No doubt you've heard about all the trouble brewing in Israel. I keep a steady eye upon the middle east, and in particular, Israel, not only because it was the birthplace of my Savior, but because I believe it is God's end-times clock. We can gauge how close we are to the last days by what is going on in Israel. The Scriptures tell us Israel will be at the center of all the trouble in the world. Israel is the place from which Jesus rose to Heaven and it is the place where He will return. Jerusalem is where the antichrist will set up his throne and persecute Jews and Christians. There is also a great war described (The war of Gog and Magog) in which many nations band together to attack Israel and are then destroyed. So, when things start to heat up there, it gets my attention.
Last I heard, Israel was planning a land invasion. If that happens, Hezbollah in the north have threatened to attack Israel as well, and quite possibly Iran will jump in the mix as they have been supplying Hamas with weapons for years.
Please pray for God to intervene and bring peace to the area. Pray for minimal injuries and deaths on both sides and for all to come to a saving knowlege of Jesus.
Yet, even in the midst of all the wars, the economic crises, the sicknesses, we as believers in Jesus should not be afraid. Therefore, let me end on an encouraging note from A.W. Tozer:
The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlastingarms; He will thrust out the enemy from before you, and will say,"Destroy!" --Deuteronomy 33:27
Surely Bible-reading Christians should be the last persons on earth togive way to hysteria. They are redeemed from their past offenses, kept in their present circumstances by the power of an all-powerful God,and their future is safe in His hands. God has promised to support them in the flood, protect them in the fire, feed them in famine,shield them against their enemies, hide them in His safe chambersuntil the indignation is past and receive them at last into eternal tabernacles.
If we are called upon to suffer, we may be perfectly sure that we shall be rewarded for every pain and blessed for every tear. Underneath will be the Everlasting Arms and within will be the deep assurance that all is well with our souls. Nothing can separate us from the love of God-not death, nor life, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature. This is a big old world, and it is full of the habitations of darkness, but nowhere in its vast expanse is there one thing of which a real Christian need be afraid.
I LOVED reading all your comments about what Christmas means to you. The consensus is: Family, friends, rest, and most importantly, the birth of our Savior! It makes me sad to see how far the world has come from these things and how much focus is put on buying "stuff". None of the stuff we accumulate in this life will matter to us as we lie on our death bed. Only our family and friends who surround us, and the assurance of our faith in Jesus that will escort us into Heaven.
But I digress. The winner of last week's copy of The Red Siren is Rebecca Herman! Thanks to all who entered. You'll have one more chance this week to win a copy. I had hoped to have a video trailer for you to watch, but the company I hired to create it hasn't completed it yet. (Perhaps next week)
Anyway, to be entered this week in the drawing, please leave me a comment telling me why you are interested in reading The Red Siren. What draws you to the story? What do you find interesting about the characters? the time period? the location? I'm curious to know what readers are looking for in a novel. What is the most important thing to you about a novel that will keep you reading?
"For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace, there will be no end" Isaiah 9:6-7
This passage about Jesus was written some 600 years before he was even born. Here are some other prophecies about the birth of Jesus written long before he arrived. The Old Testament is full of prophecies fulfilled by Jesus.
Isaiah 7:14 Born of a virgin
Micah 5:2 Born in Bethlehem
Jeremiah 31:15 Herod's murder of all babies in Bethlehem
Hosea 11:1 Jesus would escape Herod's brutality by traveling to Egypt
But what I want to focus on now is the phrase "a Son is given" You see, I have a son, an only son, who I love with all my heart. In fact, my children are the only people on earth I would sacrifice my life for. And I believe most parents feel the same way. But would I send my son to an excrutiating death in order to save the life of someone else I loved? Probably not. Would I send him for someone who was my enemy, someone who belittled me, shunned me, rejected me? NEVER. But my love is human, selfish and flawed and I can never understand the perfect, unconditional love of God. When God sent Jesus to take on human form and be born as an infant in that manger, I don't think He was looking at Jesus as a cute little baby. I think God saw His Son, mangled and mutilated, hanging on a cross. And it broke God's heart. He could have called Jesus home at any time during his 33 years here on earth, but He didn't. What manner of Love is this? Incredible.
