by Crystal Caudill | Oct 24, 2023 | Author Interviews
There is nothing like the Christian writing community. I have met so many wonderful men and women through this process, and T. Elizabeth Renich is one of those people. She is a wonderful historical author who, after a break for life, has returned to the writing world and is working on some fun projects to get out to readers. Until those release, we decided she needed a reintroduction to readers, and it is my joy to provide that introduction to you. (And if you’re a fan of Literary Tours, you’ll need to check out what she’s offering at the end of this post.)
T. Elizabeth Renich has written four Civil War novels, worked for two NFL teams, and visited all 50 United States of America. International travel has taken her to Germany, Japan, Ireland, Israel, Scotland, and England. She hunts historical markers and shares hope as an ovarian cancer survivor. Her love of photography is evident as she documents research trips and life, giving glory to God for the great things He has done.
You can connect with her through: Website | Facebook | Instagram | BookBub | GoodReads
Now for the fun stuff! I have to admit I am partial to my Fast Five. 🙂 So settle in as I hit T. Elizabeth with rapid-fire.
CC: Sweet or Salty?
TER: Salty, then sweet
CC: Print, E-book, or Audiobook?
TER: Audiobooks for driving, eBooks for road trips, print books for research
CC: Coffee, Tea, or Other?
TER: Coffee (and protein shakes)
Morning Person or Night Owl?
TER: Night Owl
CC: Favorite Holiday?
TER: Thanksgiving (family, food, and 3 football games!)
I am definitely looking forward to Thanksgiving this year. I love the food, friends, and family, and then on the next day, we’ll have a Dungeons and Dragons day. Or rather, my husband, kids, and a friend will. I’ll be playing with the three-year-old and hopefully getting some writing in as well.
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
TER: I don’t remember a time that I didn’t write. It was always an escape for me… But in 12th grade, my Senior Composition teacher insisted that I should use my writing talent and just knew that one day I was going to write a book. She believed in me more than I believed in myself, but she was right.
CC: Those teachers who speak into our lives and really believe in us have an impact beyond words. My 2nd/3rd grade teacher, Mrs. Cooper, was that teacher for me. I am so grateful for the teacher in your life who encouraged you.
What is your writing Kryptonite?
TER: Internet rabbit trails… I can go chasing details for hours and then realize I didn’t write actual story-related words. (But I love details!)
CC: Oh man. I am soooooooo guilty of that. I love having a fellow detail nerd visiting with me today.
How have you seen God work through your writing journey?
TER: I thought I was done being an author in 2005, but in 2010 things started gearing up for the 150th Anniversary commemorations of all the Civil War events and battles. I did more book signings, appearances, and talks between 2010 and 2015 than I had in the previous five years. Once the anniversaries came to their chronological end, I decided I was done. But I kept getting invited back to the Museum Shop at Gettysburg National Battlefield, and in 2016, I found my books in the Library of Congress. By the time 2018 came, all four print editions were declared out of print. I was done. Except my Kindle books kept selling, and used copies on Amazon’s marketplace… I told God I was done. The stories had run their course. But in 2019, an author friend of mine told me I should write something else, a new set of characters, a different time period. It became a challenge, and I accepted. I’m now working on what I’m praying will be a 3-book series set in the 1770s — because apparently God’s not done with me yet. (My agent has my first manuscript, and I’m working on the second.)
CC: I love how God takes our plans and thoughts and says, “I’ve got a better plan. Come follow me.” Then, He proceeds to lead us on a journey that we never imagined taking, and yet the rewards are so wonderful as we grow closer to Him. And even though He calls many to write, each of our journeys are as unique as He created us to be. Speaking of which . . .
Do you have any advice for those who want to write their own stories?
TER: Start writing. The first step is getting words onto paper (or into your Word document). Words can be polished, rearranged, added, deleted, and re-written, but none of that can be accomplished until you have something written to work with. Then, read what you’ve written out loud. Hear how the words sound. In the meantime, get into community with other writers. ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) is a national group, but there are regional chapters. There are also online groups and Facebook groups where friendly, helpful, and encouraging people can be found. Two of my favorite reader events are the Fiction Readers Summit and the Mississippi River Readers Retreat. I’ve not yet been to Storyfest… Keep writing and keep reading.
