The Anonymous Bride by Vickie McDonough

This week, the



Christian Fiction Blog Alliance



is introducing



The Anonymous BrideBarbour Publishing, Inc. (April 1, 2010)



byVickie McDonough



Angie's Take: I have to tell you I was smiling from the first few pages. Vickie has a way of painting a humorous picture on the screen in your mind and just keeping it going. Adorable characters like Jacqueline put a lot of adventure into the story immediately. Some great twists on people who aren't who they appear take the story off into a few interesting areas too. It's hard enough to lose the one you love. But have him come back, and then compete against mail order brides! Rachel sure has a challenge set out before her.

I have one tidbit that's an insider piece for you. Vickie and I attended a special writing retreat together last September at Margie Lawson's house. Vickie was working on enriching her book and I have to tell you she mastered it! Totally enjoying Vickie's writing and the antics of Jacquelyn trying to bring Rachel and Luke back together.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Award-winning author Vickie McDonough believes God is the ultimate designer of romance. She loves writing stories where the characters find their true love and grow in their faith.

Vickie has had 18 books published. She is an active member of American Christian Fiction Writers, and is currently serving as ACFW treasurer. Vickie has also been a book reviewer for nine years.

She is a wife of thirty-five years, mother of four sons, and grandmother to a feisty four-year-old girl. When not writing, she enjoys reading, watching movies, and traveling.


ABOUT THE BOOK: The Anonymous Bride

How many brides does one man need?

It's been years, but Luke Davis is back--older and wiser--and still alone. Returning as Lookout's new town marshal, Luke is determined to face the past and move on. He flippantly tells his cousin he'd get married if the right woman ever came along. But then he discovers that the woman who betrayed him is now a widow, and all his plans fall at his feet.

Rachel has carried her guilty shame for eleven years. Her marriage to James Hamilton was not what Luke or the town thought it to be. Now James is dead, and her long-time love for Luke is reignited with his return to town. So when three mail-order brides appear, she panics.

Could they possible find love a second time?

Rachel begs his forgiveness, but Luke finds he has none to give.

And then the brides arrive. Three of them--ordered for Luke through newspaper ads by his incorrigible cousins. The only place in town for them to stay is Rachel's boardinghouse. And none of the ladies is willing to let Luke go. When choosing a bride becomes a contest, the chaos that ensues is almost funny.

When the mayor forces Luke to pick a bride or lose his job, will Luke listen to his heart that still longs for Rachel or choose one of the mail-order brides?

Will Rachel find the courage to tell Luke that she loves him? Or take an anonymous part in the contest for his hand?



If you would like to read the first chapter of The Anonymous Bride, go HERE.

Spanky's Pending Training-a miniature horse's grand goals

Meet Spanky and his bigger buddy, Chief. These are our horses last week in a blizzard. (I know, it's April!) Spanky has a cute, mischievous personality. He's totally curious about everything including bonfires. He can't resist getting as close as possible and tends to end up with a singed sniffer. But he likes being there for the s'mores!

These are fun times. Spanky is going to be learning the Delta Society program with me sometime this year. Then he'll be trained to go visit people in the hospital, nursing homes, and children who need a smile.

Spanky is three years old and a class B miniature horse. That means he's 36 inches tall. He weighs about 220 pounds according to our special measuring tape. He can pull up to five times his weight in a cart. I'm hoping to get a cart soon too, but he has to work with pulling a tire around comfortably first and build his confidence.

One thing we have to be careful of with this guy? He wriggles under the fence in the barn stall. No kidding, he lays down and wriggles under the fence! He watched our grandson, Jude, duck under the rails a few times and decided to follow. So we've had to build up a deterrent. I didn't believe it at first, but sure enough, there's a big wiggle spot in the dirt floor! Smart and mischievous.

If you could train a miniature horse, what would you want him to do?
Do you think animals help in the healing process?
Did you know that miniature horses under 24 inches act as helping/companion animals for people who are disabled?

Angie

What's In Your Spiritual Pantry?

Please welcome my guest today, Chloe JonPaul. She shares an excerpt from her book and some tools she personally uses to fill the needs of moving forward into an older age as a woman, An Age of Elegance.
Take it away, Chloe...

What's in Your Spiritual Pantry? 


* Books: There are many excellent books on the market that fall under the category of spiritual reading. They can't all be listed here but I'll mention a few that I have found to be exceptionally worthwhile in my journey toward the Age of Elegance.
When All You've Ever Wanted Isn't Enough by Harold Kushner
A Purpose-Driven Life by Rick Warren
Everyday Tao by Deng Ming Dao
Chicken Soup for the Soul by Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen
The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success by Deepak Chopra
The Alchemist by Paolo Coelho


* Journaling: Keeping a daily journal (even if you only write a couple of lines) is an excellent way to track your spiritual journey because it is here that you can articulate your deepest thoughts.