If you are feeling blue this season, if you have problems you're battling, or even if you're overwhelmed by gift-buying and decorating and parties and you seem to have lost the true meaning of Christmas along the way, click on this link and take a few minutes out of your busy day to watch this video. You'll be glad you did.
If you'd like to enter another drawing for The Red Siren, please leave a comment about what Christmas means to you. I'll draw a name on Monday next week. Also, my publisher is having a drawing of their own on their blog. You can also enter your name there to win a free copy as well. Here's the link The Edit Cafe
Pauline won a copy of The Red Siren! Congratulations, ladies!
Thank you so much, everyone, for all your comments! Tune in tomorrow for a brief Christmas message and another chance to win a copy of The Red Siren.
The contest for The Red Siren was close. The correct answer was 'D'. Faith is a pirate and she always acts first and talks later. But I have to say, I probably made the test too hard. Your answers were really close. Here's the rest of the scene:
Through the city gates, Dajon turned the horse onto the dirt path to Hassel Street, searching for an explanation for Miss Westcott’s behavior, any explanation besides the one that kept shoving its way to the forefront of his mind. Perhaps her father had trained her in arms. Perhaps she’d been forced to defend their home in the past. No. He knew Admiral Westcott. He would never allow one of his daughters to behave in such an improper and audacious manner.
She wiggled in the saddle and pulled away from him. “You do not have to hold me so tightly anymore,” she shot back over her shoulder.
He leaned toward her ear. “Enjoying yourself too much, perchance?”
Without warning, she elbowed him in the stomach. Dajon groaned beneath a premature chuckle but kept a firm grip upon her. “I am deeply wounded, Miss Westcott,” he managed to sputter as he caught his breath. “After all we’ve been through, ’tis only that I wouldn’t want you to fall.”
“If you don’t control those hands, it won’t be me who falls from this horse, Mr. Waite.”
To bring them to a saving knowledge of Jesus. Pure and simple. Consider the story of the Phillipian Jailer in Acts 16. Everything was going great in his life. He had a family, a good job. Then, 2 radicals who claimed to know the Son of God and who were performing miracles got tossed into his prison. And to make things worse, they spent the entire night singing songs to their God. But then an earthquake shook the ground. All the prison doors flew open and the jailer lost all hope. He knew what he had to do. He must kill himself or face execution at the hands of the Romans. His life as he knew it was over and his family would be ostracized and most likely starve. All hope was lost. He raised his sword, preparing to plunge it into his own heart.... When.... Paul and Silas yelled for him to stop, reassuring him that all he prisoners remained and then they shared the gospel with him. That night the jailer and his entire family were saved and baptized.
So, the next time you see a loved one who doesn't know God begin to suffer beneath a series of tragedies, sit back and pray with great anticipation. Perhaps God is trying to get his or her attention and soon they'll come running into His arms.
Is this month going by fast for you? It sure is for me. I just turned in The Blue Enchantress to Barbour (Book 2 in the Charles Towne Belles series) and now I'm scrambling to decorate my house, make cookies, and finish my shopping. Hard to believe Christmas is only a week away!
Anyway, I thought we'd do something fun this week. Now, that you've had in-depth glimpses of the two main characters in The Red Siren (Faith and Dajon), I thought I'd see if you can predict their actions. Here's a scene from the book where Faith and Dajon have just made a harrowing escape from a vicious group of pirates on horseback. They are riding on the same horse and Faith is perched in front of Dajon:
Dajon pulled back on the reins, slowing the horse to a walk as they approached the city gates. Visions of Miss Westcott storming into the tavern as boldly as she would her own parlor, and then standing her ground in a room full of drunken villains, pirates, and ruffians blasted across his mind. Not just standing her ground, but drawing her weapon, demanding her sister’s return. Why, she had not even blinked at the lewdness and profanity surrounding her. What sort of lady was she? A pirate lady. No. He could not believe it. He would not believe it. Through the city gates, Dajon turned the horse onto the dirt path to Hassel Street, searching for an explanation for Miss Westcott’s behavior, any explanation besides the one that kept shoving its way to the forefront of his mind. Perhaps her father had trained her in arms. Perhaps she’d been forced to defend their home in the past. No. He knew Admiral Westcott. He would never allow one of his daughters to behave in such an improper and audacious manner. She wiggled in the saddle and pulled away from him. “You do not have to hold me so tightly anymore,” she shot back over her shoulder. He leaned toward her ear. “Enjoying yourself too much, perchance?”
