Interview with Carla Olson Gade

Today I have the awesome privilege of welcoming Carla Olson Gade to my blog.  Welcome Carla.


Tell us about a typical day in your house.

There’s nothing typical in my house! I live in Maine with my husband who’s off to work by 6:30 am. Our two sons are young adults, so I have lots of time to spend on my writing and writing activities. I’m a night owl, so I’m often up late doing research and working on my novels.  Though I don’t watch much TV, on Monday nights you’ll find me watching Castle. :-)

Lots of time to write sounds heavenly. When did you first begin writing?

I’ve been writing since I was a child and still have a story I penned in sixth grade.  Over twenty years ago I had aspirations of getting published. At that time I wrote articles, devotionals, and stories for my children. For the past 12 or so years I’ve been writing inspirational historical fiction “stories” and began my pursuit to learn the craft of writing for publication and preparing to be an author.

What is the coolest, wackiest, or riskiest thing you’ve ever done?

I think I’d have to say the 2 week road trip I took with my mother last summer. We went drove half way across the country to a family wedding and decided to make it a grand adventure to celebrate our forthcoming “big” birthdays. She was turning 70 and I was turning 50. It was an amazing time traveling from Maine to Ohio and back again. I did a lot of research, especially during our stay at Colonial Williamsburg.

How exciting to be able to take a trip like that with your mother. I love Williamsburg. I've been there many times. Tell us about your latest book.

The Shadow Catcher’s Daughter is my debut novel, released through Harlequin’s Heartsong Presents line. It’s set in Colorado & New Mexico in 1875. Eliana Van Horn aims to make her mark by joining her father as his photography assistant on an expedition to survey and document the placement of a marker at the intersection of four southwest boundaries. Living in the shadows of his native heritage, a half-Navajo guide, Yiska Wilcox, is thrown off course when The Shadow Catcher’s Daughter opens up the uncharted territory of his heart. As they travel through dangerous terrain in New Mexico and overcome barriers of culture, faith, ideals, and secrets that they both keep, they at last discover common ground and stake a chance on love.

Sounds wonderful. What inspired you to write this story?

The concept was presented to me for the historical series Love in Four Corners by Darlene Franklin.  She invited me and Susan Page Davis for this series, each of us setting our novel in a different time period relating to the Four Corners Monument at the intersection of Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona. The Shadow Catcher’s Daughter is first in the series as it takes place during one of the earliest surveys. When I did my research, I became fascinated with the idea of my characters joining a survey expedition, fictitiously of course, though the survey is an historical event.  I appointed Yiska as the guide and Eliana as a photography assistant. By the way, shadow catcher is what Native Americans called photographers, thus the title!

Do you have any other books coming up?

My next book is my novella Carving a Future in Colonial Courtships (Barbour) coming out in October.  It’s set in 18th century New England along the Connecticut River where a ship’s figurehead carver rescues an indentured servant from her imminent demise. She works at his family’s inn and he will carve her likeness into a figurehead. Very romantic stuff in a time period I adore.  In fact, I’m currently writing a novel set in colonial Boston for Abingdon’s Quilts of Love series called Pattern for Romance which will release in June 2013.

Wow. It's a good thing you have all that time to write. You're a busy lady. How can we find you on the internet?

You can find me at Writing to Distraction – http://writingtodistraction.blogspot.com where you can also find my links to Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Thank you for having me, Ginger!  Thanks for coming, Carla.

Okay, readers, Carla has graciously offered to give away a copy of The Shadow Catcher's Daughter to one lucky person who leaves a comment, but we must have 10 comments. Feel free to tell your friends and post on Facebook, or elsewhere. 

Be sure to leave your e-mail (your address[at]provider[dot]com) so I can notify you if you win. 

Blessings, 

Ginger

Pictures

What's the saying? A picture is worth a thousand words. Well today, you're going to get several thousand words, but I'm going to "say" very little. My brain remains on overload (see last weeks post for O), so I can't think of anything Poetic, Purposeful, or even Plain to write about today. So you get Pictures. Most of these are from the last week.  Enjoy.

White Rose

Yellow Rose

Pomegranate flower

Buttercups

Red Rose

Small hedge rose

I don't know.  :) They are the flowers on our hedges.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you've enjoyed my short menagerie of pictures. Have a great day in the Lord.

