On My Nightstand - The Medallion by Cathy Gohlke

After reading all of Cathy Gohlke's novels, I knew The Medallion would be a great story. I was totally unprepared for the effect it had on me.

Based on true events from WWII in Poland, it alternately horrified and inspired me. There's something about hearing of war in abstract terms and quite another thing when the lives of people are highlighted. It reminded me of 9/11 and the individual stories of death and survival.

Throughout the story, Cathy wove in how faith affected the characters' decisions. The escapes from desperate circumstances reflected the hand of God on their lives. In the midst of the worst situations, they made sacrifices to preserve the lives of their fellow man.

The underground went to great lengths to rescue children. Each person did what they could, and together they made an impact that will echo into eternity. Can we do any less than speak out for infants, who modern pharoahs look to exterminate? Can we do any less to protect the elderly, those with disabilities, and those battling serious illnesses?

Five stars.

Disclaimer:  Neither the author nor the publisher paid me for a favorable review. I pre-ordered this book on my own, and all opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.

Writers:  Have you ever written something after being inspired by a true story? How did you discover the story?

Readers:  Has a novel ever moved you to become more involved in a cause? Please share.

On My Nightstand - Until We Find Home by Cathy Gohlke

Another great story by this author! I never get tired of her books. This one focuses on a group of orphans smuggled out of France and Nazi Germany during the Second World War.

Claire Stewart, an aspiring writer, helps the French Resistance rescue Jewish youngsters. She plans to drop them off at a boat that will take them to England. Her contact and boyfriend, Arnaud, is supposed to meet her there, but never shows up. She gets knocked unconscious and ends up in England with the children. Fortunately, her aunt, Lady Miranda, lives there and takes them all into her home even though she has her doubts.

David Campbell is displaced in his own right. An American working in England on a top-secret war project, he finds lodging with Lady Miranda, Claire, and the young refugees. His wisdom and concern for all of them brings growth, joy, and hope to the household.

This book is 5 Stars all the way. Any time I see a new story coming out by this author, I make sure I pick it up. I've read every single one she's written and keep them in my personal library.

Writers and Readers:  Do you have some go-to authors that always top your TBR list? Please share.

On My Nightstand - Secrets She Kept by Cathy Gohlke

Hannah Sterling's parents shielded her from family secrets. When her widowed mother dies, the mysteries haunt her to the point she cannot function. She discovers a letter and decides to pursue all leads in the hopes of eliminating their effects on her life.

Against her aunt's wishes, she travels to Germany. More questions surface and few answers until her tour guide, Carl Schmidt, reveals what he knows.

Cathy Gohlke once again crafts a book that keeps me thinking between reading opportunities. Her characters' dialogue and emotional responses to their situations are natural and seamless.

Very few authors achieve the level of writing I see in this book and her other novels. These are the types of books aspiring novelists need to absorb.

Whether you're a reader or a writer, Secrets She Kept will satisfy your thirst for a well-written story.  A scale of one to five is inadequate. This one is off the charts.

Disclaimer: The author and publisher did not request a review or provide a copy of this book. I purchased it, and all opinions expressed here are mine.

Writers:  Do you have a favorite author that makes you sit back and enjoy a story without the internal editor kicking in? Please share.

Readers:  Do you value book reviews or ignore them? Why?

On My Nightstand - Saving Amelie by Cathy Gohlke

Cathy Gohlke's book is a stark reminder of what happens when people are considered expendable. The story brings the Nazi regime to light through the eyes of the daughter of a eugenics researcher, an American journalist, and a deaf child. Her insights are chilling, and it's impossible not to compare the atrocities to what's occurring in our day and age.

From a writing standpoint, the research reflects Cathy's signature attention to detail. This book has it all: technical excellence, a compelling story, and a take-away for the reader.

A multi-published, 2-time Christy Award winning author, Cathy's books are an automatic buy for me. Don't miss this 5-Star novel!

Writers and Readers: What's on your nightstand? Please share.

