Novel Reviews: Eileen Rife's Laughing with Lily ~ Reviewed

Novel Reviews: Eileen Rife's Laughing with Lily ~ Reviewed: Laughing With Lily By Eileen Rife Published by Oak Tara April 2013 ISBN:  978-1602900790 Back Cover: A long-buried secret. An unexp...

Goodreads giveaways! Two copies of Laughing with Lily

 Goodreads giveaways! Two copies of Laughing with Lily. Winners announced on July 4.

http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/55483-laughing-with-lily

Catch the book trailer

Missing in action!

What is it about post-menopausal women and brain freeze? At times, more often than I'd like, my mind's missing in action!

I'm scrubbing the floor, see . . . yeah, down on my knees, scrubbing dirt from the crevices in the foyer linoleum. Call me crazy. But actually, housecleaning is a welcome change from a rigorous writing routine. And some forms of cleaning are well overdue. 

 

I'm quite pleased with my scrubbing results, by the way. Didn't know the floor could look this good! 

Then I think, Pandora music would be nice. So, I step to the computer and immediately get sucked up into answering emails, shopping for Father's Day, and writing a get-well card. It's like tentacles reach out and grab me. Ah, the advance of technology . . .

But that's an entirely different blog topic. 

I return to my scrubbing, then pause, lean back on my heels and scratch my head. What in the world did I go to the computer for in the first place?

Ah, Pandora music. Yes . . .

 

But the writer in me can't resist: I have to blog. I must blog! 

So, I charge back to the computer, and here I type. Still no Pandora music. 

But that's gonna change . . . right now.

But first, let me explore the "advance of technology" angle. That'd make a solid article, I think. 

Guess that's why writers get pegged as scatter-brained.

So, maybe I can't blame my brain-freeze on menopause, after all. 

Calico Brides by Darlene Franklin!

Determined to sow good deeds into the lives of needy people, the four youngest members of the 1876 Calico, Kansas, sewing circle reap romance. Gladys Polson, designing to aid a crotchety widower, falls for a stranger. Annie Bliss, knitting for soldiers, has a fort chaplain on pins and needles. Birdy Landry, sewing dresses for saloon girls looking for a new life, has her feathers ruffled by a beneficent shopkeeper. Schoolteacher Ruth Fairfield is about to teach a new guardian a few lessons in life and love. Will God stitch forever-after romances into the lives of these four women?

What inspired you to write this book, Darlene?

When Barbour opened up to monthly novellas, including anthologies all by one author, I jumped at the chance. Combining the contemporary fascination with quilts, my love of alliteration, and the ongoing love of a good prairie romance, I came up with a title: Kansas Calico Brides, shortened by my publisher to simply Calico Brides.

 

My brides are the four unmarried members of the Ladies’ Missionary Society of Calico, Kansas. They decide to make missions local: each one will choose a personal project involving sewing to show the love of Christ in the Calico community. 

A crochety wealthy reclusive—a “bear” of an army chaplain—a reformed saloon girl—and an uncle who takes over an instant family when his sister dies---God stitches love into their lives as each woman finds her unique calling.

What's one fun piece of trivia my readers might not know about you, but would like to? 

I was baptized in Lake Maranacook in Winthrop, Maine, back in 1964.

ABOUT DARLENE

Award-winning author and speaker Darlene Franklin lives in Oklahoma near her son’s family. Darlene loves music, needlework, reading, and reality TV. She has published several titles with Barbour Publishing, including her two latest releases, A Bride’s Rogue in Roma, Texas, and Merry Christmas, With Love, in Postmark: Christmas. She has also written two books in the Texas Trails series with RiverNorth Fiction, Lone Star Trail and A Ranger’s Trail. She’s a member of Oklahoma City Christian Fiction Writers.

You can find Darlene online at http://darlenefranklinwrites.blogspot.com/ and https://www.facebook.com/darlene.franklin.3 You may also be interested in her Facebook page, Darlene’s 5 Questions a Day (https://www.facebook.com/groups/542991419047696/?bookmark_t=group) where she answers the first five questions related to the writing life posed on any given day. Group members are also welcome to contribute.

Thanks for sharing with my readers today, Darlene! Great to host you!

The Next Big Thing!

 

I’ve been tagged to take part in The Next Big Thing by Janet Brown, author of Victoria and the Ghost and Divine Dining http://www.janetkbrown.com/. I answer ten questions about my next book then pass the baton on to another author. Follow the fun, and discover what writing adventures these authors have been up to!

What is the working title of your next book?

Seasons of Hope, coauthored with Jennifer Slattery 

Where did the idea come from for the book?

I grew up in Christian camping ministry in East Tennessee, so I wanted to profile a similar fictional camp with colorful characters reminiscent of my adventures growing up. I typically like to highlight an issue passionate on my heart. While Seasons of Hope doesn’t deal with a specific challenge like trafficking or same-sex attraction, the story does encourage the reader to ponder what it means to really forgive someone for abuse, not merely past offenses, but hurts that are ongoing and pervasive. Alcoholism is so rampant in our world and affects so many people that I wanted to highlight that addiction. To add layers to the conflict I brainstormed until I came up with my blind character, Loni, who sees more with her heart than the average person does with his eyes. This is largely what attracts Michael to her, since he’s been blinded by his own bitterness toward his father for so long.

In what genre does your book fall?
Contemporary romance
What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?

Ben Affleck for Michael. Although Ben’s ten years older than my hero, his face kept coming to me when I visualized Michael. And for Loni, Bryce Dallas Howard, who’s also a few years older than my heroine. 

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

A blind woman seeks refuge at Camp Hope only to encounter the man who took her sight. 

Who is publishing your book?

Unconfirmed 

How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?

Four months. Since Jennifer and I are critique partners, I bounced the manuscript over to her. With such wonderful insights and skill, Jennifer spotted areas that required more depth and development. After prayer and thought, we decided to team up on this project. 

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

Hmm . . . not sure

Who or what inspired you to write this book?

My love for Christian camping and my heart for the hurting. I like to build characters that, prayerfully, the reader can identify with in her/his healing journey.

What else about the book might pique the reader’s interest?

Prayerfully, readers will enjoy a good love story. But even more than that, I hope readers will understand that forgiveness is a choice. Regardless of the anger we might feel, we can by God’s grace choose to forgive. I often tell people, the ground is level at the foot of the cross. Jesus said to his abusers, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” As Loni told Michael, “Sin often doesn’t make sense.” How true! We commit acts of sin because we are sinners. When someone commits a sin against us, we can ask “why?” ‘til the cows come home, but we may never receive an answer to that question. At some point, after we’ve told the truth about the offense, in all its ugliness, and grieved the loss, we must make a solid decision to let the perpetrator off the hook. Every time we experience anger, we once again surrender the person and the situation to the Lord. In our surrender, by faith, God will eventually reward us with positive feelings. Praying for our enemies is one of the best ways to realize this. 

Now, to select another author to take part who will post their next big thing today.

Hop on over to Paul Mowery’s blog to catch her interview!

www.paulamowery.blogspot.com

Writers, what do you do to refuel your creativity?

When my brain needs a break from writing, I turn to other creative endeavors, like arranging fresh flowers from my garden.

Doing artwork. I used a combo of pen and pastels to recreate my garden peonies. 

With the grandkiddos, I borrowed an idea from one of Martha Stewart's Living magazines and crafted lily pads out of coffee filters and food coloring for a children's tablescape. 

What do you like to do to refuel your creative writing batteries?  

 

Leave a comment to enter the drawing for a $10 Amazon gift card! 

Winner announced on June 10