On My Kindle - And You Came Along - Elaine Stock

After losing her job and being evicted, Jacey and her young son pack up and head for a friend's house. On the way, a blizzard and an accident delay their progress.

Zander is headed to see his family and relocate near them after a horrific on-the-job incident. When he's involved in the crash with Jacey, he worries that his painful injuries will worsen.

A Good Samaritan helps them and urges them to stay in the cabin on his property. As the storm rages outside, Jacey and Zander deal with their own internal storms. Each day, their attraction grows stronger.

They're about to make some big decisions, when a revelation threatens to turn this fairytale romance into a, "no deal."

Elaine Stock does a nice job with her characters and their story. The novella-length makes it a fast read, while the sweet romance is perfect for an afternoon at the beach.

4 Stars for this light romance.

Disclaimer: The author did not pay me for a favorable review. All opinions, as usual, are mine and mine alone.

Writers:  Have you tried writing a novella-length book? What challenges did you encounter?

Readers:  Do you prefer novellas or longer books? Why?

We Interrupt This Blog Break...

I'm guest posting at Elaine Stock's blog from 9/8 - 9/15/17! GIVEAWAY.

God has a plan for us - a good one. I hope you'll stop by and comment.

On My Kindle - Always With You by Elaine Stock

Isabelle Gilbert's frustration with her father and grandmother's secretive ways makes her ripe for trouble. All she wants is a normal home and family life.

Tyler Saunders lives with his three siblings among a communal religious group. He's totally into their beliefs until he meets and falls in love with a special Outsider. Will she consent to marry him and become a devoted Faithful wife?

Elaine Stock did a great job with these characters. Each one came to the relationship with expectations that were soon shattered. Their growth and journey to spiritual freedom happened organically and in a believable fashion.

The strong ending wowed me. I didn't expect it to take that particular twist.

Five stars for an excellent story. I could see this as a movie.

Disclaimer:  I can't recall how I got this book since it's been sitting on my Kindle for a while. However, I haven't received any payment from the author or publisher. All opinions are mine and mine alone.

Writers:  How do you develop your characters? Do you use character charts or other devices to map out their progress or do you let it happen as the story progresses?

Readers:  No spoilers here - what book had the best ending you've ever read?

Colorful Writing/Two Plots/Assisted Suicide/Answered Prayer/Recipe

1.  Diann Mills, at The Write Conversation, talks about adding depth to your writing through color. You don't have to be a writer to benefit from this article. See why it's probably not a good idea to paint Junior's nursery yellow.

2.  Dave King writes about Your Two Plots at Writer Unboxed. Paying attention to your characters' inner life as well as the outward action can give readers a much-needed break but keep the action going.

3.  Babies are not the only ones at risk these days. Breaking Christian News reports on assisted suicide. The elderly are being put in jeopardy.

4.  Jodie Wolfe is featured on Elaine Stock's blog. She talks about Prayers Answered.

5.  This recipe for cracker candy looks delicious. Okay, it has chocolate. Need I say more? Check it out on Afternoon Baking With Grandma.

Writers:  How do you incorporate color into your writing?

Readers:  Did you try any new recipes during the holidays? Please share. (I tried the Almond Joy Cookies found on Facebook. They received mixed reviews.)

Photo Credit:  Karen Barefoot

Cliches/Dialogue/Free Speech/Hope/Devo

1.  I confess. I like cliches, and my critique partners and editor are always pointing them out. When I saw this post on Writer Unboxed, my reaction was, "YES!" Jo Eberhardt doesn't advocate drowning our readers in these devices, but used sparingly, they can save a lot of writing. Check out, "In Defense of Cliches."  (Notes: This is not a Christian site.)

2.  Writing dialogue is one of my favorite aspects of writing, but it can be tricky. Amy Sue Nathan guest posts at Writers In The Storm on fine tuning your dialogue.

3.  California is trying to pass a law fining and even arresting those who do investigative reporting. This includes bloggers and websites that report/show/tweet these stories. The video footage on Planned Parenthood was so devastating that efforts to silence those exposing the horrors ignore the foundation of free speech.

4.  Whether you're a writer or a reader, Gail Kittleson's guest post at Elaine Stock's blog will resonate with you. Choose hope.

5.  Jeanette Levellie shares her experience, and declares, "So, this is what hell feels like."

Writers:  Do you like cliches? Please share your struggles with erasing them from your writing.

Readers:  How do you maintain your hope level?

Photo Credit:  Colin Cochrane

Action Scenes/Sequelphobia/Headlines/Pray/Jessica Nelson Cover

1.  Jessie Rita Hoffman guest posts at Writer Unboxed. Writing an action scene can make or break a novel. She gives some excellent instruction on how to make your scene effective.