Okay, now it's your turn. Knowing the type of woman Faith is, what do you think her response will be? Choose from the following options. And everyone who guesses the correct answer will be entered in a drawing for another free book.
A. "No, but tis most improper."
B. With a chuckle, Faith turned and blew him a kiss.
C. She snuggled back into him. "Perhaps you are the one enjoying yourself too much."
D. Without warning, she elbowed him in the stomach.
E. "I could never enjoy myself with the likes of you."
Winner of a copy of The Red Siren from last week is : Mary! Congrats Mary. For everyone else, you have 3 more chances to win this month. Thanks to everyone who entered. I loved reading your comments!
I must delay this week's Red Siren post until Wednesday in favor of introducing you to my good friend and fellow author, Michelle Griep. Her very first novel released today, Gallimore, and if you leave a comment about anything you read in this posting, your name will be entered in a drawing for a free copy. Believe me, you'er going to love this book!
Minnesota author, Michelle Griep, has been writing since she first discovered Crayolas and blank wall space. She has homeschooled four children over the past twenty years, and teaches both Civics and Creative Writing for area co-ops. She is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers. Michelle's debut historical romance, GALLIMORE, is scheduled for release today! Here's a bit about the story.
Here's a blurb about the book
Jessica Neale’s faith is lost the day of her husband’s death, and with it, her belief in love. In a journey to find peace, she encounters a gentle, green-eyed stranger who leads her to the ruins of the medieval castle, Gallimore. On his way to battle, Colwyn Haukswyrth, knight of Gallimore, comes face to face with a storm the likes of which he’s never seen, and a woman in the midst of it who claims to live centuries in the future. The Lady Jessica of Neale is an irksome, provoking bit of woman to be sure. And she’s about to turn his beliefs on end. The product of a family rooted in pain and evil, Colwyn has focused on naught but himself—until Jessica. To a mysterious prophecy stitched on a tapestry, through the invasion of Gallimore itself, Colwyn and Jessica are bound together by a lesson in forgiveness and love—a bond that might be strong enough to survive the grave.
Check out the video trailer
Quirky - Q & A with Michelle Gripe.
Fiction character you would most like to be or most identify with and why? I always wanted to be Lt. Uhura on Star Trek because her uniform is pretty sweet, she gets to wear a funky ear piece, and she never had a bad hair day in her life.
If you could ask any person, living or dead, a random question -- what question would you ask of whom? I’d ask Mr. Rogers about the whole sweater and sneaker attire…was that really your idea or your mother’s?
Some out there in writing land have strange rituals. Share yours. It involves blood letting and small mammals, which I’m pretty sure is illegal in most of the contiguous United States. Good thing I live in the state of confusion (sorry, couldn’t resist).
If you could change something in any novel, what would you change about it and why? I’ll be stepping on some toes here, but personally I’d cut a dinner party or two out of Sense & Sensibility.
What crayon in the box describes you on a good day? Bad day? Which one do you aspire to be? I’m a marker girl myself, so I’m not really up on crayon colors.
Pick one…..Pink iguana, purple cow, periwinkle giraffe. Which one and why? Can be negative or positive. Not touching that with a ten-foot pole.