Blessings,

Ginger

Review: "A Journey's Edge" by Dora Hiers

From the first scene to the last, Ms. Hiers has you on the edge of your seat. This romantic suspense novel is full of romance and suspense. You take a "journey" with McKinley Frasier as a former client wants her to fail at turning in the audit she's just done. She has no choice, but to turn to Renner, former fiance and police officer turned US Marshall. Their journey takes them to the edge (hahaha) of danger, and reaffirms their feelings for one another (no spoiler, 'cuz you have to read to find out what those feelings are).

Journey's Edge is the second book in the series, but is great as a stand-alone. I look forward to reading Journey's End and any new books Ms. Hiers releases in the future.

To find out more about Renner Crossman, check out Friday's blog.

Blurb:

A Routine Audit? Hardly. 

Red flags—including some goon who's following her—raise McKinley Frasier's suspicions that numbers don't add up at the insurance firm. When someone tries to snatch McKinley's daughter from school, she turns to police officer and ex-fiance, Renner Crossman—the cop who walked out on her a month before their wedding. But Renner's not the same guy who broke her heart ten years ago. He calls himself a "new man." She trusts the new Renner with her daughter's safety...but what about her heart?

Read an excerpt at Dora's site. Or you can find out more about Dora HERE.

Click the above titles to purchase either of Ms. Hiers books and support this blog.

Blessings,
Ginger

Interview with Renner Crossman...

Who's Renner Crossman?

He's the hunky guy in Dora Hiers's novel, Journey's Edge. 


Meet Renner Crossman

Hey. Renner Crossman here. The new and improved version, not the old Renner, the jerk who seduced women, then dumped them. Walls painted white by God’s grace, I’m determined to set things right with people I’ve wronged in my life. Beginning with Kinny.

Beautiful, wholesome, pristine Kinny. Like springtime opening her arms wide after a long, harsh winter; new blossoms popping out to embrace the sun. Unspoiled, if you catch my drift, until a month before our wedding date.

So, I called Kinny a few days ago to apologize, right? Got her voice mail and left her a message asking to meet in person. I could have called that number a hundred times just to hear that sweet voice. Yeah, I’m so not over her.

But, I did the right thing breaking up with her, even if it was lousy timing. She blamed me for the deaths of her mother and brother. Well, not me, but the badge in general.

Ten years later, I’m still a cop, just a different kind: a Deputy U.S. Marshal. That won’t matter to Kinny, though. I still carry a gun and a badge. So, it’s probably best that she blew me off and didn’t show up tonight. With an early morning appointment for a job transfer to Charlotte and plans to hunt down a house near my friends, my plate’s mighty full.

When Kinny stumbles into my room after midnight, a thug hot on her heels, what choice do I have but to protect her? Will she still see me as the “old” Renner? Or can I model the “new man” in Christ? 

 You can find out more about Dora at her website: http://dorahiers.com/home.html

 Come back on Monday when I review Journey's Edge.

Blessings,

Ginger

A2Z-take 2 "O"

My word for the day is Overwhelmed...

But that's just how I'm feeling this morning. Later today I will be fine. I haven't been posting regularly for several weeks, except for this Meme. There is just too much Other stuff going on.

• I'm taking a writing class - time consuming as I actually have to THINK.  LOL
• I have a full-time job - well, it's not out of my house and I don't get paid for it, but it has its own rewards - homeschooling six of my seven children, though one is only part-time
• I've joined a small-group of Other like-minded writers and we're sharing our work.
• Every evening, M-Thursday I'm Out of my house for various activities.
• I'm in mid-editing stage on a book, and it's frustrating me because I want it to be wonderful, but I also want it to be done.
• I'm trying to plan to go to the ACFW Conference in September. I have to register, but before I can do that I have to decide who I want to see and sometimes it's hard to make that decision. I also have to find the best airline rates I can because driving to Dallas from N. Alabama is not doable (well, I could, but I would be exhausted by the time I got back).
• It's Spring and I want to be outside.
• It's Spring and I want to be OUTSIDE - well, not today because it's raining, but you know what I mean.
• Oh, I also have a stack of books I promised to read and more coming, I think.
• I can't forget all the other things a mom/wife is expected to perform - laundry, dinner, blah...blah...blah.

Okay, so there's my whine for the day. When I look at it up close and personal like this, I know I can do it, just ONE step at a time.

