Skye Wieland – Sarah’s Gift

From the Back Cover:

Sarah White, an Aussie horse trainer running away from her past, tries to start a new life at a safari business in South Africa. Elephant culling, strange recurring dreams, and a supernatural encounter lead her to discovering an amazing gift she has. Will she use this gift or remain paralyzed by her traumatizing memories?

Sarah’s Gift is the first book of Skye Wieland’s Dare to Follow trilogy about a group of friends who find God and themselves in the midst of adventure, danger, and amazing vista.

Amanda’s Review:

Sarah’s Gift is a great debut novel from Australian author, Skye Wieland. Her descriptions of the African savannah and the different wildlife which exists there brought them to life as I read. Skye is obviously very familiar with horses as well, as the relationship between horse and rider throughout the novel is a highlight.

The development of Sarah and Mark in their character as well as their relationship together progressed to a wonderful ending, with a hint of more to come in the following books in the series. This novel struck me as being delightfully different from many other romances, and the difference lies in ‘Sarah’s gift’ — a unique idea that made me think ‘what if’, but it was thoroughly enjoyable, and you will have to read it to find out more.

The best thing I took away from this Sarah’s Gift was the reminder that God doesn’t revoke His calling, even when we make huge mistakes. One warning for sensitive readers: there was a moment in the story which I felt was quite gory, but it was relatively brief and didn’t detract from the story as a whole. If that doesn’t bother you, if you love romance and animals, and enjoy a bit of adventure thrown in, this book is for you.

About the Author:

Skye Wieland lives in Queensland, Australia, with her husband and two children where they share a love of horses. She is a secondary high school teacher with a passion to help students discover their potential in life and to strive for it.

Published in: on 28th November, 2012 at 10:55 am  Leave a Comment  
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Kathleen Morgan – Child of the Mist

From the Back Cover:

In the harsh Scottish highlands of 1564, superstitions threaten a truce . . . a traitor plans his attack . . and a new love is born.

An arranged betrothal was never the course Anne MacGregor imagined her life would take. Yet when her father explains that her cooperation is the only hope for peace, Anne sees no other choice. Even one year of commitment to Niall Campbell, after all, would win a long-sought truce between the feuding families.

But as Anne soon discovers, peace is not so easily achieved. Before she even arrives at her new home, rumors about her abound and her safety is threatened. Meanwhile, Niall’s ascension as leader of his clan is in jeopardy, as a traitor works to bring about his downfall.

As Niall and Anne begin to see beyond each other’s defenses, love takes them by surprise. But will it be enough to defeat their foes? Or will the truce be broken, their lives forfeit, and war return to their beloved land?

Amanda’s Review:

How I love a medieval romance! And this one drew me right into the time period and kept me turning the pages. Kathleen Morgan showed the Scottish imagery so well, I could hear their accents strongly in my head while I read and for a long time after.

Child of the Mist revealed the strong superstition of that time when a woman who didn’t quite follow the norms could be classified as a witch with little evidence on which to base the accusation on.  And of course, the man falling in love with her had a terrible time convincing people of her innocence, not matter that he was the clan chieftain.

There was plenty of intrigue and romance to keep me riveted throughout this novel. I feel like I have found a treasure in Kathleen Morgan and I can’t wait to read more of her work. Child of the Mist is a great read and highly recommended.

About the Author:

Kathleen was born in sunny Long Beach, California, one of four daughters of a career Army officer.

As a former Army nurse with a master’s degree in counseling, she has lived in Germany, Korea, Maryland, Texas, Virginia, Louisiana, Florida, Washington, D.C., Alabama, California, and Colorado.

She is married to a retired Army helicopter pilot and is the mother of two sons-one deceased- and stepmother to another son and a daughter, both of whom have been very busy making her a grandmother.

In her free time, Kathleen likes to quilt, play the Celtic harp, and be companion and caretaker to an aging English cocker spaniel. She is also a companion and the wifely caretaker to her husband, who is not quite so aged.