* Silent Retreat: Whether you go to a retreat center, monastery, or spend the day at home, you can have a day that is totally engulfed with tranquility. If you elect to do this at home, turn off the computer, telephone, radio, and TV. Immerse yourself in the stillness and watch what happens with the changes in your body's rhythm and activity of your mind.

* Beliefnet.com: This web site has something for everyone. The link Faiths and Practices provides information on every religion. Other links include holistic spirituality, guided meditations, healing prayers plus much more. You can even take a personality quiz by clicking on to Belief-O-Matic to identify your religious and spiritual beliefs.

So there you have it! As you enter the Age of Elegance, you can move forward with confidence to nurture your spiritual self. The Woman of Elegance seeks balance and harmony in her life.

Excerpt from Entering the Age of Elegance: A Rite of Passage Practical Guide for the Modern Maturing Woman by Chloe JonPaul

Hello, Angie again ~
Here is an invitation I hope you won’t refuse! Chloe JonPaul has invited me to “launch” and has extended the invitation to my friends as well.

Chloe is launching her Best Seller campaign, which will run between April 27th and May 3rd on Amazon. Great bonuses and a special prize are available to everyone who attends. Her goal is to have as many book orders as possible on April 27th.

Please mark your calendar for April 27th and visit Chloe’s web site:
www.EnteringtheAgeofElegance.com for further details.

“Entering the Age of Elegance: A Rite of Passage & Practical Guide for the Modern Maturing Woman” is a must-read for every midlife and Boomer woman. If you’re looking for an exceptional yet inexpensive gift for such women you know, now would be the perfect time to purchase it. 

When Things Go Wrong They Are Often The Most Right

Some days glow when you wake up. They feel warm, wonderful, and welcoming. Others, well, they are what they are--at the start. The question is how will day end?

Over the weekend, I had the most wonderful opportunity to speak at the Naked Truth conference. It was geared to Christian singles. Little things went wrong like little foxes released in the field. They created a lot of havoc.

The worries I had were over a new presentation in a different style on power point. Very little sleep, unfamiliar setting without a simple internet connection, not knowing how to get the technical tools working, and of course a few forgotten little items made me start to stress.

But I had a fabulous experience. No matter what seemed to go wrong, warm and friendly people jumped in to help. By the end of the day, after hearing the hearts that shared with me, I was more blessed than any one present. The stories I heard after sharing mine were not only encouraging, but also a bonding. I couldn't help smiling, hugging, and feeling like my treasure chest was full of the gems other people had filled it with all through the day.

All those little things people did to step in for small needs added up to great blessings even though they started as little stresses. All those little helps prove that no one succeeds on their own and no one achieves the heights of their dreams all by themselves.

I may have woken rushed and exhausted, but my day ended with the glow.

In what way has your needs, your mishaps turned around to lift you up?
What people have helped you achieve goals and dreams?
How do you show your gratitude to those that have walked the road with you and helped to carry the load?

My Mother's Hope & Interview Questions with Francine Rivers

I'm thrilled to share this new book and accompanying interview questions from Francine Rivers. I've enjoyed her work and felt encouraged in my own writing because of studying hers. I hope you will also enjoy what you learn today :-)
Angie

Her Mother's Hope by Francine Rivers-- Summary:
The first part of an unforgettable epic family saga about the sacrifices every mother makes for her daughter and the very nature of unconditional love. On the eve of the First World War, fiery Marta Schneider leaves Switzerland and her difficult childhood behind, determined to find a new life on her own terms. Barely out of her teens, Marta is haunted by a devastating loss that fuels her ambition to one day own a hotel. From the cramped quarters of a French housekeeping school to the portrait-lined halls of a stately English manor, Marta becomes a hard working domestic who has little time to dwell on what might have been.  Instead, she draws her strength from what could be. Then, Marta meets Niclas Waltert, a man just as determined as she to forge a better life in a new place. Niclas captures her heart and together they endure the harshness of life as tenant farmers on the vast prairies of Winnipeg, Canada, before following the promise of the American dream and migrating to the agriculturally rich Central Valley of California.  Marriage and motherhood bring both joy and heartbreak, as Marta must surrender her long-held ambitions for the sake of her husband and children, including her daughter, Hildemara, upon whose shoulders her own hopes now squarely rest. Only the strong survive and Marta is determined to raise a daughter as strong as she.  But as Hildie reaches young womanhood and another war is fast approaching, those hopes become too heavy a burden for Hildie to bear. Born with a heart to serve others, Hildie pursues her calling as a nurse, something Marta can’t understand. Marta’s years of hardnosed parenting have left Hildie still hungry for her mother’s love…and now for her mother’s respect. Amid the drama of WWII, Hildie falls in love and begins a family of her own. She wants her daughter, Carolyn, never to doubt her love—but the challenges of life conspire against her vow and the only person who can come to her aid is the person she remains so desperate to please: Marta, her mother. With hallmark touches of brilliant prose and gripping characterizations, Her Mother’s Hope is a rich, moving epic about faith and dreams, heartache and disappointment, and ultimately the resilience and tenacity of love.