On My Nightstand - Band of Sisters by Cathy Gohlke

 

When Maureen O'Reilly's mother dies, her aunt insists she take her sister and move to America. A letter from an old friend of their father promises a start in the new world. 

Her hopes are dashed when she discovers that the old friend has died, and the family disavows any knowledge of the promise. Olivia Wakefield, the daughter, decides to honor her father's commitment even though her family disapproves.

Maureen finds a job at a high-class department store. Women begin disappearing, and she wonders if she hasn't stepped from the proverbial frying pan into the fire. When several people offer their assistance, her trust issues make it difficult to accept.

Cathy Gohlke hits the target with her latest book. She has a way of putting a face to historical issues. Intricate family and friend relationships drive the story forward, and the decisions made can open the doors to love or slam them shut forever.

The author has a wonderful talent for creating realistic characters and situations. Their actions were always understandable even when I groaned at some of their choices.

I highly recommend this panoramic view of an female immigrant's life in the big city. If you want to see first-class writing, read Cathy's novels.

Disclaimer: The author provided an Advanced Reader Copy. As always, the opinions expressed are completely mine, and I received no payment for this review.

 

Cathy Gohlke - Author Interview & Giveaway - Part 2

Welcome to Part 2 of our interview and giveaway with Christy Award winning author, Cathy Gohlke. Check out the giveaway details at the end of the interview.

3) Cathy, do you have any tips for aspiring authors?

Read, write the best book/article/short story/feature/poem you can at this time in your journey, then revise, work hard, and expect the road to be long and bumpy. Embrace those bumps, twists and turns as gifts from a loving Heavenly Father. They're in your unique path, as they were and are in mine, to learn something valuable--something that will not only make each of us better, stronger people and better, stronger writers, but able to write with the unique voice we've been given.

Take full advantage of the opportunities within your grasp, learn from those who've gone before and from those who are willing to walk beside you. Never-NEVER-compare your work or opportunities with those of others--it is futile, and/or discouraging, and/or leads to pride that knows a sharp-ended timeline.

Share your gifts, bless others with your writing, and stay the course. Surrender each day to theCreator of days, and each opportunity--for joy or sorrow, trusting Him for the results.

If you decide this is more than you want to bite off, there is no shame. There are ways upon ways to honor God with your life, to live out who He created you to be, to "go into all the world and preach the Gospel," and to "love one another." Know the difference between "I should do this" and "I'm made alive by doing this!"

6) I'm already looking forward to another Cathy Gohlke book.What's next on your agenda?

Band of Sisters, which will release in September, was born of a passion to end modern-day slavery, and most of all to ask, "what can I do to help in a need so desperate?"

Here is a summary:

Maureen O'Reilly and her younger sister flee Ireland in hope of claiming the life promised their father over twenty years before.

But after surviving the rigors of Ellis Island, Maureen learns that their NYC benefactor, Colonel Wakefield, has died, and his family, refusing to own hisCivil War debt, casts her out.

Alone, impoverished, and in danger of deportation, Maureen connives to obtain employment in a prominent department store. But she soon discovers that the elegant facade hides a secret that threatens every vulnerable woman in the city.

Despite her family's disapproval, Olivia Wakefield determines to honor her father's debt, but can't find Maureen. Unexpected help comes from a local businessman, who Olivia sees as more than an ally, even as she fears the secrets he's hiding.

As women begin disappearing from the store, Olivia rallies influential ladies in her circle to help Maureen take a stand against injustice and fight for the lives of their growing band of sisters. But can either woman open her heart to divine leading, or the love that might bring?

Thank you, Cathy, for doing this interview.

Thank you so much for having me, Susan. It's been my pleasure and joy to spend time with you and your readers!

Disclosure: The author provided her book for purposes of review. The opinions I've expressed, as usual, are totally mine.

Giveaway Details:

1) The giveaway is open to Followers and new Followers of Christian Writer/Reader Connection, who reside in the United States. The drawing is void where prohibited.