For more information about Kathleen Morgan and her books, go to: www.kathleenmorgan.com

Published in: on 21st November, 2012 at 10:15 am  Leave a Comment  
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Mary Hawkins – Return to Baragula

5 – 9 November

Australian Christian Readers Blog Alliance 

is introducing 

Return to Baragula

(Ark house March 2008)

by Mary Hawkins


About the Author:


Mary Hawkins is a best-selling inspirational romance author with other 825,000 romance books in print. During the first few years of being published she also had five medical romance novels released by Harlequin Mills & Boon before concentrating on inspirationals for Barbour Publishing (Ohio). Return to Baragula is her first single title and the first released by an Australia publisher.

Mary was a Queensland farmer’s daughter, became a registered nurse and has a graduate diploma from a Sydney Bible College where she met her husband. Ray is a retired minister who is also a published author. They enjoyed ministries in Australia, three short term mission trips to Africa and two years at a church in England before settling in beautiful Tasmania. They have three adult children and are now proud grandparents. Mary is a member of several writing organisations including American Christian Fiction Writers, Romance Writers of Australia, Romance Writers America, their Faith Hope Love chapter and Australian Omega Writers. She enjoys speaking appointments and writing workshops where she can share the journey she has been walking for many years with her Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

www.mary-hawkins.com

Book Description:


Return To Baragula

Over the years Emily Parker’s actions as a teenager have impacted not only her own life, but the lives of many different people.

Now, six years later, she returns reluctantly to her home town of Baragula only to discover the man at the heart of those actions, Matthew Davidson, is the community’s respected doctor.

While Emily’s faith is now severely weakened by all that has happened, Matthew’s life has completely turned around since he committed his life to Christ. His personal relationship with God is tested when he discovers how his behaviour when a non-believer hurt so many, especially Emily, and feels responsible for her hardness of heart towards the Lord.

Disease attacks the community while danger from another source threatens Emily and her family. Through it all, will Matthew and Emily’s faith be strong enough to forgive each other and put the past behind them?

Amanda’s Review:

Return to Baragula had me hooked from the opening paragraph, and until I finished it in the wee hours of the morning, I could not put it down. Not only did this novel contain romance, which I love, it was Australian through and through and held enough mystery and suspense to keep me turning the pages.

Mary Hawkins’ book never cease to engross me and this one was no different. She brings Australian country culture to life, so much so that I am  right there through every moment of the novel. I recommend Return to Baragula as a great read without hesitation.

Published in: on 7th November, 2012 at 10:08 am  Comments (3)  
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Four Authors. One Novel.

Left to right: Rose, Meredith, Paula, Amanda

Last weekend I had the privilege of meeting together with other writers from all over Australia and New Zealand as well for The Word Writers Getaway — a Christian writers conference. We spent time learning, getting to know each other in fellowship, discovering one another’s books and a few new books were launched. One of those was a collaborative novel I have been involved with — The Greenfield Legacy — by Meredith Resce, Rose Dee, Paula Vince and myself.

The whole experience of writing a novel with three other authors was a new and thrilling one. And even better, to see the finished product at the Getaway along with the other three women. Together, we had a blast in pre-release promotion — filming interviews, signing books and answering questions in a special plenary session where we sat on the stage as a panel.

This novel is not due to be officially released for another two weeks yet, but we are proud of what we have accomplished and there is a real buzz of anticipation towards its release. Through contacts that Meredith has, we are also proud to show our new book trailer.

For more information about The Greenfield Legacy, go to Light the Dark or Amazon.

Published in: on 18th October, 2012 at 10:08 am  Comments (4)  
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Tamera Alexander – Rekindled

**The winner of my new release, Black Forest Redemption, from the giveaway last week is Tima Murrell. Congratulations Tima! I’ll be in contact shortly. :)**

From the Back Cover:

Ten years ago Kathryn Jennings made a vow. For better or worse. And that promise still holds true, even though her marriage has not turned out as she expected. When her husband fails to return home one stormy winter night, she struggles to keep their ranch, but her efforts are blocked at every turn. After a shocking glimpse into her husband’s past, Kathryn uncovers a hidden truth. What she wouldn’t give to turn back time and be able to love her husband for the man that he was, not for the man she always wanted him to be.

Larson Jennings has spent his entire life running from a broken past, unable to trust, reluctant to try again. One fateful night, his life takes an unexpected twist, and soon he is forced to make a choice. Whatever he chooses, his decision may cost him his life.