Favorite turn of phrase or word picture, in literature or movie. Classic: Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries. (from Monte Python and the Holy Grail) Most Recent: The sun stretched its rays further and stronger, like a thousand lances determined to strike a strong blow and leave a red mark. (from In the Shadow of Lions by Ginger Garrett)
If you were assured of writing a best-seller, what genre would it be? Give us a sliver of information, a characteristic or glimpse of a scene. Time travel – I love to throw myself into history, and of course I’m always the heroine. Naturally there’d be an unbelievably muscular hero who’s a warrior with a big heart that’s completely devoted to the heroine. And sorry, Fabio would NOT be on the cover.
What period of history intrigues you the most? Medieval
What would you write if there were no rules or barriers? (epic novels about characters in the Bible, poetry, greeting cards, plays, movies, instruction manuals, etc.) Whatever I feel like I wanna do! Gosh!
What makes you feel alive? A cattle prod…don’t ask.
How does something worm its way into your heart? Through tears, truth, humor or other? Time – I’m a slow learner.
Book, music, person, food you would take with you on a very long trip. Book: Bible Person: Jesus Music: Third Day Food: Chocolate
Where would you most like to travel ----- moon, north pole, deep seas, deserted island, the holy land or back to a place from your childhood, somewhere else? – and why. England. I’m an Anglophile at heart.
Favorite season and why? Autumn because of the amazing colors and the fact that hot chocolate is once again in season.
Favorite book setting and why? Jane Eyre when she’s walking the misty moor and Rochester appears on a rearing horse. That’s how God most often works in my life. I’m usually walking around in a daze and bam! He appears.
Which compliment related to your writing has meant the most and why? Actually, I try hard to ignore compliments and criticism (mean-spirited, anyway) because I don’t want to get a big head, nor do I want to have my heart pierced.
What would you do today if you knew you had only a week to live? Eat lots of chocolate, drink lots of coffee, and tell lots of people about Jesus. Wait a minute…I do that anyway.
What is your favorite word? Pinworms
What word annoys you more than any other? Can’t
Superhero you most admire and why? Underdog. What’s not to love about a pup in a cape?
Super power you'd love to borrow for awhile? Invisibility
Favorite chore Cooking
Anything you'd do but don't because of fear of pain? What is it? Ex. Bungee jumping, sky diving, running with scissors. Stiletto Heels
Grammatical pet peeve…sound off. Just say no to sentence diagramming.
Societal pet peeve…sound off. Young men, pull up your pants or spackle that crack. I’ve seen enough boxers in my laundry basket. I do not need to see yours.
Fear Factor
by Michelle Griep
Fear. Not the instant electrical zing roiling your gut, quivering your heart into atrial fibrillation, and leaving the acidic taste in the back of your mouth near your uvula. No. I’m talking the heavy wool kind. Permeating and relentless. The storm cloud type of fear that settles into your bones and sets up house.
As a rookie writer, I lived with that fear. What if I can’t master showing versus telling? What if my plot and structure is a bowl of spaghetti? What if I can’t land an agent? All those doubts compounded into one sickening terror—what if I never get published?
The obvious cure-all was a contract. Signing a contract would mean I’m a for-real author and all those doubts and fears would suffer a quick, painless death. Wrong. As soon as my pen left the page and before the ink dried on that first contract, more fears sprang to life. What if no one buys my book? What if I get bad reviews? What if I don’t meet my deadline?
Good thing I started hanging out with Isaiah, or rather, in Isaiah. As usual, when I needed it most, God made a verse jump right off the page, stilling my erratic heartbeat. Isaiah 41:10 says “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
I’m sure glad that promise is in black and white, especially now, facing the daunting task of writing guest blogs. I don’t know how to do that. What if… Hey, Isaiah!
Okay, me again (MaryLu) . I had the privilege of reading Gallimore last month, and I thoroughly enjoyed it! It is an excellent adventure, time-travel, historical, romance that I'm sure you won't be able to put down!
A wonderful debut novel for Michelle Griep!
If you'd like to win a copy, please leave a comment about anything Michelle said in her interview that you found interesting.