Now it’s time to reintroduce your Shadowcreek Chronicles series–which are getting new covers soon, from what I remember. (Aka, sign up for her newsletter so that you can see them when they’re ready.)
With distinctive historical accuracy, skilled storyteller T. Elizabeth Renich brings the Civil War to life by blending documented facts and memorable characters in a moving account detailing a Confederate family and their determined struggle for survival amid crucial battles and daring cavalry raids…
Book 1: Word of Honor
In the summer of 1862, the War Between the States raged through Northern Virginia. The powers of loyalty and survival draw Salina Hastings into the service of a network of civilian spies organized by her father, a Confederate captain and spy.
Book 2: Matter of Trust
In this exciting second book of the Shadowcreek Chronicles, Salina Hastings faces the darkness of Alcatraz and a treacherous journey back east as she attempts to return to her home, her loved ones, and a life that can never be the same.
Book 3: Not Without Courage
This intense third chronicle of Shadowcreek brings to life a Confederate family’s personal struggle for survival in the midst of one of the fiercest battles in history–the Battle of Gettysburg. Stranded in enemy territory, Salina determinedly finds the measure of daring necessary to continue helping her fellow Rebels, but this time she must face a challenge that will require all the courage she can muster. She must count the personal cost of battle.
Book 4: Strength and Glory
The fall of 1864 finds Colonel John S. Mosby and his famed Partisan Rangers in a violent clash against Union Cavalry. Everyone Salina Hastings loves is threatened by the brutal crossfire when President Lincoln finally finds a commander in Ulysses S. Grant who will fight Robert E. Lee without mercy.
Purchase there series on Amazon
CC: Where did you get the idea for The Shadowcreek Chronicles?
TER: When I someone asked me to write a historical novel, I was told I could pick my time period. I had studied most about the Civil War, so that was where I decided the scratch the surface. I am not Margaret Mitchell, and I had no intention of re-writing “Gone with the Wind.” Being a native of Southern California, I extended the Mason-Dixon Line west and, by geography, would have been born and lived in the South. In looking at some old Virginia maps, I found the name Chantilly — so pretty, like the French lace — and then discovered there was a battle there on September 1, 1862. I decided I wanted to write about that battle. So, between the events leading up to the Battle of Chantilly and its aftermath, along with the California connection, I had the base of my story, which turned into a series…
CC: Actually, that is a really fascinating process. I would never have guessed that is how the stories came to be.
What about this story drew you to it?
TER: I wanted to learn what was going on in California during the Civil War. I found out that Abraham Lincoln signed legislation giving the missions back to the Catholic Church between 1860-1865, I found out that there were prisoners locked up on Alcatraz Island (there was an army fort there before there was a penitentiary, and since Lincoln had suspended the writ of habeas corpus, nothing had to be proven, so a few hundred political and southern-sympathizing citizens were incarcerated there until the end of the war. They wanted no trouble in San Francisco, as that’s where the bulk of the gold and silver to finance the Union war effort was coming from. There are thousands of books written about the Civil War and I wanted to find something unusual to include. My stories go from Virginia to California, back to Virginia, up to Pennsylvania, and back to Virginia. When I left California, I ended up living in North Carolina for a time, but then moved to Virginia (and for a while lived within 12 miles of where “Word of Honor” was set) because God has a sense of humor — and now my historical research is mostly within driving distance.
CC: Wow! I seriously had no idea of California’s involvement with the Civil War. I mean I knew it was around and was probably impacted, but I’d never stopped to consider how other than it was just his nebulous Wild West where they seemed to live a separate life from the rest of the US. Now I’m even more intrigued about your books.
Which character was the most fun to create?
TER: Salina Hastings was an interesting character to create because she is so much stronger and braver than me. She does many things I could never see myself doing. Over the course of the four Shadowcreek books, she grows from a barely sixteen-year-old little sister to a seasoned spy, wife, and mother. She finds herself in many a predicament where she must rely on God’s strength, provision, and protection to get her through to fight another day.
CC: It seems like she must have had a lot of hard growing up to do with all those descriptors.
What was some of your favorite research you discovered while preparing for The Shadowcreek Chronicles?
