Carlene Havel's Blog: Carlene - Posts Tagged "christian-romance"

Bonjour, mes amis. No doubt you remember me? I’m a darling French poodle—is that redundant? My name is Fidette. No nicknames, please. I am far too sophisticated for such indignity. As you know, we French love romance—oui, even French canines. Especially French canines! My owner started reading a Christian romance and sacre bleu! I have found my soulmate.

I swoon for the golden retriever named Buster who makes his debut in “A Hero’s Homecoming”. My owner is in love with Rich Martino (the man she thinks is the hero) but any discerning doggie will realize Buster is the superior heartthrob. My dear, golden retrievers are so deliciously handsome, not to mention being the most romantic breed on the planet. Take a walk through the park with one some starlit evening and you will find out what I mean. Mon cher Buster is big and blond and loves to take charge--much like his master Rich. You humans think dogs assume the personalities of their owners, but little Fidette knows it’s the other way around.

For maximum joie de vivre you simply must read “A Hero’s Homecoming” to your dog. It’s available at http://www.prismbookgroup.com/AHerosH... or through Amazon. Be sure to underline the passages that mention Buster, then go back and read only the parts underlined again to your pet. Ah, your four-legged best friend will find Buster so irresistibly comme il faut. My owner thinks you will fall in love with Rich, also. He's all right for a guy who doesn't eat dogfood.

How does a man find his way home when everything he counted on is gone? That’s the question facing the hero of “A Hero’s Homecoming”. Now that he’s retiring from the US Air Force, Rich Martino has plans. He will relax and enjoy life with his beautiful wife Rita. If boredom sets in, he can work in the lucrative business his doting father owns.

Yet life is not going the way Rich expected. When he arrives home from his final military assignment, Richard Martino Senior is comatose, probably dying. Rita has left for parts unknown with another man. A stranger occupies Rich’s house, his car is gone, and his bank account has been drained. If that isn’t enough, his old friends are shocked to see him. They thought he was killed in action—even attended his funeral!

Although he considers himself self-sufficient, Rich is searching for someone or something he can rely on. He doesn’t trust people, nor does he believe in the existence of God. As he attempts to get his life back in order, this sly charmer begins to recognize he himself must change. Could Charlotte Phillips, the psychologist who administers his father’s estate, be a genuinely caring person Rich can connect with? Or is she just another gold-digger, lining her pockets with the Martino wealth?

I hope you’ll read “A Hero’s Homecoming”, laugh out loud, dab a few tears, and thoroughly enjoy my debut Christian romance. You can find it through any of the links below.

Carlene Havel,author of "A Hero's Homecoming"
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_nos...
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Carle... http://www.prismbookgroup.com/AHerosH...

Peggy Trotter has done it! Today, her book "Year of Jubilee" is officially released. Who is Peggy? Let me tell you...

Peggy Trotter has been writing something for over 30 years. The empty-nest syndrome set her to groping for a new direction, and wow, did God answer! Year of Jubilee, a Christian Historical Romance set in southern Indiana, will debut in April of 2015 through Prism Book Group. A second, a Contemporary Romance entitled, Reviving Jules, will follow in 2015 as well. She loves to reveal God’s miracles through the world’s underdogs and mix in a little love and happy endings.

She finaled in the Indiana Golden Opportunity Contest in 2013 in the inspirational Category, and is a 2014 ACFW Genesis Finalist in the Novella Category. Seldom does she stand still, but when she does, it’s to praise her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Creator of all gifts and Bestower of all blessings!

Now tell us about your book, Peggy!

Thanks, Carlene for hosting me on your Blog!!! Who am I, you ask? I’d be thrilled to introduce us!! I’m Peggy Trotter, Christian author!!! Incredibly please to meet all of you. Particularly fond of the !!!! in case you haven’t picked that up, but—silly me! Of course, you’ve got that!!!