There's a philosophy in our culture today among Christians and non-Christians alike that if you're a good person, nothing bad will happen to you. If you're bad and something terrible happens, then you got what's coming to you, right? Many well-meaning Christians believe if they follow Jesus, they'll have a great life! Unfortunately, the Bible doesn't exactly agree with that idea. In fact, it often contradicts it. Yes, Jesus promises to give us an abundant life, but His idea of what abundance means and ours may be very different! If you've missed the first 8 reasons why bad things happen to good people, please go back and check them out.
This week, the 9th reason bad things happen to good people is to provide evidence for, to empower, and to spread the testimony of the Gospel. Here's a few examples from scripture:
Daniel was thrown into the Lion's den for refusing to stop worshipping God. He was a godly man, above reproach who had done no wrong. But an angel closed the mouths of the lions and spared Daniel. As a result, King Darius, witnessed first hand the power of the living God and declared that everyone in his kingdom should worship and revere the God of Daniel.
Did you know that the apostle Paul wrote most of his letters to the churches while in prison, and some while he was in chains and standing knee deep in sewage? Thousands came to know Christ through Paul's testimony and the man was beaten mulitple times, shipwrecked, starved, mocked, chained, and imprisioned. Do you think these things empowered his testimony or weakened it? Would his words have had the same impact if he had been wealthy, well-loved by everyone, and living in comfort?
A friend of mine told me yesterday that he just got laid off from his job. He said it so causually that I had to ask him to repeat it. He's the breadwinner in his family and he didn't seem the slightest upset or concerned. He told me that he knows God will not let him and his family starve and that God is in control. In this trembling ecnomony where jobs are few, his faith just blew me away. And it helped to strenghthen my faith too. And I bet any non-believer who crosses this man's path will be touched as well by his awesome testimony of the love, mercy and faithfullness of God.
So, if you're suffering right now. Consider that perhaps God is allowing this problem to increase your testimony of His love to others.
By Linore Rose Burkard is Sarah W! Thanks to all who entered. Linore and I both enjoyed your comments. I encourage those of you who didn't win to check out Linore's books. You won't be disappointed.
Congratulations to Sheri!! who won a copy of The Red Siren last week. For those of you who didn't win, you have another chance this week. Allow me to introduce you to the hero of The Red Siren, Dajon Waite. If you'd like to be entered in the drawing for the book, please leave a comment (with email addy) about something you found interesting about Dajon.
Dajon Waite
Brief Description: With dark brown hair, a rugged face and blue eyes the color of the sky, Dajon presents a handsome figure donned in his British Navy uniform. A large man for his day, his deep commanding voice and authoritative manner invoke obedience among his crew. Yet beneath his commanding and strict exterior, Dajon possesses the chivalrous heart of a true romantic and a love for God that outweighs everything else. Whenever I think of Dajon, a picture of the British actor, Richard Armitage, comes to mind. Dark and strong, but with a hint of playfulness on his face.
Quirks: Though Dajon prides himself on his crisp, clean appearance as a navy officer, he cannot keep one rebellious strand of his hair from incessantly escaping his queue. Beads of sweat appear on his forehead when he is angry or annoyed.
Inspiration: Dajon is the perfect example of someone trying to make up for a wicked past by following a set of rules. Instead of accepting God’s forgiveness and grace, Dajon believes he must pay penance for past sins by doing as many good works as he can. Hence, he joins the British Navy to protect and care for his fellow Englishmen. In addition, he believes that in order to avoid future mistakes, one must adhere to every rule thrust upon them by both God and man. This combines to make Dajon a very disciplined, pious, and unyielding man who is neither happy, nor at peace with the life he has chosen. I often battle, myself, with the idea of free grace and forgiveness. It seems too easy, doesn’t it? I feel like I should somehow earn God’s forgiveness. Otherwise it doesn’t seem real. So, I really enjoyed writing Dajon’s story, especially when he falls in love with wild, rebellious Faith.
April!! please email me with your address. Thanks to everyone who shared the top 10 things they were thankful for. I really enjoyed reading them all and was very blessed by everyone's list!!