TER: I was able to go to the underground portion of Alcatraz, where the old fort used to be, and see the carvings on the walls where they kept prisoners. I had a permission slip from J.E.B. Stuart IV to have research access to his family papers collection held at the Virginia Historical Society. I was walked across the East Cavalry Battlefield at Gettysburg by a licensed battlefield guide so I would be facing the proper direction of the charges I was writing about (and thereby make injuries to cavalrymen characters in accurate locations on their bodies depending upon which way they were riding into the fray against the enemy).
CC: The history nerd in me is SO STINKING JEALOUS. Those experiences had to be incredible!
How did this story affect you as you wrote it?
TER: When I was working on the original manuscript of my Shadowcreek Chronicles (Book 1 is Word of Honor), our country was engaged in Desert Storm. I’d get up every morning and turn on the news to see if there were any updates of action that might have happened overnight. I had five friends who were in Iraq and the theater of war there in the Gulf. Lots of prayers were said for them. I was on hand to welcome an aircraft carrier back to San Diego, and the sailor for whom I had displayed a yellow ribbon somberly removed it from my car’s antenna, claiming it for himself. He said prayers are what kept him going. Those kinds of real-life anxieties, uncertainties, and triumphs made their way into my Salina character as she read newspapers, searched casualty lists, went to welcome home a transport ship for prisoner exchange, and exulted in victory of the Army of Northern Virginia’s cavalry regiments. War was real, and surreal during that time for me.
CC: My heart grieves for you, and for so many who have loved ones in the wars raging. I know know that the Ukraine War became very real to us as coworkers from Travis’ work were trying to escape the country with their children, but had to leave their husbands behind because of the mandate that all men must serve. I can only imagine their continued searching the papers and trying to find out anything they can as they continue to be separated from their loved ones in the midst of a war taking lives. And then we have the horrors of the Humas situation and Israel. I see how you were able to weave those emotions in so realistically.
What do you hope readers will take away from your story?
TER: I hope my readers will enjoy learning history they likely weren’t taught in school. That the places I write about, for the most part, still exist and can be visited. That historical markers along the side of the road are just the tip of the iceberg — but they can fuel ideas and make you want to dig deeper into the history. Homeschoolers have used my books as supplemental reading material. American history is not always pretty, but it is ours, and it is fascinating. There is something to be said for learning history so we don’t have to repeat the mistakes of the past — not whitewash or alter the truth. We owe a great debt to those who came before us — those who founded our country and those who have fought to preserve our freedom.
CC: I heartfully agree. And to be honest, I’m happy to see that southern perspective. As we deal with a current perspective that vilifies the South, I love that it brings us back to the fact they were human, that war is ugly, and that things are more complex than the black and white we like to view things.
Do you have any other fun facts you’d like to share as we wrap-up?
TER: I recently learned I am a “third generation” read. Initially, a friend of mine from church read my books and loved them. She gave them to her then-junior high aged daughters. Both daughters grew up and could recite passages of my books because they loved them. Both young ladies got married and had children — some of whom are named after my characters. An eleven-year old son (my friend’s grandson, if you follow) has read all four of my books and loved them. How cool is that?
CC: That is actually REALLY cool. How neat to know that your stories can pass through the ages and still be enjoyed.
Now would you take a moment to share with us the really cool literary and historical tour you’ll be hosting next year?
.
TER: I HAVE A BIG ANNOUNCEMENT! I am so excited to tell you all about plans for a new adventure taking place in Virginia, Washington, DC, and Pennsylvania! Places to go see and be seen… The historical sites we’re going to visit are those I’ve already written about in my Shadowcreek Chronicles series and those that will be included in the 1770s series I’m currently writing. If you’ve read The Lacemaker, Tidewater Bride, and A Heart Adrift by Laura Frantz, or Jenny L. Cote’s Epic Order of the Seven series, you will recognize places from those books, too! You can get more information HERE.
Readers, I hope you’ll check out The Shadowcreek Chronicles and then leave a review on Amazon, Goodreads, and/or BookBub. You wouldn’t believe how important that is to an author. And take a look at the travel opportunity. I know my history nerd little heart is giving it some serious consideration.
Reader, if you could travel anywhere for a literary/history tour, where would you want to go?
by Crystal Caudill | Oct 17, 2023 | Author Interviews
If you’ve never had the chance to meet Jaime Jo Wright, you NEED to. Even if it is only through her Facebook. This woman is down-to-earth, living off coffee, and loves God and Edgar Allan Poe. You can’t go wrong hanging out with her. And now I get the joy of introducing YOU to her.
