B.J. Hoff's Blog

Have you entered the drawing for a free copy of River of Mercy? Just read Ellie Whyte's interview with me and leave a comment to enter the giveaway at Soul Inspirationz. Three free copies of River of Mercy will be given away. The drawing ends Sept. 9.

http://www.christianfictionsite.com/1/post/2013/03/featured-author-interview-with-bj-hoff.html#.UiSTGRb3Bdg

Other than some of the "classics," I don't read many books more than once. There are so many new ones waiting to be read, after all. But every now and then I'm surprised by one (usually a novel but not always) that even during the first read lets me know it won't be the last read.

Summer of Light by W. Dale Cramer and Band of Sisters by Cathy Gohlke were two such novels. Both of these books have been out for some time, and I read both of them not long after they were released. Recently, I found myself at a bit of a loss for what I was in the mood to read--this was after putting aside three or four that just didn't hold my interest. I started looking through my bookshelves  and came upon the two mentioned above, pulled them out and treated myself to an even more satisfying read than was the case the first time through--and that says a lot.

I've been a dedicated Dale Cramer fan since reading his brilliant Levi's Will.  By now I've read all his novels. It's only my opinion of course, although I'm aware that it's shared by many others, but I see Dale as a writer of incredible ability. He writes with power, he writes from the heart, and he writes with integrity. He is, without question, one of CBA's finest. Summer of Light is that rare gift to a reader of a heartwarming, irresistible story laced with poignancy, laugh-out-loud humor, and unforgettable people. Forget everything you thought you knew about a stay-at-home dad--there are no stereotypes here. Some might say this is a different "voice" for Dale than the quieter, more reflective Levi's Will. Not at all. It's a different story, yes, but the same masterful "voice" that spins his other impresive stories is still behind the wheel. Like Cathy Gohlke, he's a strong favorite of our church book club. 

Cathy Gohlke was a new writer to me when I first picked up her young adult novel, William Henry is a Fine Name, and, later, I Have Seen Him in the Watchfires. Her adult novel, Promise Me This, held its own kind of promise: the promise of a writer who could write with command and creativity. Then came Band of Sisters. That one gripped me, not only because of her clearly impeccable research, but because of its unique story, her obvious understanding of the era, and her keen insight as to what it must have been like for a young Irish immigrant to arrive alone in the city of New York. I've studied the Irish immigration period and its people--and written about it, as well--for years, but Cathy's story is one of the few that engaged me from the first page with its authenticity and color. It also earned rave reviews from the book club I moderate. 

Cathy is a gifted writer who clearly works hard to deliver a story that never lets up until the end. 

That's all I'm going to tell you about either of these stellar stories. I don't want to spoil your discovery--or your re-discovery- of these two outstading novels and their authors. Enjoy!

BJ

 

 

 

If you've loved the characters and stories of my Emerald Ballad series in print, but wished you had them in eBook form, I have an exciting announcement for you today:

Harvest House has included the entire Emerald Ballad series in their “End of Summer” Fiction eBook Sale.

The series is on sale at all major online retailers (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Christianbook.com, iTunes, etc.), so you can pick your favorite spot to buy.

Here's the list of books in the series and their sale prices:

Song of the Silent Harp - $2.99
Heart of the Lonely Exile - $2.99
Land of a Thousand Dreams - $2.99
Sons of an Ancient Glory - $0.99
Dawn of the Golden Promise - $0.99

Buy all 5 eBooks for less than $11.00.

Please share this with anyone who loves Irish historical fiction (and a good bargain:), but hurry-- the sale ends August 13th!

Want to explore photos of the places and people that inspired my descriptions in the Riverhaven Years, the Emerald Ballad stories, and more? Come visit my new Pinterest boards. And tell me what you think: do the photos of my characters match the pictures in your imagination? https://www.facebook.com/AuthorBJHoff/app_305927716147259

Around the time of my birthday this year, I reeived a signed copy of a wonderful little book by author, Debbie Macomber, titled Once Upon a Time. If you're familiar with Debbie's name, and you probably are, you no doubt know her for her wildly popular women's fiction, especially her Cedar Cove series. Well, this book isn't fiction--but it is all about story.    

It's about many different kinds of stories, but at the center it has to do with helping the reader discover God's story for our lives--the story He's writing through each of us. In it, Debbie shares her own love of story, which really resonates with me beause of my own lifelong love of story. This is indeed Debbie's story: a look at her life and her writing. But it's also about your story. Whether you've thought of writing a book or want to know more aobut journaling or starting a blog or just writing in general--it has a number of helps and ideas and brainstorming questions to spark your own efforts.

There's much included about writing--about characters and plots, talents and gifts, inspiration and mentors and meaning and symbols. But it's just as much for those who have no interest at all in writing. More than anything else, it seems to me it's a book of encouragement. Written from a Christian point of view, as well as from a much-experienced and excellent writer's point of view, there's something for everyone. Even if you're not looking for any particular "message" or "theme" or "story ideas," this is a book that offers one of the finest exploratioins I've ever read of what the idea of story encompasses, an exploration by one of our finest storytellers--a storyteller who understands how to creatively illustrate God's working in our lives.