2.  Barbara Hartzler guest posted at Elaine Stock's blog a few weeks ago. The title grabbed me:  Do You Suffer From Sequelphobia? Every writer who has a successful first book wonders whether or not they can do it again.

3.  Christian Headlines presented an article on the targeting of Christian colleges for their gender views. When are we going to stand up to the bullies, who want to take our religious freedoms away?

4.  Canadian blogger, Lynn Simpson, posts on the devastating fires in her region. She comes to the conclusion there are no words to express what's happening. Only pray.

5.  Readers - Watch for the release of Jessica Nelson's novel, "A Hasty Betrothal," coming out in August 2016. I've read a couple of her books, and they're wonderful stories.

Writers:  What problems do you run into when writing action scenes?

Readers:  When reading a series, are you often disappointed by the second book? Please share.

Comparisons/10 Fixes/Support/Photos/Not Winning

1.  Chuck Sambuchino guest posts at Writers in the Storm. We all learn from other authors, but there are some comparisons that should be avoided. He gives Five Comparisons Not to Make For Your Book.

2.  Zoe M. McCarthy gives 10 Fixes to Edit Unclear and Wordy Sentences.

3.  Christianheadlines.com reports on how Christian support groups and churches are influential in helping people overcome addictions.

4.  Are you drawn to photography? Carol J. Garvin posts many of her pictures.

5.  Vicki Hinze guest posts on Elaine Stock's blog. She talks about those times when you don't win and why they have significance.

Writers:  How do you find comparable books for your book proposals? Do you read in your genre?

Readers:  Vicki's article about not winning can impact us whether or not we're writers. Have you ever had a situation where someone else needed to win?

Photo Credit:  Colin Adamson

Contracts/Blog/Censorship/Devo/Cover Design

1.  Signing a publishing contract is a serious matter. Susan Spann guest posts at Writers in The Storm and talks about, "When Is a Book Out of Print." Knowing this information can mean the difference between getting your rights back or being stuck in a never-ending contract. This applies to both traditional and self-publishing contracts.

2.  Elaine Stock's blog has long been a favorite. She recently announced that Everyone's Story has moved to http://www.elainestock.com/blog/  

3.  I was particularly interested in this WND article on Costco's pulling of Dinesh De-souza's book, America - Imagine The World Without Her. People were outraged and expressed it. I wrote to Costco and gave them my opinion. Only when 17,000 Costco members went on the retail giant's website and put a picture of themselves cutting up their Costco cards did they sit up and take notice.

4.  Susan Panzica at Eternity Cafe, did a post for the New Year that I thought had great value. Forget it! or Remember? I apologize this is so late, but it got lost among my emails. By the way, Susan has a wonderful Christmas Book out called, "Mary Had A Little Lamb."

5.  I came across this article on Facebook. Cover design is crucial to the success of your book. Check it out.

Writers:  If you've had a book traditionally or Indie published, how were you involved with the cover selection?

Readers: What kind of impact does the book cover have on your choice whether or not to buy a title?

Photo Credit:  Michelle Seixes

Dedication/Homeschool/Experts/Blog/Devo

1.  Ace Collins guest posts on Everyone's Story and shares the challenges of writing a Dedication. How do you condense a life into one or two short lines?

2.  Whatever you think of homeschooling, this New Jersey couple were subjected to an interrogation and threats that should give all of us pause for consideration.

3.  Betsey Duffy and Laurie Myers guest posted on Seriously Write. They used readers to advise them on the accuracy of their scenes.

4.  K. Douglas Brown guest posts at Blogging Bistro. He gives 3 Lifesaving Tips for Newbie Bloggers. I wish I'd had these when I started out. I'd add one more to his list: learn how to schedule posts. :)

5.  Beth K. Vogt shares a devotional on The Write Conversation. She encourages us to "Be All There."

Writers:  How do you find experts to help you with your works-in-progress?

Readers:  Is there some area of expertise you have that could assist your writer friends? Please share. Maybe I'll consult you in the future. :)

Photo Credit:  michelemik

 1.  Sierra Godfrey posts at Writers In The Storm about promotional items for authors. She discusses giveaway items, setting up a booth at book fairs or other venues.

2.  Positive Writer talks about keeping others from sabotaging your work.

3.  WND reports on the second state to resist the militarization of local police forces. Law enforcement agencies are using federal grants to buy heavy-duty military equipment.

4.  Are you in a quandary between traditional publishing and Indie? Barbara Hartzler guest posts at Elaine Stock's blog on 5 Reasons Why I Decided NOT to Choose Between Them.

Writers:  Do you share your work with others or hold it close until it's in publishable condition? Please share.

Readers:  Do you read Indie books? Please share.

Photo Credit:  creactions