Jaime Jo Wright is a coffee-fueled and cat-fancier extraordinaire who resides in Wisconsin’s rural woodlands. Her literary vocation involves penning chilling Gothic tales, with a strong preference to the master of dark, Edgar Allan Poe. Jaime’s books will keep you on the edge of your seat, with twists and turns that will leave you breathless. She is a multi-award-winning author, with numerous bestsellers under her belt.
You can connect with her through: Website | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram | BookBub | GoodReads
Now for the fun stuff! I have to admit I am partial to my Fast Five. 🙂 So settle in as I hit Jaime with rapid-fire.
CC: Sweet or Salty?
JJW: Definitely salty
CC: Print, E-book, or Audiobook?
JJW: Print because you can’t smell the pages on an eBook!
CC: Coffee, Tea, or Other?
JJW: Coffee – duh.
Morning Person or Night Owl?
JJW: Neither – Sleeping is my hobby.
CC: Favorite Holiday?
JJW: Halloween – because Edgar A Poe and Ravens and Cats.
Your coffee habit cracks me up, and seriously, you can’t go wrong with Edgar Allan Poe.
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
JJW: When I got frustrated that there were none of the books I wanted to read! Then I realized they were in my head, so I decided I should write them. I was 9.
CC: I love how you took control of your reading life at such a young age. That is fantastic.
What does your writing process look like from beginning to end?
JJW: Absolute chaos. I’m unorganized, inefficient, and the last-minuter everyone gets annoyed by. Although, I actually have some structure in my actual story writing . . . once I start.
CC: I so relate to that “once I start.” Chaos is totally my writing kryptonite, which makes me wonder.
What is your writing kryptonite?
JJW: My short attention span. And no, I’m not ADHD. I just enjoy too many things and want to do them ALL!
CC: There really are too many things that need doing in a 24-hour period. I can never do them all . . . But I try.
What has been the biggest challenge for you on your writing journey?
JJW: The last two years for many unspoken reasons, but also my mom’s moving to Heaven was like a punch in the gut. Happy for her, but man, it’s been tough!
CC: I’ve yet to lose a parent, so I can only imagine. But know that my heart hurts for you and you are in my prayers as you face “all the stuff.”
How have you seen God work through your writing journey?
JJW: Gosh! The people in this community of books are AMAZING encouragers. Whether from the Christian community or general book community, readers are cheerleaders and deserve awards.
CC: Amen to that. The reading community is such a blessing from God.
Do you have any advice for those who want to write their own stories?
JJW: Just write. Seriously. I’m a firm believer people can study the craft too much, because I’ve talked to writers who’ve read every craft book and have yet to finish one manuscript. So WRITE!
CC: Yes, writing is the #1 thing to do. But this is where I’m also going to plug Jaime’s MadLit Mentoring services because she’s too modest to bring it up here. Jaime offers workshops, small group writing courses, mentoring opportunities, and focused group sessions. Check it out, because she is a GREAT mentor!
Now I’m excited to talk about your newest release, The Lost Boys of Barlowe Theater.
It promises beauty but steals life instead. Will the ghosts of Barlowe Theater entomb them all?
Barlowe Theater stole the life of Greta Mercy’s eldest brother during its construction. Now in 1915, the completed theater appears every bit as deadly. When Greta’s younger brother goes missing after breaking into the building, Greta engages the assistance of a local police officer to help her unveil the already ghostly secrets of the theater. But when help comes from an unlikely source, Greta decides that to save her family she must uncover the evil that haunts the theater and put its threat to rest.
Decades later, Kit Boyd’s best friend vanishes during a ghost walk at the Barlowe Theater, and old stories of mysterious disappearances and ghoulish happenings are revived. Then television ghost-hunting host and skeptic Evan Fisher joins Kit in the quest to identify the truth behind the theater’s history. Kit reluctantly agrees to work with him in hopes of finding her missing friend. As the theater’s curse unravels Kit’s life, she is determined to put an end to the evil that has marked the theater and their hometown for the last century.
Purchase your copy at ALL THE PLACES by visiting this link to pick your favorite vendor.
CC: Where did you get the idea for The Lost Boys of Barlowe Theater?