Why am I here? Well, to introduce you to my debut novel, which I might add, I am pumped to reveal to you! I’ve been dabbling in writing for over 30 years, so seeing this publish, well, glory Hallelujah, is just the proverbial dream come true! It’s a Historical Christian Romance set in southern Indiana in 1850. Here’s a tasty morsel to whet your appetite! ;)

Orphaned and widowed, eighteen year old JUBILEE STALLINGS clings to her southern Indiana farm as her only refuge. The wilds of Gibson County are just being tamed in the year of 1850, and Jubilee ekes a meager existence. But when RAFE TANNER, a cousin of her abusive dead husband, shows up with the deed to her property, Jubilee’s dream of her own home dissolves.

Rafe, stinging from his ex-fiancée’s rejection, offers a business marriage, throwing him and Jubilee together in an effort to make the farm successful. But scars from the past keep her in constant fear of her new husband. The pair masquerades as a love-struck couple at Rafe’s family farm, enduring the romantic notions of his family and the jealousy of his ex-fiancée.

Once home, Rafe realizes his newfound love for Jubilee, and sets out to court her. Meanwhile, Jubilee fights demons from her past as her husband reveals his interest. Can Jubilee let go of her distrust and pain to embrace God’s plan of true love and finally find a place to belong?

Now that you have a little base, let me add there are loads of misunderstandings, which lead to many a oopsie and even some humorous situations! But overall it’s a tale of healing, hope, and revealing how God’s way is best.

I’m giving away a promotional copy~just leave a comment here for Carlene and you’ll be entered. Thanks for lettin’ me yak at you about my new release. Hope it blesses you!

You can find "Year of Jubilee" on Amazon and Barnes&Noble

The good ladies of 1947 Timber are ready to find a wife for their new single minister. Charles has ideas of his own when he meets Fiona, the lovely accident-prone and outspoken part-time librarian. Fiona, on the other hand, is holding out for a knight on a white charger to carry her away from her humdrum small town life. Fiona and Charles are thrown together as they begin to solve an old mystery which has turned up in a library book. Will Fiona's white knight ever show up to sweep her away? Will Charles ever run out of invitations for cream cakes and lemon slice? Fiona might just discover the sound of hoof-beats when she least expects it.


That's what's in store for you in Sharon McGregor's latest release, "Fiona's Knight of Dreams". Want more? Here's an excerpt:

No sooner had Charles Redpath entered her thoughts than he entered the library.
"Finished your books already? You must be a fast reader."
"Well, I discovered I'd already read the Perry Mason and the book on Revelation was a little too much on the dry side."
"Funny, I thought Revelation was the one preachers used to scare the congregations. I never thought of it as dry. But then any book of sermons might take a little work to get through. I mean if you have to listen to one on Sunday mornings, why would you.." she broke off and put her hand to her mouth to stop any more words escaping. “I’m sorry, I didn't mean…"
"Oh I know what you meant." She looked up expecting to see an expression of censure or hurt or disapproval, but instead Fiona could swear his eyes were twinkling, very nice brown eyes with a definite twinkle. Now why did she think that?
"Sunday sermons are an occasional requisite for spiritual guidance," he said, “but a little can go a long way. On the other hand, mine sometimes have a certain soporific value."
"Not if you're preaching them on Revelation," she retorted.
"Good. Your smile is back." He held out the book of sermons, "Actually I wanted to show you something in this one."
She looked at the book suspiciously. Was she wrong in her evaluation? Was he going to start giving her a private lesson in the scripture?
He shook the book and two envelopes fluttered out to the counter. "I found these in the book and I wonder if we should try to return them to the owner."
They were plain envelopes, each bulky enough to contain a letter or note. One had the capital letter D on the front. The other said J in a slightly different hand.
"I can look to see who checked the book out last," said Fiona,” but it was likely a long time ago. I mean, how many people would.." There she went again, putting her foot in her mouth. "I'll check the records," She clamped her mouth firmly shut before she could shoot herself in the foot again. She giggled a little. What was this fetish she was developing about feet?
She checked the pouch card for the book and looked up the member number in the card index. "Last time this book went out was nearly three years ago. It was checked out by Rev. Hamilton."
"But my predecessor was Jonas Micklethwaite."
"Yes, but he was only here for a couple of years. I think he got tired of small town life, or his wife did, and they moved to a larger place. Before him it was Rev. Hamilton. He was here for -well forever, just about. He christened me and my brother too. Then his wife got sick and he had to look after her until-well, until she died. He was pretty much ready to retire then, he was quite old, and so he went over to Greenway to live with his daughter."
"I wonder if these letters are important to him."
"Well, let's check," said Fiona, starting to slide her nail under a flap.
"We can't do that! They're someone's private letters!” Fiona gave a quick look at Charles’ face and concluded the outrage of his words wasn’t echoed in the curiosity in his expression.
"And you call yourself a detective?"
"I don't call myself a detective. You asked me why I didn't become one. Anyhow, we can mail them to him in Greenway."
"Look this one isn't even sealed," said Fiona, picking up the other letter. "So they're not really private." She flipped it open and out popped a sheet of paper.
She pushed it between them sideways on the counter so they could both read.