Christian fiction continues to boom.  What would you like to see happen in the field?
I want to see Christian fiction speak to the hard and real issues that tear people’s lives apart.  We need writers who are willing to ask the hard questions and go through the soul-searching and agonizing to find answers – and present these stories with skill that surpasses the general market.  Some of the greatest works or art and literature were rendered by Christians.  I believe God is at work in these areas now.   I would also love to see more Christian stories make it to the big screen and into the world of television, and to have the Christian worldview presented fairly.  Much of what comes out of “Hollywood” appeals to the basest side of mankind and crushes the spirit.   Right now, with war and a failing economy, people are hungry for stories that inspire them, lift them and give them hope.  People need to know there are solutions and we can have peace and an abundant life -- even in the midst of trials.

What is your goal or mission as a Christian writer?
I want to whet the appetite for the real thing:  the Bible and a personal relationship with Jesus.  I try to weave Scripture throughout the story so people receive the Word and see what it might mean in their lives – how the Lord is present and real and passionately interested in each of us.  He is not an idea.  He is real, all-powerful, all-knowing, the embodiment of love, deeply involved in our existence, and He created each of us for a purpose.
Are any of your novels going to be made into movies?
The Last Sin Eater was produced and directed by Michael Landon, Jr. and Brian Bird (They did an outstanding job.)  The movie was released in theaters in 2007 and is now available on DVD. You can see the trailer on IMDB.com.  Rick and I were invited to visit the set during filming in the mountains north of Salt Lake City.   We had a great time and there are pictures of our trip in the movie-edition of the novel. A film based on Redeeming Love is currently in development with Abba Productions/ Christy Lee Taylor.  She has partnered with producer Ralph Winter and they are trying to pull together funding to get the project off the ground.

Tell us about your current work. 
I have just completed the second in a set of two books about mother-daughter relationship over four generations.  This was intended to be one long novel dealing with the different ways generations have lived out their faith – but became so long it needed to be divided.  Her Mother’s Hope will be released March 16, 2010.  Her Daughter’s Dream will follow in September.  There are numerous family and personal details woven into both books and I plan to share those things on my blog.
What advice would you give to a new writer?
Write what you need to read.  Write from your heart.  Write truth.  Sometimes it hurts to peel away the layers of self-deception and see ourselves in the mirror, but it will also draw us closer to Jesus.  And your work may minister to others struggling with the same issues.  Read the Bible every day so that it will flow naturally into the story.  Study the Bible from beginning to end.  It is the most exciting reading in the world. It is also alive – and will help you recognize when you are entering into sin and need to realign yourself with the Lord.  Keep your focus on Jesus.

Tell us about your family life?
Rick and I met in the fifth grade.  We were good friends through school, and graduated together in 1965.  I went away to college and he joined the Marine Corps.  When the hometown newspaper carried the story of my brother’s capture in Hue during the Tet Offensive, Rick wrote to me from Vietnam and we began to correspond.  We married a year after he returned from Vietnam (1969).  We have three children and five grandchildren.   (Note:  My brother was seriously wounded, escaped from his captors when the Marines entered Hue, and is alive, well, happily married with two grown children and living the blissful retired life in the woods of Northern California.)

PLEASE NOTE: A complimentary copy of this book was provided to the me as a blog tour host by Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for posting this interview on my blog. Please visit Christian Speaker Services at www.ChristianSpeakerServices.com for more information about blog tour management services.

Hitting Home: Wisdom establishes strength

Have you ever considered that the Lord has placed people in your care when you are teaching?

Preparing my presentation for the Naked Truth Singles Conference in Memphis brought me to Proverbs 24: 3-6, "Use wisdom and understanding to establish your home; let good sense fill the rooms with priceless treasures. Wisdom brings strength, and knowledge gives power. Battles are won by listening to advice and making a lot of plans." CEV

The more I digest these verses, the more I believe confidence is rooted in gaining wisdom. Confident people are seen as strong, smart, knowing what to do, and powerful. I don't mean powerful as egotistical, but as a leadership quality. Someone who has the power to lead.

The image of "good sense fill the rooms with priceless treasures" describes the concepts I've written about in the online classes I teach that help us battle the inner pirates and earn our gems of wisdom. It was like God saying I'd gotten it right. A confirmation. The sense of confirmation elated me the last few days because I want so dearly to bless the lives and hearts of the people given into my care for the upcoming seminar. Rereading the verses, they hit home. I am relying on them as the theme for my seminar now.

And that realization is what stunned me! God has given me the responsibility to care for people that come to hear me speak. Care like a shepherd, to protect, to nourish. Such a grave responsibility to be placed in the role of caring for His people's hearts and well-being.

In what way has God placed people in your care?
How do these verses speak to you?

Angie
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