JJW: My psychotic brain? Seriously though. Local lore on this one. Lots of ghost stories surrounding our theater on which Lost Boys at Barlowe Theater was based.
CC: Local lore can be such a great inspiration for SO many stories!
What about this story drew you to it?
JJW: Honestly? The ghost stories. I’m not a theater junkie, although I do love beautiful architecture. But the ghost stories that still swirl around our local theater were demanding ot be used.
CC: Jaime Jo Wright intrigued by a ghost story??? I would never have guessed!!! LOL
Who do you think will be the readers who most love this book?
JJW: Readers who love creepy, mysterious thrillers but without outright horror and gore. I call it “Edgar A Poe meets Scooby Doo”.
CC: As much as I love Edgar Allan Poe and Scooby Doo, I really need to pull up my big girl panties and read your books. This sounds like a fun one to start with too. That being said, I always like to wrap my interviews up with a fun question, so . . .
What animal is most like you? Why?
JJW: A cat. Because they sleep a ton.
CC: I love that. I wish I could sleep a ton. Although, lately I have been sneaking a nap in every day . . . And just because you are too fun not to ask . . .
If you were a pirate, what would your nickname be?
JJW: Whiskey Jo. I don’t know why. It just sounds fun.
Readers, I hope you’ll check out The Lost Boys of Barlowe Theater and then leave a review on Amazon, Goodreads, and/or BookBub. You wouldn’t believe how important that is to an author.
Reader, how do you feel about books that are compared to Edgar Allan Poe and Scooby Doo? Have you read any of Jaime’s books? Which one would you recommend to a first time reader?
by Crystal Caudill | Oct 10, 2023 | Character Interview
Every now and again, I get into a Sci-fi kick. After all, my family devoured shows and movies like Stargate, Startrek, Star Wars, and Mystery Science Theater 3000. Today, I get to introduce you to a character from a Sci-Fi series on my TBR pile. Unfortunately, their name is a bit elusive. But I’ll let THEM explain that. Before I introduce them, allow me to introduce you to the first book in the series, The Recorder.
Recorder by Cathy McCrumb
The Consortium is All. But Recorder Can No Longer Obey.
The Recorder has no family, no friends, and no name. Donated to the Consortium before birth, her sole purpose is to maintain and verify the records. A neural implant and drone ensure compliance, punishing displays of bias.
Suddenly cut off from controlling technology, the Recorder tastes what it means to be human. But if the Consortium discovers her feelings, everyone she knows will be in danger.
With no name, no resources, and only an infinitesimal possibility of escape, the Recorder’s time is running out.
Series Purchase Links: Amazon *The Recorder and Aberraion are on sale now.
Now for our interview with The Recoder.
CC: Yours is a unique story. Would you mind to introduce yourself so that I don’t steal your thunder?
TR: I do not have a name. No member of the Consortium has one, for to have a name would be a violation of the AAVA codes. All my life, my priority has been to maintain an unbiased attitude so I may best serve the system’s citizens. This is my record, an account of what happened on my disastrous first assignment. I have already acted in violation of my training. Glimpses of a freedom I will never have call to a part of me I did not know–
No. This is not entirely true. I did know, but I dared not acknowledge it.
Perhaps a name would be beneficial, after all.
CC: Names are definitely beneficial. So for the sake of this interview, we’ll just call you TR–The Recorder.
So, TR, how do you think others view you?
TR: Citizens are uncomfortable with Recorders. I have learned that they trust neither our drones nor our constant documentation, even though all our efforts are done on their behalf. They do not see us as individuals, and there are times I doubt they perceive us as human.
We are, though. We are as human as they, though if we dare dream, we must bury that dream deep within, lest it prove our undoing.
CC: That is extremely ominous and very disconcerting. Do you have a dream that you keep close to your chest?
TR: A friend. Since I was young, this has been my deepest, most secret dream, but to strive for it would condemn me and whomever I befriended.
CC: What a horrible, lonely life. I imagine you deal with many unpleasant people. Who is your least favorite person to contend with?
TR: I do not like Captain North, whose rude and confrontational behavior extends past members of the Consortium to citizens. His discourtesy has been documented. Although I kept any personal bias out of my recording, I will confess that obtaining proof of his prejudicial statements, which will be submitted to the authorities, gave me a degree of personal satisfaction.