I be ashamed to say it, but I didn't get all of them right! But I learned a thing or two! Avast, be warned, the questions be not for the simple-minded nor the yellow-livered. Turn on yer thinkin' scarves, maties. An' let me know how well ye did.
I'm so excited to have Linore Rose Burkard with us today. I stumbled across Linore on one of my writer's historical loops and had a chance to read her first regency novel, Before The Season Ends. Truthfully, she is one of the best Regency writers I've read since Jane Austen. If you like Jane Austen, you're going to love Linore's books! Today, she is giving away a free copy of her latest release, Before the Season Ends. To win a copy, please read her interview below and leave a comment about something you learned about Linore.
You have such a great grasp of the Regency time period, culture and language, have you always been interested in this time period and how did you prepare to write a Regency?
My interest in the Regency really began with a couple of Georgette Heyer books, and was then augmented by the 1940s version of Pride and Prejudice. At the time, I was so clueless I didn't even know yet that the costuming was all wrong in that film. Anyway, I started reading Austen with more interest, and then wishing I could find a Christian regency. I waited years. When it never materialized, I decided I'd have to write it myself! To prepare for the writing, I spent hours in the library reference section, (internet was not what it is, today.) I bought reference books and devoured them, underlining and really learning what I read, not just reading it. And I began writing. Whenever I ran into an issue I didn't know about, I researched it, until I felt confident enough to write it into the story.
You have a strong spiritual message nicely interwoven into the story, which included the message of the gospel. Was that intentional? I was impressed because Christian novels rarely mention Jesus or the gospel so clearly.
I wasn't raised in a Christian home, and I wanted to emphasize that God really is only a prayer away—an earnest prayer, perhaps, but the point being that no distance from God is too far that He can't close it in a moment. I never knew that, growing up. I realize that people must count the cost, so to speak—and that living for God only BEGINS with that prayer, but my call is to show that the Lord is truly ever present, and that He cares. He will accept an earnest prayer from anyone, if they are truly seeking Him. I did have other goals for the book, as well, though: I wanted it to be entertaining, and true to the time period and the genre, but with a heroine who was smart but not cynical, innocent and yet wise enough to be committed to her ideals and attract a smart guy.
I was so impressed when your heroine stood by her godly principles especially when the hero was so dashing and charming and alluring! I’m not sure I could have been that strong! Was there a reason you emphasized her particular strength in this area?
Ariana knows her value as a woman in God's eyes, and she is not going to sell out, no matter the consequences. I believe if all women understood their God-given value, treatment of women across the board would have to improve because they would no longer tolerate abuse. And they would value their own purity. The fact is, that if God asks us to sacrifice anything in this life,(dashing heros included!) then he will more than compensate us— We just can't get a better life by having it our way apart from His will. He promises to give us life ABUNDANTLY—if we follow his plan for our lives. So that was important for me to include.
Amen, I couldn't have said it better. Your characters are so deep and compelling. How do you create your characters? From people around you? Or do they come from within? Can you step us through your process of creating a main character?
I'm not sure I can say I follow a “process,” but I will say that my stories are character-driven, not plot driven. In other words, my characters won't do something to propel the plot if it isn't in keeping with who they are. I hate a story when the hero or heroine does stupid things only because the writer wants a certain something to happen and they have to be stupid for it to happen. To me, that's an instant turn-off. To answer your question of where the characters come from, I guess it has to be a combination of observation and what is within. I don't think to myself, how should I make this or that character? I either allow them to enter the story when they do, (which is when they come easiest), or, now and then I know I need a certain “type” of person, and it does take a bit of work to get to know them well enough to write them in. For writers who struggle with making a character believable, I would say that what you see in the book of a character cannot be all there is to that person. You must “know” more of him or her in your mind or your notes. You've got to know them well enough to write them in, “in character.”
One thing that amazed me when I was reading your book was that I felt like I was reading a book by Jane Austen. How were you able to replicate the exquisite language of the time period so closely?
