Black, Hispanic students dwindle at elite Va. public school...
Gallery
Years of efforts to raise black and Hispanic enrollment at the regional school in Fairfax County have failed.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
My niece is in the Washington Post! She attends Thomas Jefferson High School, the #1 school in the nation!
My niece Alexandria Sutton (my brother's daughter) is the young lady on the left in this picture. I'm so proud of her! The article is about lack of diversity. There are 1764 students at TJ High (top high school in the nation where the average SAT score is almost 2200 out of 2400) and only 4 students are black. My niece is one of them. She is in the picture below and is quoted. She is also in the fifth picture in the photo gallery.
New Giveaway! Enter for a chance to win Love Finds You in Sugarcreek, Ohio by Serena B. Miller. (Plus bonus review!)
For a chance to enter to win a copy of this book simply read my review and post a comment about who your favorite Amish fiction author is AND if you have read any Amish fiction that was written by someone other than Beverly Lewis, Wanda Brunstetter, or Cindy Woodsmall. If so, what did you like about the other author's book(s)?
I'll go first. My favorite is probably Cindy Woodsmall. However, I have read Amish fiction by Kathleen Fuller and enjoyed the story very much. I have also enjoyed one by Mindy Starns Clark. I like other religious order books as well such as one about the Amana Colonies written by Melanie Dobson. There are a lot of bonnet books out there to choose from. The catch is finding one that doesn't sound very similar to the rest of them. I will pick a winner next Sunday 11-7 using the Randomizer program.
About the book:
A mysterious outsider casts a long shadow on Ohio's Amish country. Policewoman Rachel Troyer has always looked after her three elderly Amish aunts, proprietors of a farmhouse inn near Sugarcreek, Ohio. The idyllic town is popular with tourists, who come to sample its famous Amish goods. But one thing is clear to Rachel - Joe Matthews is no tourist. When the bearded stranger lands on her aunts' doorstep, begging shelter for himself and his young son, Rachel is suspicious. Will she be able to uncover Joe's secrets despite her aunts' - and her own - growing affection for him?
My review:
4/5 stars and 3/4 hearts for sporadic flutters of faith and healing. This book had more than a weak pulse going on.
This was an enjoyable read. It was a bit different from other Amish fiction I've read. It focused more on the Old Order Amish, but the main characters were the "Englischers." It had an interesting mystery subplot that came together nicely at the end. I loved the plot of the famous person hiding from the media, and the father-son issues that occurred throughout the story. This was well done and realistic. And of course, there was the token buggy accident. Sometimes I wonder if it's a required plot element for Amish fiction. I do think I learned a bit more about Amish beliefs from this book than from other Amish novels I'd read in the past.
I wasn't too fond of the minor subplot regarding the aunt with Down Syndrome. I also found the epilogue at the end to be pretty sophisticated for someone with Anna's mental capabilities. I didn't feel like it matched her capacity to understand and reason as demonstrated by her behavior earlier in the book. Since I've worked with people who have this diagnosis for many years it's hard for me to see something like Anna's characterization and not comment. At her age (late 50s) Anna would not be acting so immaturely. In fact, most people with Down Syndrome have Alzheimer's type symptoms as they age, so they wouldn't giggle and play games, but would be more likely to act forgetful and a bit crabby, because someone who is forty with Down Syndrome will feel like they are about 80. I believe Anna's age was 57. So her character didn't fit the profile of any of the people I've become familiar with in the last ten years. Of course, there are always exceptions. This was a minor issue, but it did bug me a bit.
Overall the story was good. I read the book very quickly and enjoyed the romantic element. It was a sweet romance, but not so sweet that there was no heart to the story. I appreciated that there wasn't a lot of angst and drama in the relationship between the hero and heroine, and that the hero admired the heroine's strength and found it attractive. That was portrayed with a different twist. I loved the underlying theme about pride (as demonstrated at the baseball game) and how much it can often interfere with our good intentions. I also thought the message about the restoration of relationships and forgiveness was nicely done. The way the Amish bounced back after their tragedy was admirable as well.
Love Finds You in Sugarcreek, Ohio was published by Summerside and released in August 2010.