CC: Oh the joy we get in seeing justice served. Do you have a favorite person?
TR: Though it is a great betrayal of Consortium training, I find myself spending an inordinate amount of time thinking of Nathaniel Timmons. It is he who picked me up and carried me from disaster, and he remained by my side when I was ensconced in the medical tank. His kindness… it is a gift, though why his perfect eyebrows occupy my mind, I cannot say.
CC: You cannot can you? Hmmm. Interesting. Since you said there are other Recorders, do you enjoy family gatherings? Is it even a family?
TR: Like all members of the Consortium, I was gifted to serve before my birth. I have no family other than the others in my cohort, the novices, and the Elders. The Eldest is the parent over us all.
I have wondered about my mother. Why did she make the choice to gift me, and did she ever regret it? What she was like? Were her eyes brown like mine? Did she, too, long to see a sky unbound by rivets?
Even so, I will not search for her when I have the opportunity. To do so would betray her choice, and I will not be guilty of such disrespect. She made her decision, and I must live with it.
CC: Wow. That must be a hard decision to respect. With such a hard life, I wonder, if you could have anything in the world, what would it be?
TR: Freedom. To be able to love and be loved without fear of penalty or consequence, to have friends, a family, a name? Are these not the grandest of aspirations? And beyond that, to have a certain, fixed knowledge of worth and to know I am not alone.
CC: Oh, Recorder, my heart breaks for you. If there is one thing you could tell my readers, what would it be?
TR: I have thought long about this. Dr. Maxwell, the ship’s physician, told me that whether we are stardust or creation, we are unique. I can hear his deep voice rumble even now: “You are the only one of you in all of space and time.”
In all of space and time… Only one. Singular, unique, precious.
Even me. Even you.
CC: Such a powerful message. And a powerful series.
Readers, this series is truly unique, and I admit to having read ahead to the blurbs of the other books. (I’m sneaking a peek for you down below too.) Believe me, this is one series you don’t want to miss.
About Cathy McCrumb:
Cathy McCrumb graduated from Biola University with a degree in English Literature and a love for stories. She and her husband, whom she met while writing letters to soldiers, have five children. They currently live in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains.
She enjoys long hikes (followed by long naps), gluten-free brownies, raspberries, and crocheting while watching science fiction, mystery, or fantasy movies with friends and family.
Most of her imaginary friends are nice people.
Connect with Cathy: Website | Facebook | Instagram
Abberation by Cathy McCrumb
Freedom Awaits, but the Consortium is Watching
When rogue drones threaten citizens and the ship’s crew falls ill, the Recorder answers their call for help, once again drawing scrutiny from the Consortium.
With no other option and under an Elder’s overbearing watch, she returns to Pallas Station where she nearly lost her life in the hope of finding something—anything—to save her friends and countless others. Her friends are determined to keep her safe, but for the Recorder, saving others comes first, no matter the cost.
Guardian by Cathy McCrumb
The Recorder’s fate has been sealed, but the Consortium is not the only enemy.
Labeled an aberration by the Consortium, the Recorder is not yet free. Time is running out as an engineered bioweapon wreaks havoc on friend and foe alike.
Stopping both the biological agent and the people who created it is no easy task, especially since the Recorder and her friends are trapped on a research station infested with behemoth insects. Without Consortium technology, the probability of neutralizing the threat falls to nothing. In order to save her allies, the Recorder must activate a drone, but her success might destroy any hope for freedom, a future, and a name.
by Crystal Caudill | Oct 3, 2023 | Book Reviews
The River Queen
by Stephenia H. McGee
Review:
*Releasing 10/10
River pirates, gangsters, smugglers, and an unforgettable, vivacious heroine all set in the roaring twenties–this story has it all. McGee pens a unique and swashbuckling tale that submerses readers into the showboat world of a strong family of faith and the fish-out-of-water hero who brings trouble aboard. Readers looking for mystery, intrigue, adventure, and romance will not want to miss this entertaining read.
* Full disclosure: I read this book for endorsement.
Genre: Historical Romance, 1920s
Plot:
When river pirates attack and steal his steamboat, Emmett Carter barely escapes. Rescued and transported to a magnificent world of glitz and showbiz aboard a flashy showboat, Emmett is immediately captivated by something more than recovering his lost inheritance—The River Queen’s beautiful, but quirky, songbird.