Please forgive me and know that I am thankful that 1) I have a family to spend my time on and with, 2) that I have the ability to write a good story (if I do say so myself) and complete it, 3) that I have a blog where I can post my whines and winnings, 4) God loves me even when I Overwhelm myself, and 5) that you've bothered to read all the way through this post. :)

May God rain showers of blessings upon you today,

Ginger

A2Z-take 2 "N"

NEXT

Many of us celebrated Easter/Resurrection Sunday this past week. 

I wonder what the disciples did Next. We can suppose they mourned. Some went back to their homes and jobs. Mary Magdalene saw the angels at the tomb, and even Jesus, but did the disciples really believe her? All they really knew for sure in the few days after the crucifixion and resurrection was that he was gone.

What would you have done Next? 

We know the "rest of the story." We know He really did resurrect from the dead. He appeared to them for many days, encouraging and uplifting them, giving them final instructions. Then He was gone, again. I'm sure they were confused, but they obeyed and stayed and waited for His promise of a comforter to be fulfilled.

In most towns today, there is a "church" on every corner (or every other, if you live in the country). Sad to say, many of them no longer reverence God and His Word, but are social/religious institutions for the uplifting of man. People don't go to church to worship God, but to "make contacts," or "to be seen."

I've heard it said by a number of people that just because you stand in a garage doesn't make you a car. Neither does going to church make you a Christian, though many claim the moniker.

What is a Christian? Dictionary.com has this definition: a person who believes in Jesus Christ;  adherent of Christianity. a person who exemplifies in his or her life to the teachings of Christ (highlight mine)

What did Christ teach? He taught a lot, but most of it centered around loving God with all your heart, soul, mind, and body AND loving your neighbor as yourself.  Many of us, myself included at times, have issues with this because we don't love ourselves, but that's a post for another day.

The Comforter is ready and waiting to show you the love of God. He loved you so much He sent His ONLY son to die for you. Then He sent His Holy Spirit to live with you, guide you, comfort you. If you know Him(and I mean really KNOW Him, not just know OF Him), awesome--now, LIVE for Him. If you don't know Him, He's waiting for YOU. 

The question is: What will YOU do next?

Good Friday

There are not words to thoroughly express my gratitude.

Because of what Jesus did...I am free.

By His grace...

A2Z-take 2 "M"

The Masquerade Ball (a really long short story)

Marianna fought constantly with Mitchell, her twin brother, but she knew that if she needed him, he would be there. Tonight she needed him, but he was nowhere to be found, not that she could tell one masked face from another. He hadn't allowed her to see his costume before leaving home, so she had no idea how he was dressed.

Tears streamed down her face. Why couldn't life be simple? All she'd wanted to do when she came to the party was have a little fun with no one knowing that she was the person behind the mask. They wouldn't have accepted her, if they'd known. She knew that. It hurt, but...

Where was he? She needed to leave, NOW. Her gaze roamed the room, trying to find any sign of her brother-a glance of his jet black hair, a slight limp from stepping on their younger brother's legos, anything. Nothing.

Marianna glanced around once more then made her way to the door. She couldn't stay here, but she couldn't leave either. Outside, she sat in a chair hidden in the corner of the porch. She sniffled. Without the aid of tissues, she wiped her nose with her sleeve. It didn't matter anyway, she'd never again wear the costume her mother had painstakingly created for her.

Without her permission, her thoughts scurried back to what caused her search for Mitchell in the first place.

"Do you think she's here?" A female voice that sounded vaguely familiar asked the group that surrounded her.

"Nah, she wouldn't dare leave her house," a male voice answered.

"I saw Mitchell. He was looking mighty fine in his costume," a different girl interjected.

"He's so different when she's not around. Cool, ya know. I'm not sure why he puts up with her anyway. Who cares if she's his sister. Those scars would scare me away no matter who she was." Another male voice, different from the first.

Marianna had gasped. Thankfully the noise from the party drowned out the sound. Her seat behind the potted plants hid her from their view.

"Let's just go have fun and forget about scarface. She wouldn't dare show up and try to ruin our fun even if my mom did make me invite her." The first girl voice again. 

New tears formed as she huddled in the dark waiting, hoping Mitchell would look for her soon. The scars weren't her fault. She couldn't do anything about them. If she could, she would have. Didn't they know that? Why couldn't they see past what the fire had done to her? Why couldn't they see who she really was on the inside?

Maybe she could just walk home. It was only a mile or so. She looked down the street lined with lights for a couple of blocks, but then blackness enveloped the road. Her mom would faint dead away if she showed up without Mitchell.