I'll go first. My favorite is probably Cindy Woodsmall. However, I have read Amish fiction by Kathleen Fuller and enjoyed the story very much. I have also enjoyed one by Mindy Starns Clark. I like other religious order books as well such as one about the Amana Colonies written by Melanie Dobson. There are a lot of bonnet books out there to choose from. The catch is finding one that doesn't sound very similar to the rest of them. I will pick a winner next Sunday 11-7 using the Randomizer program.
About the book:
A mysterious outsider casts a long shadow on Ohio's Amish country. Policewoman Rachel Troyer has always looked after her three elderly Amish aunts, proprietors of a farmhouse inn near Sugarcreek, Ohio. The idyllic town is popular with tourists, who come to sample its famous Amish goods. But one thing is clear to Rachel - Joe Matthews is no tourist. When the bearded stranger lands on her aunts' doorstep, begging shelter for himself and his young son, Rachel is suspicious. Will she be able to uncover Joe's secrets despite her aunts' - and her own - growing affection for him?
My review:
4/5 stars and 3/4 hearts for sporadic flutters of faith and healing. This book had more than a weak pulse going on.
This was an enjoyable read. It was a bit different from other Amish fiction I've read. It focused more on the Old Order Amish, but the main characters were the "Englischers." It had an interesting mystery subplot that came together nicely at the end. I loved the plot of the famous person hiding from the media, and the father-son issues that occurred throughout the story. This was well done and realistic. And of course, there was the token buggy accident. Sometimes I wonder if it's a required plot element for Amish fiction. I do think I learned a bit more about Amish beliefs from this book than from other Amish novels I'd read in the past.
I wasn't too fond of the minor subplot regarding the aunt with Down Syndrome. I also found the epilogue at the end to be pretty sophisticated for someone with Anna's mental capabilities. I didn't feel like it matched her capacity to understand and reason as demonstrated by her behavior earlier in the book. Since I've worked with people who have this diagnosis for many years it's hard for me to see something like Anna's characterization and not comment. At her age (late 50s) Anna would not be acting so immaturely. In fact, most people with Down Syndrome have Alzheimer's type symptoms as they age, so they wouldn't giggle and play games, but would be more likely to act forgetful and a bit crabby, because someone who is forty with Down Syndrome will feel like they are about 80. I believe Anna's age was 57. So her character didn't fit the profile of any of the people I've become familiar with in the last ten years. Of course, there are always exceptions. This was a minor issue, but it did bug me a bit.
Overall the story was good. I read the book very quickly and enjoyed the romantic element. It was a sweet romance, but not so sweet that there was no heart to the story. I appreciated that there wasn't a lot of angst and drama in the relationship between the hero and heroine, and that the hero admired the heroine's strength and found it attractive. That was portrayed with a different twist. I loved the underlying theme about pride (as demonstrated at the baseball game) and how much it can often interfere with our good intentions. I also thought the message about the restoration of relationships and forgiveness was nicely done. The way the Amish bounced back after their tragedy was admirable as well.
Love Finds You in Sugarcreek, Ohio was published by Summerside and released in August 2010.
Saturday, October 30, 2010
My review of It's in My Blood by Shawneda Marks.
4/5 stars and 3/4 hearts for sporadic flutters of spiritual expression. I did appreciate the author's honesty that even Christians struggle with issues regarding pride, envy, and bitterness.
About the book:
A mother twisted by fear. Naomi has prayed for God to send her daughter home to restore the relationship they once shared. Almost ten years of praying fasting and pleading has her face to face with her greatest desire and worst fear. A father left in the dark. The only thing more important to John than his wife and child is his relationship with Christ. Everything else in his life is going in the right direction he hopes that his daughters need to come home will be the start of a new chapter in their lives. A daughter betrayed. Rocked to the core by the loss of the last man she loved, Rosalyn isn't sure how to continue on. Tragic news destroys what she thought would be the happiest moment of her life. Scared and alone she contemplates doing the worst thing possible in her mind, going back home. Will faith be able to heal these broken hearts when there is no one and no where else to turn and home is where the hurt is?