2) Leave a comment on this post with your email address. Next Wednesday, you'll have an opportunity to comment for another entry. If you mention the giveaway on your blog, Facebook page, or Twitter, I'll give you another entry for each one as long as you inform me in your comment here.

3) The deadline is midnight, Saturday, March 31, 2012. The winner will be drawn on Sunday, April 1, 2012, and notified via email. I'll also make an announcement on the blog on Sunday, April 1, 2012. When you send me your snail mail address, I'll forward it to Cathy, and she'll send you her book.

Question for Writers: Did you find a nugget to help in your writing journey? Please share.

Question for Readers: What was your favorite part of the interview?

Author Interview & Giveaway - Cathy Gohlke - Part 1

 

Cathy Gohlke and I met at a book signing event several years ago. We've become good friends, and I'm thrilled she took time out of her busy schedule to do this interview and giveaway.

I see the giveaway perked up your interest! Don't miss an opportunity to enter the drawing for her latest book, Promise Me This. Check out the details at the end of this post.

1) Welcome, Cathy! I notice you used multiple points of view in your latest story. How do you keep track of them? What prompted you to go that route rather than use one or two POV's?

Ah, you've hit upon one of my greatest challenges in writing this book. Both of my earlier books were written in first person, and I love the comfort of writing in that point of view. It's a natural storyteller's voice. But there were so many parts to this story--so many points of view needed to share the full experience--that writing in only one was out of the question.

Promise Me This is a picture of Christ's love story to the world--hence, Owen's viewpoint. It is also a picture of our response to Christ's unmerited gift of salvation--hence, the viewpoint of Michael, the young Titanic stowaway saved by Owen's grace and through his personal sacrifice. And then there is Annie, Owen's younger sister, whose viewpoint demonstrates our reluctance to forgive, even when we've been loved and forgiven. Annie shows through the experiences of her life, the differences between loving sacrificially, like Christ, and being coerced and guilted into serving.

Keeping track of these points of view, and even those of minor characters, was helped by thinking of all the characters as players upon a stage. The eye can only keep track of and the mind fully absorb one character's actions at a time. Everyone must be present--somewhere--and accounted for, but only one person can tell their story, until they relinquish the stage to another through (in novel form) new scenes or chapters or simply by changing points of view within a scene.

By allowing characters to speak freely, in their individual manner, the voices are distinguished. Once I begin "hearing" their unique voice and their perspective on the story, it's easier to see who needs to tell that portion of the story most.

2) We all like to hear about a writer's journey to publication. Would you tell us about how you landed a contract with your first book, William Henry Is A Fine Name?

When my novel was completed and as polished as I knew how to make it at the time, I looked up submission guidelines for publishers I thought likely to be interested. Following those guidelines, I submitted query letters and (if wanted) sample chapters to 23 ABA publishers.

My desire was to get a good book with strong moral content and that focused on a young person's ability to choose and stand by the consequences of his actions into schools and public libraries. I got a few bites, but no contracts. By the time most of my query letters were answered with rejections, I decided to try the CBA.

Not having an agent and unable to afford a Christian writers conference, I emailed The Writer's Edge, an on-line magazine that sends monthly listings of accepted books to Christian publishing houses. Details of my manuscript were listed in the magazine.

The idea was that if an editor saw something that piqued his/her interest, they would contact the author, and request the complete manuscript. Three editors contacted me, and after I showed myself willing and able to revise the manuscript, a contract was offered. I signed that contract on my 50th birthday--the beginning of a whole new life.

Giveaway Details:

1) The giveaway is open to Followers and new Followers of Christian Writer/Reader Connection, who reside in the United States. The drawing is void where prohibited.

2) Leave a comment on this post with your email address. Next Wednesday, you'll have an opportunity to comment for another entry. If you mention the giveaway on your blog, Facebook page, or Twitter, I'll give you another entry for each one as long as you inform me in your comment here.

3) The deadline is midnight, Saturday, March 31, 2012. The winner will be drawn on Sunday, April 1, 2012, and notified via email. I'll also make an announcement on the blog on Sunday, April 1, 2012. When you send me your snail mail address, I'll forward it to Cathy, and she'll send you her book.