Once Upon A Time is a book I'll read more than once, because it's an important book and a great read. And by the way--after mentioning Debbie's Cedar Cover series, let me just add a note here that the first of the new TV series based on her Cedar Cove novels can be seen on the Hallmark channel this coming Saturday, July 20. 

Enjoy!

BJ

 

Four experienced authors of historical fiction. Four great stories to captivate and delight. Four reasons to treat yourself to a reading marathon that will keep you turning the pages into the wee hours. 

A Bride for All Seasons isn't your usual mail-order bride collection of stories. It's a feast of humor, romance, and inspiration that will make you smile and sigh right along with these wonderful characters as they search for love and adventure. 

I thoroughly enjoyed the ride. So will you!

BJ

 

The Columbus Dispatch recently published an interesting (and very positive) article about the one TV show I'll make an effort to see: Blue Bloods. Have you watched it? It's an exception to almost any other police drama ever televised--and over the years I've watched most of them. (Predictable. Stereotypical, I know--Irish policeman's daughter, etc. I admit to a certain preoccupation for this stuff.) 

But as the Dispatch pointed out, this isn't your typical police procedural/cops & robbers show. Nor is it the usual "Irish cop/gangs, and gutter-mouth" dialogue. As the Dispatch made clear, what anchors Blue Bloods and draws over 13 million viewers to it each week is the FAMILY. Especially the family DINNER. Every episode has the entire family gathered at least once around the (usually Sunday) dinner table, and the issues discussed there almost always make a "point" or include some questions relevant to today's culture. No matter how subtle the relevance may be, it's the kind of discussion worth having.

I love the dinner scene. Perhaps because as a former band mom, I still remember how difficult it was to gather everyone together at the same time for a meal. But it was important to us, and we managed it as often as possible.TV families don't often bother with something so "mundane" as a family dinner. 

A number of other needed ingredients go into making Blue Bloods the quality show it is. It doesn't hurt that every actor has been perfectly cast for his or her part. No mistakes here. I also appreciate the fact that no episode is overloaded with the usual Hollywood sleaze and gore-fest. And you LIKE these people. You actually enjoy spending an hour a week with them. The family, by the way, consists of the police commissioner, a son who's a detective, another son who's a beat cop, and a daughter who's a prosecutor--and their children. Also, the wonderful Len Cariou plays an important role as the grandfather. 

The most appealing aspect of the series, for me, is the way it centers on the family. The last line of the Dispatch article ended with a quote by Donny Wahlberg, who portrays the detective son of the police commissioner (Tom Selleck), a quote that really nails one of the weaknesses of today's TV: "It's the family you don't see on TV anymore ... Everybody's so busy trying to create the most outlandish family on TV, they forgot about the traditional family." 

Well, the "traditional family" is still out here, and grateful we can still tune in to a show like Blue Bloods.

I hope by now you've heard about what's going on with the Gosnell trial and his chamber of horrors abortion clinic. If you haven't, it's not your fault. You see, today in America the media allows us to know only what they want us to know. And what goes on during the nightmare of after-birth abortion is definitely not on their need-to-know agenda for the average American. However, thanks to an article by Kirsten Powers, a columnist, blogger, pundit, and political commentator, the word has begun to leak out about the unspeakable acts committed by Gosnell and others. Once the article by Powers appeared, other bloggers and journalists began to publish related information--information so horrifying its details are, to say the least, difficult to read. 

I've linked to one of those articles, but I should  warn you that it's not for the squeamish, Let me also add that the information now beginning to surface is information we need to know, no matter how difficult it is to take in. Keep in mind that the Gosnell abortion clinic isn't alone in what Planned Parenthood and the liberal media refuse to label as "murder" or "infanticide." This is an area that, if you learn enough about it, will stun you, and--hopefully--make you cry out for justice. If justice can even be defined for these abominable practices. 

This is more--much more--than a violation of human rights (although it's certainly that) or a sensational crime story. This is raw, unconscionable evil. And for those who possibly have never believed in evil before now, the appalling facts about the practice of after-birth abortion may--no, should--change your mind. 

This is simply one article, but if you genuinely care about this major media cover-up--which is only one of countless other cover-ups--just go to your favorite search engine and type in "after-birth abortion." You'll be amazed at the information availble, though most of it is being withheld by the media. 

I apologize in advance if what you learn troubles you. On the other hand, what we're not learning troubles me. In truth, it even frightens me. We have a media that continually insists on and pushes for their in-your-face "right to know." Why, then, is that same media so reluctant to extend that right-to-know to the rest of us?

http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion...

 

 

Patrick Mead, good friend and one of my favorite writers, has given us much to think about during Easter Week. I expect that this particular piece of writing will stay with me for a long, long time. Read it at his TentPegs blog. 

http://tentpegs.patrickmead.net/?p=1894

 

BJ