That is a fabulous compliment which I wish I could say I deserve! I'm not sure I was fully successful, but I'm still learning. How to pick up period language? All I can say is, if you read something enough, it starts to become natural to you. If you want to sound like Jane, read Jane. I rarely get to read any fiction these days, actually, but in the sequel to Before the Season Ends, (The House in Grosvenor Square) I had a lot of fun finding and using more period slang than I used in the first book.
If you could tell readers one thing to expect from your books, what would it be? (Great question!) Regency atmosphere, faith-filled heroine, (or hero) a couple of good twists and turns when you least expect it, and a “prodigiously” happy ending.
What are your plans for the future? Should we be looking for more books? Absolutely. I've got four regencies in my files to finish, first of all, (I love these) and a contemporary that is nearly finished. I've got two short stories that won't leave me alone, too (meaning, their main characters want me to make them into full books!) and I've got books I haven't started yet, and children's books, and non-fiction titles that I've outlined. I have more story ideas than I could probably ever write, actually.
How and where can we purchase your books? And how do readers get in touch with you. Look in any major bookstore, or any online outlet such as ChristianBook.com, Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, etc. For an autographed copy, go to my website, (while they're in stock) http://www.linoreroseburkard.com/. And readers can drop me a line at Linore (at) LinoreRoseBurkard (dot) com.
Thanks so much for being here today, Linore, and for your book giveaway! I for one am very excited about your next release.
In January, my first book, The Red Siren, in the new series, Charles Towne Belles, releases and in honor I'm giving away 5 free advanced copies! Every Monday in December, I'll post something about The Red Siren. All you need to do is leave a comment (please leave your email address too!) And at the end of every week (Sunday), I'll draw a name. The winner will be announced each Monday. Sound good?
Today, I'm introducing you to Miss Faith Westcott, the heroine of the story.
Brief Description: Faith is tall for a woman and of medium build. She likes to wear her fiery red hair unfettered in long curls down her back. (that is until her father reprimands her for the impropriety). Her dark auburn eyes are full of life and determination. She has a cluster of freckles atop her nose that are the only mark on her otherwise creamy skin. She carries herself with a confidence and superiority that deter most suitors. That is, until Captain Dajon Waite crosses her path. I love this picture. It reminds me so much of what Faith would look like. Wild, red hair, tempered by a hint on innocence in her pose, yet those eyes: filled with sorrow, yet such strength and determination!
Quirks: Faith constantly throws her hands to her hips in an act of superiority. The freckles on top of her nose darken when she is angry or frightened.
Inspiration: Faith has every quality which a female pirate needs in order to be successful: Audacity, fortitude, and the ability to command an unruly crew. I loved writing her character because she possesses the wit, courage, and boldness that I only dream of possessing! She’s the kind of woman other women look up to as a role-model (except the pirating part): Fiercely loyal to family, dependable, smart, a woman who takes charge and does what needs to be done, instead of sitting back and waiting for a man to rescue her. She has lofty goals and a purpose for everything she does. But instead of using her strengths for good, she uses them to become a pirate. Wounded by a series of tragedies that have struck her family, she turns her back on God and on the rules of society and seeks other ways to complete the mission of caring for her sisters handed down to her by her mother on her deathbed.
What qualities does Faith possess that you can relate to or that you admire? And what qualities make you cringe? Do you know anyone like Faith?
No doubt you've heard about all the trouble brewing in Israel. I keep a steady eye upon the middle east, and in particular, Israel, not only because it was the birthplace of my Savior, but because I believe it is God's end-times clock. We can gauge how close we are to the last days by what is going on in Israel. The Scriptures tell us Israel will be at the center of all the trouble in the world. Israel is the place from which Jesus rose to Heaven and it is the place where He will return. Jerusalem is where the antichrist will set up his throne and persecute Jews and Christians. There is also a great war described (The war of Gog and Magog) in which many nations band together to attack Israel and are then destroyed. So, when things start to heat up there, it gets my attention.