My review:
It's In My Blood is about so many things... Heartache and family dysfunction. Anger and bitterness robbing people of peace. Pride keeping people from truly loving others. People believing money should give them special privileges. The loss of belief in yourself and in your future because of things that can't be changed about the past. It's all in there. I think the most powerful theme in the story parallels a book I recently finished, and that is this... hatred and Jesus Christ can't live in the same heart. One of them has to go.
Personally, I've not know families where such anger and secrets existed. However, I do know these types of family situations exist. That's the stuff soap operas are made of. I did have a hard time understanding the extreme bitterness between mother and daughter because it's not how my personality is, and it wasn't even before I knew Christ. On the other hand, I did understand the sense of betrayal from my many years of working with abused children.
There is no worse pain a child can feel that stemming from betrayal. Parents are supposed to protect their children and help them when they are hurting, not shove the situation under the carpet and pretend it never happened. When denial happens, ugly things develop in a relationship. This is what I saw happening between Naomi and Rosalyn. Their pain was expressed through a good portion of this book. Rosalyn's dad, John, didn't help matters by continually stepping between them. In fact, his behavior only made things worse, even though he was trying to help.
This book had a lot of drama from start to finish. While the main character's diagnosis was a big issue in the book, the focus of the story was more on relationships and the damage caused by bitterness. When forgiveness happens under such conditions, the beauty of it shines brighter. This story had great resolution on so many levels. Women who have strained relationships with their mothers might find this book particularly insightful as to what NOT to do, and how to move beyond the pain toward healing. I enjoyed this story.
It's in My Blood was published by SC Productions and released in December 2009.
About the book:
A mother twisted by fear. Naomi has prayed for God to send her daughter home to restore the relationship they once shared. Almost ten years of praying fasting and pleading has her face to face with her greatest desire and worst fear. A father left in the dark. The only thing more important to John than his wife and child is his relationship with Christ. Everything else in his life is going in the right direction he hopes that his daughters need to come home will be the start of a new chapter in their lives. A daughter betrayed. Rocked to the core by the loss of the last man she loved, Rosalyn isn't sure how to continue on. Tragic news destroys what she thought would be the happiest moment of her life. Scared and alone she contemplates doing the worst thing possible in her mind, going back home. Will faith be able to heal these broken hearts when there is no one and no where else to turn and home is where the hurt is?
My review:
It's In My Blood is about so many things... Heartache and family dysfunction. Anger and bitterness robbing people of peace. Pride keeping people from truly loving others. People believing money should give them special privileges. The loss of belief in yourself and in your future because of things that can't be changed about the past. It's all in there. I think the most powerful theme in the story parallels a book I recently finished, and that is this... hatred and Jesus Christ can't live in the same heart. One of them has to go.
Personally, I've not know families where such anger and secrets existed. However, I do know these types of family situations exist. That's the stuff soap operas are made of. I did have a hard time understanding the extreme bitterness between mother and daughter because it's not how my personality is, and it wasn't even before I knew Christ. On the other hand, I did understand the sense of betrayal from my many years of working with abused children.
There is no worse pain a child can feel that stemming from betrayal. Parents are supposed to protect their children and help them when they are hurting, not shove the situation under the carpet and pretend it never happened. When denial happens, ugly things develop in a relationship. This is what I saw happening between Naomi and Rosalyn. Their pain was expressed through a good portion of this book. Rosalyn's dad, John, didn't help matters by continually stepping between them. In fact, his behavior only made things worse, even though he was trying to help.
This book had a lot of drama from start to finish. While the main character's diagnosis was a big issue in the book, the focus of the story was more on relationships and the damage caused by bitterness. When forgiveness happens under such conditions, the beauty of it shines brighter. This story had great resolution on so many levels. Women who have strained relationships with their mothers might find this book particularly insightful as to what NOT to do, and how to move beyond the pain toward healing. I enjoyed this story.
It's in My Blood was published by SC Productions and released in December 2009.
Friday, October 29, 2010
This is the crazy bunch of case managers that I see regularly at my day job.