Sharon McGregor is a prairie girl who has been working her way west to escape the cold. She now lives on beautiful Vancouver Island. She hasn't escaped her roots, though, as her romances are set in small town North America. When not writing or reading, she operates a shave ice concession with her daughter and follows her grandchildren's athletic endeavours. She has a constant battle with her cat Zoey for control of her computer keyboard. Sharon loves to write romance, mystery and humor, if possible all three at the same time.

Connect with Sharon here:
www.sharonmcgregor.com
Blog- www.sharonmcgregor.com/blog
Twitter- @sharonmcgr
Facebook- https://goo.gl/hUSNUp
Amazon author- http://goo.gl/0toXu0
Google- https://goo.gl/AzvJqZ
Goodreads- https://goo.gl/NxzAx8

In Paula Mowery's latest release, entitled, "For Our Good", Charlie Jarvis is haunted by loss that fuels her desire to rid the world of drug traffickers. When her next assignment takes her back to her hometown, she has to confront her painful past. She has no interest in a relationship since God seems to kill everyone she loves.

Colton Thomas appreciates material things and the status of being a corporate pilot. When someone approaches him to deliver a package for a large sum of money that could wipe out his debts, temptation knocks loud on his door even as his partner, Marshall, slams it shut. Meeting Charlie challenges his non-committal stance with women. As he considers who he has become and the kind of man he would want to be for Charlie, he confronts his own shallow lifestyle and the fear that he would never be able to help her heal her wounds.

As Charlie pursues the man causing high school boys to die of overdoses, she struggles with the secrets she keeps from Colton. With people around them shining the light of God and encouraging their courtship, both Charlie and Colton have to face hard truths about life, death, love, and faith. And maybe find a fresh start for them both.

***

Paula Mowery is a published author, acquisitions editor, and speaker. Her first two published works were The Blessing Seer and Be The Blessing from Pelican Book Group. Both are women’s fiction, and their themes have been the topics of speaking engagements. Be The Blessing won the Selah Award in 2014 in the novella category. In November of 2013, her first romance released in the anthology, Brave New Century, from Prism Book Group. This book went to number five on Amazon’s bestseller category, historical Christian romance. Legacy and Love was her first solo romance and was a finalist in the Carolyn Readers Choice Awards in 2015.

Reviewers of her writing characterize it as “thundering with emotion.” Her articles have appeared in Woman’s World, The Christian Online Magazine, and the multi-author devotional blog, Full Flavored Living. She wrote a section for Join the Insanity by Rhonda Rhea. She has devotionals included in several collaborative books.

As an acquisitions editor for Prism Book Group, Paula particularly looks for romance stories with Christian values at its core. She’s especially attracted to those manuscripts that leave the reader mulling over the story long after turning the last page.

Having been an avid reader of Christian fiction, she now puts that love to use by writing book reviews. She is a member of ACFW and is on the author interview team. She was a member of the 2014 and 2015 Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference faculty.

Paula is a pastor’s wife and mom to a college student. She homeschooled her daughter through all twelve years, and they both lived to tell about it. Before educating her daughter at home, she was an English teacher in public school.

You can follow Paula at www.facebook.com/pages/Paula-Mowery/1.... Learn more about Paula at her blog at www.paulamowery.blogspot.com or enjoy her monthly columns on www.christianonlinemagazine.com. You can also check out her blog for Christian writers at www.ccwcu.blogspot.com.