Amanda’s Review:

I loved this novel. It caught me in so that I was up until almost 1am reading. What if you had the chance to fall in love with your spouse all over again? In Rekindled, Tamera Alexander has shown just that, but in a way you wouldn’t expect. In the process two lives deal with past hurts, misunderstandings and failures, in order to bring a marriage back to wholeness.

I appreciated the way Tamera dealt with marriage relationships and the trust that needs to exist between husband and wife. But, the message came through so gently amidst a moving romance. She also showed how God can use tragedy to bring us closer to Him and to those involved in our lives.

Rekindled is heartily recommended to those who love a great historical romance, with a gentle heart-warming story line.

About the Author:

Tamera Alexander is a bestselling novelist whose works have been awarded and nominated for numerous honors, including the Christy Award, the RITA Award, and the Carol Award. After seventeen years in Colorado, Tamera and her husband have returned to their native South and live in Nashville, Tennessee, where they enjoy spending time with their two grown children, and a ten pound silky terrier named Jack.

Published in: on 10th October, 2012 at 10:51 am  Leave a Comment  
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Amanda Deed – Black Forest Redemption

Yes, that’s right, I’m talking about myself today. This week my newest novel, Black Forest Redemption, has been released, so I wanted to celebrate that on my blog. This novel is the second in my Jacksons Creek series, following on from Ellenvale Gold, and yet it can be read as a stand alone. I’m very excited, can you tell?

So, to celebrate, I want to give away a copy to one lucky person. All you have to do is leave a comment and answer one of the questions below. But first, here’s a little about the book …

From  the Back Cover:

A man resigned to a life without fulfilment or purpose. A woman desperate for adventure.

Set against the tumultuous times of the Eureka uprising in Ballaarat, 1854, the two find themselves victims of an abduction. To escape could mean death. To hope for rescue is not an option.

Together they must find a way to survive in an untamed land where bushrangers, dense forest and wild animals are only some of the dangers they must face. Can he find the courage to succeed? Can she realise her dreams of freedom? Will the ordeal forge a bond of love between them, or drive them apart? And above all, will they find their way home?

Win a copy:

Just leave a comment with the answer to one of these questions. The winner will be drawn at random on Tuesday 9th October, and announced on my blog on Wednesday 10th October. Anyone can enter, however, for overseas entrants, the winning copy will be a Kindle version. Australian residents have a choice between e-book and print copy. Don’t forget to add your email address, so I can contact you if you win.

  1. If you’ve read Ellenvale Gold, what did Rupert Foxworth do with the gold nugget he found on Ellenvale Station?
  2. If you haven’t read Ellenvale Gold, what intrigues you most about life in the 1800s?
Published in: on 3rd October, 2012 at 10:43 am  Comments (18)  
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Rose Dee – Beyond Resolution

From the Back Cover:

Samara lives a life filled with fear. After being discarded and beaten by her drug dealing boyfriend, she takes one easy out after another. Her choices led her down the road of self-destruction, into the degrading world of stripping and a life spent looking over her shoulder. Until an encounter with a stranger on a Kings Cross Street provides the catalyst for a life changing event that leads her back home.

Resolution is the last place in the world Jed wants to be. One drastic decision has led him to the Island resort and back into strained contact with his brother, Flynn. When the one person he despises with a passion appears in the flesh, Jed must search his heart for a way to conquer the feelings he still harbours.

From the bright lights of Sydney to the blue waters of Resolution Island, Beyond Resolution is a story that provides a window into the joy of forgiveness, trust and peace.

Amanda’s Review:

Sometimes, it is our mistakes that drive us toward the loving embrace of God. That is what I took away from the second instalment of the Resolution Series. Once again Rose Dee kept me enthralled throughout as I turned the pages, always wondering what would happen next. More than just a romance, this story had a little mystery and suspense added to give it that something special that I really enjoy.

And again Rose brings the environment to life, from the streets of Sydney to the North Queensland coast, you feel like you’re right there with the characters. I recommend this novel to all lovers of contemporary romance. I look forward to the third novel in this series.

About the Author:

Rose Dee was born in Ingham, North Queensland, Australia. Her childhood experiences growing up in a small beach community would later provide inspiration for her first novel. Rose, who holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree, decided to try her hand at writing two years ago. The result of that attempt is her first published novel, Back to Resolution. The novel is a culmination of years spent living and loving the tropical paradise in which she lives.

