For me, one of the most exciting parts of publishing is getting to see the book cover! But for my next story, I’m a little torn between several options, so I NEED YOUR HELP TO DECIDE! This is for the next release, The … Continue reading
I’m so excited to announce the release of the audiobook version of The Lady and the Mountain Doctor (book #2 of the Mountain Dreams Series)!
I had the pleasure of working with a talented narrator, Talmadge Ragan with Blue Kiss Media, and I think you’ll enjoy the final production as much as I did.
Doesn’t that sound like fun! 🙂
Just leave a comment below with your email address, and I’ll send you one of the downloads through the Audible website.
Enjoy!
I’m so excited to celebrate with you! Today is the release of Book 1 in my new series. The Rancher Takes a Cook releases TODAY! Don’t worry, there are still a couple more books coming in the Mountain Dreams Series, … Continue reading
How would you like to play a huge part in the success of future Christian books? I’m so excited about the release of my next book, The Lady and the Mountain Doctor, and I’m putting together an official launch team to … Continue reading
It’s Friday and I have GREAT NEWS! If you’re already subscribed to my mailing list, you know my next novel in the Mountain Dreams series, The Lady and the Mountain Doctor, is available for pre-order! It officially releases May 1, 2015, … Continue reading
I’m pleased to share a guest post by the fabulous author Michelle Griep! And now…here’s Michelle!
“You can’t buy happiness, but you can buy coffee.
And that’s pretty close.”
Hipsters may think they’re trendy by hanging out at the local coffee house, but nursing a cup of java while discussing the politics of the day has been around a long, long time. In England, this dates back to the seventeenth century. Surprise! Who’d have thought those proper tea-drinking Brits even knew what coffee was?
Here are a few fun facts:
In my Regency era historical, BRENTWOOD’S WARD, I highlight the coffee house phenomenon by setting a scene at The Chapter Coffee House. Women of the times didn’t usually frequent such establishments, but this historical venue is a little different. It was a known haunt of booksellers, writers, and literature hounds. Even Charlotte Brontë visited on occasion.
And just in case you’re wondering if historical coffee would taste the same as today’s brews, here’s a recipe so you can try it yourself:
Coffee ~ A Regency Recipe
Put 2 oz. of fresh-ground quality coffee into a coffeepot. If you must take your coffee extremely strong, use 3 oz. Then pour 8 coffee-cups worth of boiling water atop. Let it rest for 6 minutes. Then add in 2 or 3 isinglass-chips and pour one large spoonful of boiling water on top. Set the pot by the fire to keep it hot for 10 more minutes, and you will have coffee of a supreme transparency.
Serve with fine cream and either fine sugar as well, or pounded sugar-candy.
Whether you love coffee, or love to hate coffee, there’s no denying it’s deeply imbedded in societies all around the world, present and past. And if you’re looking for a great read to go along with your mug o’ joe, here’s a blurb for BRENTWOOD’S WARD . . .
Place an unpolished lawman named Nicholas Brentwood as guardian over a spoiled, pompous beauty named Emily Payne and what do you get? More trouble than Brentwood bargains for. She is determined to find a husband this season. He just wants the large fee her father will pay him to help his ailing sister. After a series of dire mishaps, both their desires are thwarted, but each discovers that no matter what, God is in charge.
Available in paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other fine booksellers.
About the Author
Michelle Griep’s been writing since she first discovered blank wall space and Crayolas. She seeks to glorify God in all that she writes—except for that graffiti phase she went through as a teenager.
She resides in the frozen tundra of Minnesota, where she teaches history and writing classes for a local high school co-op. An Anglophile at heart, she runs away to England every chance she gets, under the guise of research. Really, though, she’s eating excessive amounts of scones.
Follow her adventures at her blog WRITER OFF THE LEASH or visit michellegriep.com, and don’t forget the usual haunts of Pinterest, Facebook or Twitter.
