat over coffee. 

Narelle is being so generous as to offer one commenter on the post a free PRINT copy of Solo Tu! Winner must be located in the USA for print copy, so please comment on this post and tell us what YOUR favorite color is to enter! Contest will be open for one week from today, Winner will be selected by random draw and notified via email.

Review & Giveaway of Her Good Girl by Elaine Stock

February 21, 2019 in my point of view


Sometimes digging deep frees you to bloom.

Sadie Tremont’s will to survive is killing her. Almost 18, she’s battled one mysterious illness after another. Tara-Lynn, her mom, insists she’s the only one with the ultimate cure. Sadie can’t depend on her dad to help when his only interest is underground caving. Her grandmother too easily counts on God to help, but Sadie has stopped waiting for miracles. Callie, a café owner and new friend, might help but can she be trusted?

Then there’s Sky, Sadie’s new boyfriend who offers a sliver of joy, peace, and self-respect. When he schemes that the only way for Sadie to be happy is to escape with him from her native West Virginia hills by killing Tara-Lynn, she’s trapped.

She can’t partner with Sky to hurt the mom who has hurt her for years . . . or can she?

When tragedy strikes and threatens Sadie’s dad’s life and the shaky ground the Tremont family stands on, will they pull together or give in to the weakened earth beneath their feet?

my point of view:

I was so taken with the ‘blurb’ of this story that I knew it was something I just had to read! What I did not anticipate is how deeply it would affect me emotionally. Sadie and her relationships got to me in a big way. The memories it evoked in me of growing up with my own grandmother touched me so much. Seeing Sadie as an almost 18 year old trying to navigate what the big wide world has in store for her was so beautifully written I wanted to cry with her every step of the way.

This story is not a romance, but more about a girl coming of age and her complicated relationships…with her parents, grandmother, boys and God. Elaine takes the mother / daughter relationship to a whole new level, one of which I could say, while not familiar with this specific issue, I can most definitely relate to. I loved how the relationship between the father and daughter was written as well, don’t all of little girls want to be daddy’s girl? The most important journey of all is the one to (with) God…and Sadie gets the help of her grandmother and a new friend to help her along this path. Callie is an absolute angel in the storm, God’s timing and placing her just where and when the Tremont family needs her!

This book was my first read of Elaine Stock, but it won’t be my last! It is extremely well written, and I kept finding myself caught so deeply into the relationships that I was surprised to realize the story time line was as short as it turned out to be. Elaine has a great way of writing about Sadie’s past without making you feel as if you are ‘jumping’ around in story world. I hope I am saying that right, lol, as I usually have a difficult time with “flash backs” in novels, and get rather frustrated by them, but that was NOT the case here, at all! They delving into the character’s past was not only seamless, but just perfectly placed within the story. All in all an extremely we written story about families and God and the love we all share.

 

 

About Elaine Stock

Elaine Stock is dedicated to uplifting and encouraging all readers through the power of story to see hope during both the bright and dark times of life. She is the author of several award winning novels, notably Her Good Girl, which was graced with the Outstanding Christian/Religious Fiction in the 2018 IAN Book of the Year Awards, 2018 Readers’ Favorite Silver Medal in Christian Fiction and the 2018 American Fiction Awards in the Christian Inspirational category.

Elaine is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Romance Writers of America, and Women’s Fiction Writers Association. For fun and occasional eyebrow lifts of amazement, she hangs out on Twitter and Facebook, and of course, Goodreads.

Born in Brooklyn, NY, Elaine has now been living in upstate, rural New York with her husband for more years than her stint as a NYC gal. She enjoys long walks down country roads, visiting New England towns, and of course, a good book.

Elaine Stock is being so kind as to offer one of our wonderful readers a free e-book version of Her Good Girl! Simply comment on this post and tell us what your favorite past time is (besides reading, lol!)! Contest will be open for one week from today and winner will be notified via email!