Disclosure: The author provided me with her book for review purposes. The opinions, as always, are totally my own.

Question for writers: What point of view is most comfortable for you as a writer and why?

Question for readers: What point of view do you prefer reading? Do you enjoy a character speaking in first person or getting into the head of many characters in a book?

Guest Post - Christy-Award Winning Author, Cathy Gohlke

Today, we're welcoming Cathy Gohlke, author of two Christy-award winning books. Her latest novel, "Promise Me This," involved extensive research on the Titanic, its passengers, and the time period. I asked her to share her adventures and the development of this story. Here's Cathy.

Thank you so much, Susan! It's been an exciting journey.

Research for this book was fascinating! It began at a discount table in a bookstore, the moment I happened across a copy of a portion of Titanic's manifest, and found the name of a third class passenger, Owen George Allum, a London gardener sailing from Southampton, England.

My great-grandfather emigrated from England a few short years before Titanic sailed. Unable to find work as the gold-leaf artist he was, he embraced a lifelong hobby and was employed as a gardener for a wealthy Buffalo family. A Master gardener, he created beautiful arbors and arches of roses and developed new strains of flowers. I thought, what an interesting character those two combined would make!

I read a great many books on Titanic, poured over public inquiry records from America and England, toured exhibits in museums in America and Southampton, England, then trekked back and forth through Southampton, recreating as best I could the life of the ship's crew and their families (before and after the tragedy). I spent days in London absorbing its history, life, and atmosphere, as well as the story of John Bunyan's, "The Pilgrim's Progress," interesting features of Bunhill Cemetery, and Britain's experience in WWI.

I haunted a half dozen used bookstores tucked into the most intriguing places from Lincoln to London to  Southampton, then headed across the English Channel, saying good-bye to Dover's white cliffs and hello to Calais, France.

The next year, my husband, son, and I toured numerous WWI sites in France (east to west). In Berlin, Germany, our son flew home, and our daughter joined us for treks through Germany and Poland. Museums, historic sites, and individuals helped me flesh out the stories of each of my characters in ways I could not from this side of the Atlantic.

I read all of Charles Haas' work on Titanic and Lyn MacDonald's books on WWI. Digging up details of the American Ambulance Field Service in France was more challenging, but it was all pure joy.

When I finally returned to the U.S., I spent a few weeks in Cape May County, NJ (where I set Allen's Run gardens, modeled after Leaming's Run Gardens in Swainton). The Cape May County Historical Society staff and the Cape May County public librarians were wonderful companion sleuths, as was an elderly local historian.

Susan here. :) This post was originally part of the upcoming interview, but I wanted to give it prime space. While not all of us can travel far and wide, Cathy's research highlights some tools we can apply to our own writing experience.

Question for writers: What part of Cathy's research stood out to you? Please share some of your own favorite research tips.

Question for readers: How important is setting and time period in the books you read? Please elaborate.

On My Nightstand - Promise Me This by Cathy Gohlke

 

Annie Allen watches the Titanic set sail. She wishes her brother, Owen, had allowed her to go along with him, never dreaming the most precious individual in her life would soon be a casualty.

Even though he faced a sure death, Owen worked hard to secure the safety of his young friend, Michael Dunnagan. Annie deals with resentment that Michael lived while her brother died.

Owen made Michael promise to bring Annie to America. His correspondence and the encouragement of her friend, soften her heart. Friendship turns to love, but will a world gone mad keep them from ever realizing their dreams?

Cathy Gohlke's beautiful writing, stirring plots, and vibrant characters make her one of my favorite writers. This release comes at the 100th year anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. She knows exactly when to send the tension into overdrive. Just when you think everything will work out, the characters face another hurdle to overcome.

This book is a keeper from both a historical and a romantic perspective. Don't miss the latest offering from this Christy Award-Winning Author.

Disclosure: Cathy sent me the book. As always, the opinions are all mine. I did not receive any remuneration for this review.