Rose is currently finalising work on her latest release, which is the third in the Resolution series. A New Resolution is scheduled for release in October 2012. Rose resides in Mackay, North Queensland with her husband, young son, and mischievous pup, Noodle.

Published in: on 26th September, 2012 at 4:29 pm  Comments (1)  
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Jo Wanmer – Insight

Rather than offer Jo Wanmer a standard interview, I asked her to share part of her life with us – either a story about how she met her partner or a story of heritage from her family’s past. Jo offered to share the story about how she and her husband fell in love, and she wrote it from his point of view, which is intriguing.

The Introvert Falls in Love

He saw her the moment she walked in. He had never seen this family at church before. She was gorgeous and her legs were amazing.

The service was closing. ‘Dad. Go and find out about the girl with the legs!’

He watched as his father easily welcomed the girl’s mother. Now he could wander over and his Dad would introduce him to this girl. But he was frozen in his seat. His mouth was dry. His nerdy mate slipped in beside him and began talking about cars, as always. He wanted to talk about girls, but his tongue was stuck to the roof of his mouth. As he watched, he knew somehow, sometime he would marry that girl.

Every week she was in church and youth group chatting and laughing to everyone else but him.  She seemed so confident. The night the youth came to his house for coffee, he selected a chair opposite her. He wanted to tell her how wonderful she looked this evening. But he couldn’t. Maybe he’d talk about the weather.

His mother called and someone took his chair. He retreated to his room, defeated. He hadn’t spoken a word to her.

Weeks turned into months. Often, they were together, but she never noticed him. What could he do? She rode a little Honda motor bike. He raided his savings and purchased a Honda. After all, the advertising jingle claimed, ‘You meet the nicest people on a Honda!’

For a week he practiced the line, ‘Would you like to see my Honda?’

But the next weekend they went to her house. He carried mugs for her Mum, and managed to tell her brother about the bike, but she was talking loudly, busy with her friends.

Another month passed and the youth group returned to his house. He ran into her at the top of the stairs.

‘You…you want to see my bike?’ He felt like a klutz.

‘Bike?’

‘I bought a Honda.’

‘Oh! I didn’t know. Where is it?’ She followed him down the stairs, chattering about her bike and her crazy escapades. Really it was easy to talk to her. He only had to listen!

But she went back upstairs, returning to the loud, fast conversation. He sat with his nerdy friend, talked cars and thought about her.

Then he had a lucky break. Her mother went on holidays, leaving his vision of loveliness home without a car. He offered to pick her up for church in the morning and then again at night. Then he picked her up for youth group and drove her home.

She invited him to take her up the coast to join her family for the weekend. For hours they walked the beach, talking, not noticing that their feet were getting sunburnt. He could barely walk the next day, but did that matter? No! It had taken nearly a year, but he finally had his girl.

It seems like yesterday, but that all happened in 1969. We’ve now been married forty-one years, and he is still very quiet!

Jo Wanmer

Oh, I’ve gone all gooey reading that. Thanks Jo, for sharing it with us. I reviewed Jo’s novel Though the Bud be Bruised last week. You can read it here, along with more information about this wonderful author. What are you currently working on, Jo?

Though the Bud be Bruised was my first attempt at writing anything more than 1,000 words. I have started a novel, but mostly I’ve been writing articles and blogs. I have entries in ‘Strength’, this year’s Life Well book, and articles in Golden Pen magazine and Footprints. I am a communicator firstly and love to preach, but I know there are other books coming, sometime!

Well, I for one, am looking forward to the communicator side of you at the upcoming Word Writers Getaway. And I look forward to the day when you do release another novel. Thanks for sharing your story with us today, Jo.
Published in: on 19th September, 2012 at 10:09 am  Comments (2)  
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Jo Wanmer – Though the Bud be Bruised

From the Back Cover:

Can one little note, read at midnight, really trigger a chain of events that could shake the very foundation of Zara Heymer’s life? Can she even grasp the horror
of what has happened within her family? The shock of discovering that evil, cleverly disguised, has penetrated her home and her church has left Zara reeling. Feeling a total failure, she looks for a way to resign as a mother; a way to stop this nightmare.