One of the most exciting parts of publishing, is getting to see the book cover! For my new release, I’m a little torn between several options, so I NEED YOUR HELP TO DECIDE!
This is for my upcoming release, The Lady and the Doctor, sequel to The Lady and the Mountain Man, and falls into the Christian Historical Romance genre. The cover images below include both the front and back cover.
Please leave a comment to tell me which most makes you want to read the book!
I have to admit, my personality has been strongly influenced by my upbringing. Take, for example, my love for traditions and history. Growing up, we lived on the “family farm,” next door to my grandparent’s traditional farmhouse. The home was built … Continue reading
My dear friend and critique partner, Jackie Layton, tagged me in this fun game between bloggers, so I’m duty-bound to oblige. 🙂 In case you’re curious, Jackie’s answers can be found here.
So without further ado, 20 things you may not know about me!
1. How tall are you?
5’9″ in my bare feet. I was always the tallest among anyone my own age, often even the boys! But that wasn’t such a bad thing…
2. Do you have a hidden talent?
Probably not so much! I grew up riding horses, started my first year of college as a piano major, and make a mean batch of chocolate chip cookies.
3. What is your biggest blogger pet peeve?
I like a blog post to have substance! Not just ramble on paragraph after paragraph until I want to shake my iPad and say “Get to the point!”
Which is probably what you’re doing as you read this blog post. 🙂
4. What is your biggest non-blogger pet peeve?
Probably bad manners. I’m from the South, after all…
5.What is your favorite song?
Ooh, that’s a hard one. (Did I tell you I was a music major in college? That means I love music!) Currently, one of my favorite songs is Blessings by Laura Story. What a powerful way of looking at life!
6. What’s your favorite Etsy shop that isn’t yours?
I wish I could answer this. Truly. But I’m afraid I haven’t been to Etsy.com since the site was first created, how many years ago?
7. What is your favorite way to spend time when you are alone?
Write, write, write!
8. What is your favorite junk food?
Oh my. Anything sweet, especially chocolate.
9. Do you have pets?
Let me count the ways! Two dogs, two cats, and three horses for now. I’m firmly resisting my husband’s constant pleas for another dog. 🙂
10. What are you #1 favorite fiction and non-fiction books?
Non-fiction would have to be the Bible.
Fiction…there are too many great books to choose from. Some of my favorite authors include Deeanne Gist, Karen Witemeyer, and Lisa Wingate.
11. What is your favorite beauty product?
Concealer.
12. When were you last embarrassed? What happened?
Do I have to go there?
13. If you could drink one beverage (besides water) for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Coffee!
14. What is your favorite movie?
The movie of all movies: Pride and Prejudice. Depending on what mood I’m in, I’ll watch either the 1995 version staring Jennifer Ehle, or the 2005 version staring Keira Knightley. There are pros and cons to both!
15. What were you in high school: prom queen, nerd, cheerleader, jock, valedictorian, band geek, loner, artist, prep?
Well, I was homeschooled, so…
16. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live?
I would want to live around family, and I love South Carolina. I’d love to have a second home somewhere out West, though. Maybe Montana?
17. PC or Mac?
PC
18. Last romantic gesture from a crush, date, boy/girlfriend, spouse?
Now that it’s cold, my husband has begun carrying my work bags to the car every morning and starting the engine so it can warm up. Wow! 🙂
19. Favorite celebrity?
Country artist Gary Allan.
20. What blogger do you secretly want to be friends with?
Well…it would most likely be one of my favorite authors. Yes, I have a bit of the fan syndrome. 🙂
So now, Dear Reader, I want to know about you!
Pick one of these questions and answer it by leaving a comment. Please! 🙂
It’s a pleasure to introduce you to another amazing and accomplished author, Carole Brown!
Her debut novel, The Redemption of Caralynne Hayman, has finaled in multiple awards, and I’m so excited to have her on the blog today!