Anola Flynn, the star singer on The River Queen, is struggling to keep the business running as attendance dwindles during the 1923 season. With her dreams of saving the family legacy—and the only life she’s ever known—slipping away, she forges an alliance with Emmett to keep her family afloat.
Now, to outsmart the gangsters chasing them, Anola and Emmett must wade through a dark current of deception and betrayal to save not only their dreams, but everyone they care about, from sinking deeper into the Mississippi River.
Author Website: https://www.stepheniamcgee.com/
Purchase Link: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
What is the most recent book you’ve read? What did you like about it? Who would you recommend it to?
by Crystal Caudill | Sep 30, 2023 | Book Reviews, Reading Challenge
It’s time for another month of the Unlocking the Past Reading Challenge: Unlock an Adventure. I’m so excited to join you on an adventure this year with guest reviews from our reading challenge participants. If you want to submit a review for upcoming months, feel free to sign up for a month here and use the Google form to submit your review. As my time has become too limited to do a suggestions post each month, I encourage you to jump over to the Unlocking the Past Reading Challenge page and ask for suggestions from there or from any of a number of amazing reader groups like Avid Readers of Christian Fiction or check out the Inspirational Historical Fiction Index.
*The list of prizes available from my prize shelf can be found here.*
September’s Theme: Time Travel
October’s Theme: Medieval Setting
In This Moment
by Gabrielle Meyer
Review by: Charity Henico, @Charity.Book.Escapes on Instagram
What if you had three different lives, but you could only finish out one? And YOU had to choose which one that would be? That’s Margaret/Maggie/Meg’s dilemma in In This Moment, which is the second book in Gabrielle Meyer’s Timeless series. She’s living three different lives, in three different eras, at the same time. When she turns 21, she has to choose which life to keep.
I really can’t talk much about this book, as I don’t want to give anything away. But hear me out here: when each chapter is so poignant, so moving, that you have to set the book aside for a few minutes to take it all in before reading the next one, and when an author can put you smack dab in the middle (well, the beginning) of the Civil War, World War 2, AND September 11? You know you have yourself a good book. Not even just a good book, but a must-read book.
I knew which path I wanted Margaret/Maggie/Meg to choose pretty much from the beginning, but I still wasn’t sure exactly which one it would be until almost the last chapter! This book will keep you guessing until the very end, and you do NOT want to miss out!
Genre: Historical, Dual-Time/Time Travel
Plot Overview:
Maggie inherited a gift from her time-crossing parents that allows her to live three separate lives in 1861, 1941, and 2001. Each night, she goes to sleep in one time period and wakes up in another. Until she turns twenty-one, when she will have to forfeit two of those lives–and everyone she knows in them–forever.
In 1861, Maggie is the daughter of a senator at the outbreak of the Civil War, navigating a capital full of Southern spies and wounded soldiers. In 1941, she is a navy nurse, grappling with her knowledge of the future when she joins a hospital ship going to Pearl Harbor. And in 2001, she’s a brilliant young medical student, fulfilling her dream of becoming a surgeon.
While Maggie has sworn off romance until she makes her final choice, an intriguing man tugs at her heart in each era, only complicating the impossible decision she must make, which looms ever closer. With so much on the line, how can Maggie choose just one life to keep and the rest to lose?
Purchase Links:
Amazon | Baker Bookhouse | Barnes & Noble | Christianbook.com
Giveaway
For your chance to win a print copy, comment with what book YOU read for this month and you will also be entered into the year-end Grand Prize Reader Basket. Use the Rafflecopter below for extra entries and to mark that you left a comment. Entries end on the 7th of each month at midnight EST, and the winner will be drawn sometime that week and notified by email. The winner will be announced don’t the Rafflecopter widget.
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Recommendations for October:
- The Merchant’s Daughter by Melanie Dickerson
- Lord of Her Heart by Sherinda Ketchersid
- Valorous by Tamara Leigh
- Kingdom of Love by Tracie Peterson
- The Rose and the Thing by Joyce Brandt Williams
- Legend of the Guardian King series by Karen Hancock
- Enamored by Jody Hedlund
- The Knight and the Dove by Lori Wick
What did you read for the challenge? What were your thoughts on it? Would you recommend it?