But her daughter, Issy, desperately needs a good mother as she attempts to face life after abuse. Can Zara put aside her grief, her own need for acceptance, her narrow thinking, and deeply ingrained religiosity in time to help Issy? Will Issy even survive? How could God allow this to happen? Is God even there? Is her faith relevant or is it just a false crutch she has lent upon all these years? Is there any possible way that God can use this nightmare for good?

Amanda’s Review:

From reading other reviews, I knew I was in for a powerful read with Though the Bud be Bruised. I didn’t know that it would become one of my top reads so far this year. The fact that this story was based on true events had me gasping many times. I’m sure I groaned ‘oh my goodness’ on several occasions, and I know my hubby heard me sniffing from another room and said, ‘don’t cry, baby.’

Though the content is confronting, dealing with issues that most people like to keep hidden, it is actually filled with hope. While it could seem to be quite a horror story when you look at the events, it is in fact, a powerful testament to the profound love and grace of God. Jo Wanmer did an exceptional job of dealing with this issue, without leaving me feeling weighed down with grief. I was enthralled with the journey the Lord took Zara on as she dealt with her daughter’s abuse, and I identified with some of the lessons she learned, even though my own circumstances are quite different.

There is something in this novel for everyone — from becoming aware of the evils of sexual abuse, to a new understanding of God’s love and grace. But, be prepared to have your ideals challenged and your thought processes provoked!

About the Author:

Jo Wanmer loves being a Queenslander.

She really enjoyed writing ‘Though the Bud be Bruised’ and is working on another novel. Her passion is to bring the love, healing and hope of Jesus to men and women who have walked through life’s valleys. There is always light at the end of the tunnel.

As an associate pastor, Jo is an accomplished speaker and preacher. She would be happy to visit your group and speak on any of the topics raised in this book.

You can contact her on jowanmer@gmail.com

Or follow her blog at www.jo-wanmer.blogspot.com

Published in: on 13th September, 2012 at 12:35 pm  Comments (4)  
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Debbie Roome – Insight

Rather than offer Debbie Roome a standard interview, I asked her to share part of her life with us – either a story about how she met her partner, a story about how she became a Christian, or a story of heritage from her family’s past. Debbie offered to share the story about how she and her husband got together. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

What’s in a Name?

“So which name should we pick?”Mom asked.

“I don’t know. You choose.” I replied.

Our church in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, was hosting a team of workers travelling through Africa with Reinhard Bonnke and Christ for all Nations. Mom had volunteered to take in one person who would be with us for a week. I was 19 at the time and still living at home.

“Okay, let’s go for Kevin Roome,” she said.

“Sounds fine to me.” I had no idea that less than two years later I would be married to this man.

Kevin duly arrived and we discovered that he was 22 and worked full-time for Christ for all Nations, maintaining and driving their trucks. With me being on the quiet side, we had a couple of superficial conversations and that was it … as far as I was concerned anyway. Kevin was of the same opinion but it appeared God had other plans.

Kevin later told me that after leaving Bulawayo, the crusade team travelled up to Harare. He was on stage security for one of the first outreaches up there and while he was on the platform, God impressed something on him very clearly. He told him that I was going to be his wife and that he was going to attend Bible school the following year. His initial reaction was “What! I don’t even know her!”

To cut a long story short, he decided if that was what God wanted, He would make it happen. It appeared his impression was a heavenly one and we married on the 1st February 1986. Since then we have lived in three countries and produced five wonderful children. We love each other more now than ever before.

Wow, what a wonderful story. Thanks Debbie, for sharing it with us. I reviewed Debbie’s novel Embracing Change last week. You can read it here, along with more information about Debbie Roome. What can we look forward to next from you Debbie?

I am currently working on a novel entitled Contagious Hope.

Contagious Hope is a romantic adventure set in three diverse areas of South Africa. New Zealander, Savannah, meets Blake and Pumzile at Mercy House where she is volunteering as part of a six week mission trip. She has to dig deep when confronted with AIDS, prostitution, crime and a midnight escape to a safe house. God continues to work but after dramatic events unfold in a Zulu village, one final adventure could cost her everything.

Sounds intriguing! I’m looking forward to reading it. (I noticed you released the cover for this recently, so I popped it on here too.) Thanks for sharing your time and stories with us, Debbie.
Published in: on 5th September, 2012 at 10:15 am  Comments (2)  
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