Carole loves to weave suspense and tough topics into her books, along with a touch of romance and whimsy, and is always on the lookout for outstanding titles and catchy ideas. She and her husband reside in SE Ohio but have ministered and counseled nationally and internationally. Together, they enjoy their grandsons, traveling, gardening, good food, the simple life, and did she mention their grandsons?
So grab a mug of coffee, your chocolate of choice, and enjoy!
Hi Carole, can you tell us a little bit about your latest release, With Music In Their Hearts?
Love to!! Angry at being rejected for military service, Minister Tyrell Walker accepts the call to serve as a civilian spy within his own country. Across the river from Cincinnati, Ohio, a spy working for a foreign country is stealing secret plans for newly developed ammunition to be used in the war. According to his FBI cousin, this spy favors pink stationery giving strong indications that a woman is involved.
He’s instructed to obtain a room in the Rayner Boarding House run by the lovely, spunky red-haired Emma Jaine Rayner. Sparks of jealousy and love fly between them immediately, even as they battle suspicions that one or the other is not on the up and up.
As Tyrell works to keep his double life a secret and locate the traitor, he refuses to believe that Emma Jaine could be involved even when he sees a red-haired woman in the arms of another man. Could the handsome and svelte banker who’s also determined to win Emma Jaine’s hand for marriage, be the dangerous man he’s looking for? Is the trouble-making renter who hassles Emma Jaine serving as a flunky? Worse, is Papa Rayner so worried about his finances and keeping his girls in the style they’re used to, that he’ll stoop to espionage?
Will their love survive the danger and personal issues that arise to hinder the path of true love?
It’s available on Kindle or in Print!
What was your inspiration behind this novel?
We knew a minister who served during WWII. It was said “he was a civilian spy.” He never confirmed it or denied it as far as we knew, but it made for a fabulous plot. My mother served as the inspiration behind the character of Emma Jaine Rayner. She gave me the interest and love of the period by passing on stories and sharing pictures. I fell in love with the 1940s!
What spurs you to write?
I’ve always believed in doing what you love to do. It makes me sad to see people “slaving” away at jobs they dislike (although I certainly understand that circumstances can prevent any other action). Since a child I’ve loved books and from elementary school up, I’ve written–from the first item I remember–a caveman family’s journal–to suspense and mystery children books and now to penning my own suspense and mystery books. Why would I do anything but what I love?
Which of your characters most reflects your personality?
Probably Emma Jaine. I wanted her to show gumption and determined to see her boarding house business succeed–and I like to do all I can to succeed with what I attempt. I also gave her a loving and caring heart for her family and the others in the boarding home–and I’ve been told I’m a very caring person. Sometimes though it’s hard to see that what are good qualities can also be used wrongly. Emma Jaine was so determined to care for her sisters and her father that what she thought they ought to do and pursue became a selfish act.
Is there a recognizable quality in your books, which makes them distinctly your own?
I think so. Although I write suspense, I like to give a touch of sweet romance and a touch of whimsy when possible. I’m not a big fan of lots of romance in books so coaxing my couples into even a light kiss is quite an accomplishment for this author. Having said that, I do believe Christian romance will give a book a human, sweet touch that lightens a mood and leaves a satisfied taste in the reader’s mind.
The whimsical part comes in with odd happenings or items. For example, in one of my novels I have a very unique pet for the protagonist. The pet (or so the protagonist believes) has the ability to help her with her detecting. (You can decide for yourself, if you ever read the book!) In my mysteries, I give the male protagonist a grouchy personality with a love of words and fishing. Although cranky he adores his wife. His attitude and way he approaches their mysteries is endearing.
What is your next project?
Wow, you’re a busy lady! Thanks for taking a few minutes to stop by and chat with us!
And now for the readers… it’s your turn to share comments, tidbits, or other questions you have for Carole! Just CLICK THE PINK HEART, and leave a comment!
Misty M. Beller 