She rocked back and forth in the chair making her mind go somewhere else, anywhere else. A hand touched her shoulder and she stifled a scream. An unknown boy in a costume stood above her.

"What's the matter Cinderella? Don't like the party?" Another voice she had heard before, but not one of the group from before.

She shook her head. 

"Can I sit with you for a while?"

She shrugged. It wasn't her brother. No one else cared enough to sit with the real her, but Cinderella was beautiful.

"Why are you crying?" His voice sent shivers down her spine. No one, in all her seventeen years, had been able to speak comfort to her soul so quickly. She wanted to answer, but then he would know.

"I'm not wanted here," she whispered, hoping that it wouldn't give her away.

The door opened again.The tell-tale black hair emerged, and relief whooshed through her. She sat still, frozen to her chair. If she moved, the guy beside her would know who she was, but if she didn't Mitchell wouldn't see her and take her home.

"Excuse me," she mumbled and walked slowly to where her brother stood looking around. 

"Can you take me home?" She spoke low enough that only he could hear her.

He looked at her closely. His fists clenched. "Why are you crying?"

"It doesn't matter, just take me home. I shouldn't have come. I told you, but you thought it would be okay. I trusted you, but you were wrong. I'm not wanted here and I just want to leave."

He looked over her shoulder to the guy who stood by where she was sitting. "Addison, what did you do?"

"Nothing, Mitchell, I promise. I just asked why she was crying. I don't even know who she is."

Mitchell growled and she placed her hand on his arm. "Take me home."

"No. There's a contest in a few minutes and I want to win it."

She turned away, fresh tears streaming down her scarred face. Walking back to the chair in the corner, she sat and rocked, closing her eyes tight to blot out everything around her. She'd been wrong. Mitchell couldn't be counted on when she needed him. He was just like everyone else in her world-unreliable.

A click confirmed that Mitchell had returned inside. She stood and started walking toward home. A short way down the street, a hand on her arm stopped her.

"Let me take you home." 

The streetlights illuminated Addison's blue eyes. Kindness radiated from them, but she shook her head anyway. "No. I know you don't want to because I'm sure by now you know who I am. It's okay. I'll just walk. No one will mess with 'scarface'." She cringed at the moniker, even though it came from her own lips.

"I do want to. Please. It will make me feel better to know you made it home safely."

She removed her concealing mask, expecting him to turn away just like everyone else-even her father, but he didn't. He reached up and ran a thumb over the scars on her cheek. They were ugly, but they weren't the worst. The worst were inside where no one could see. The pain of rejection from her father, from her best friend, even from strangers.

"I don't care about your scars, Marianna. They don't define who you are. They are only on the surface. It's what's in your heart that makes me care. I've watched you watching us through your window when I come over to play basketball with Mitchell. I heard you gasp when I broke my leg doing that stupid trick on the bike. I know you made the dinner your mom brought over. It's your heart that makes me want to be your friend."

Marianna shivered and sighed. New tears formed. Could he really want to be her friend? "Will you take me home, Addison?"

He smiled and offered her his arm. She accepted it and let him lead her toward friendship. 

Review: "The Healer and the Pirate" by Julie Bihn & Maggie Phillippi

A contemporary fairy tale suitable for all ages. I loved it, as did my 13 yo daughter. Well-written and full of wonderful words of godly wisdom, I would highly recommend this book for anyone who likes to read romance, especially fairy-tale romance.

We all know the end-the guy and the girl get together. It happens that way in most romances (yes, I've read a few where they don't - and I've hated them), but the intriguing part about any book is finding what it takes to get them there. I didn't want to put this story down, but when I had to, I was just itching to get back to it.

Blurb:

She was an exotic healer hiding from the dangers lurking in her past...
Nessa Pearson wanted nothing more than to disappear into the everyday life of her quiet mountainside village. When a friend's urgent letter arrives, Nessa faces her fears and flies off to heal a sick child. But just when Nessa thinks she can lay her worries to rest, her safety vanishes in a cloud of smoke.
He was a pirate on a mission...
With his father at death's door, Aridin Nightstar would do anything to save him--even use a magic lamp to kidnap a beautiful healer. With a few delays, he spirits Nessa back to his ship, just like he'd planned. What he hadn't counted on was the white-skinned, blue-haired captive stealing his heart.
Can Nessa and Aridin overcome bandits, a bloodthirsty crew and Aridin's greedy mother to follow the Savior's plan?

If you are interested in purchasing this book, click here. Thanks and happy reading.