They take Halloween a bit too seriously! (VBG) As you can see from my pic, I'm just a party pooper. I dressed up as "myself". Actually, I had several meetings today, too, so dressing up wouldn't have been appropriate even if I'd wanted to get in costume. Anyway, I have to explain that our token male in the office, Kevin, is quite handsome, but not in this pic where he is dressed up as a redneck with crazy teeth and a mullet under his hat. :) Also, Trish was missing from this photo. She's a gorgeous African American coworker who is six feet tall (and a basketball coach on the side, like I'm an author on the side.) She had an appointment so she wasn't in the office when this was taken. She also dressed as herself. Oh, and if you are wondering what is up with the disability word about our heads, that's the sign on the wall in the lobby that says Developmental Disability (our division that we work for under DES.) Our boss is the lady with the red devil horns on her head. Kevin brought them in for her to wear today and she obliged him. Funny!
Thursday, October 28, 2010
My review of Catching Moondrops by Jennifer Erin Valent!
5+/5 stars for craft and 4/4 hearts for healing hearts. Great spiritual takeaway.
About the book:
Jessilyn Lassiter no longer has to convince people she’s not a child. Having just turned 19 in the summer of 1938, her love for Luke Talley has never been more real. And Luke is finally beginning to care for her in the way she’s always dreamed of. But their budding romance is interrupted when Tal Pritchett—a young, black doctor—comes to Calloway, stealing the heart of Jessilyn’s best friend, Gemma, and stirring up the racial prejudice that has been simmering just beneath the town’s surface. The tension starts to bubble over when Jessie’s elderly neighbor Miss Cleta becomes the first white townsperson to accept Tal’s treatment. And when a young black man is lynched, Calloway is brought to its knees once again as Jessilyn realizes that her anger can make her heart as full of hate as the klan members who have terrorized her town and her family.
My review:
Jennifer Erin Valent's voice is so amazing in this book! All of the teasing the characters did toward each other and the southern sayings sprinkled throughout the book were adorable, too. In fact, I enjoyed the "voice" in the beginning so much that I read the first chapter out loud to my husband on the way to church on Sunday. Less than four days later I'd finished the book. That's a good story. I would've finished even sooner, but I had to work. Anyway, I loved the dialog in this book because it planted me solidly in the setting. I could literally hear the characters talking in my head as I was reading.
There were so many things to love about this story. I thought it was awesome that even though it's the third book in a series, you can read it without having to read the previous books. I haven't read them and I didn't get the sense that it was necessary to enjoy this book because the facts were touched on enough to give you a sense of history with the characters. I loved how there was danger, intrigue, and heart pounding romance in this novel. There was also a great lesson in the story about what it means to really know Jesus compared to knowing about Him because you were raised going to church.
I appreciated the message that Jesus and hate can't live in the same heart. That was shown so well in the story! I also cried through a few of the chapters toward the end. The situation at the funeral was so beautiful that it really moved my heart. I loved how Jessie realized that one of the things that made the people she cared about so beautiful to her was their faith in Jesus. That was a nice touch and so very true.
Jessie's faith journey was genuine, honest, and realistically portrayed. Her insight into the darkness in her own soul was powerfully written. There were a few things that were vividly described and thus made me cringe, but it was necessary to appreciate the situation the characters were in. Some things just don't feel right when they are glossed over - like prejudice in the south. Thankfully the author didn't gloss over anything. This book was awesome on so many levels that I could go on and on. It's making my best fiction for 2010 list.
Catching Moondrops was published by Tyndale and released in October 2010. An ARC of this book was sent to me by the publisher for the purpose of reviewing only. I was not compensated in any way for my opinion of this book.
About the book:
Jessilyn Lassiter no longer has to convince people she’s not a child. Having just turned 19 in the summer of 1938, her love for Luke Talley has never been more real. And Luke is finally beginning to care for her in the way she’s always dreamed of. But their budding romance is interrupted when Tal Pritchett—a young, black doctor—comes to Calloway, stealing the heart of Jessilyn’s best friend, Gemma, and stirring up the racial prejudice that has been simmering just beneath the town’s surface. The tension starts to bubble over when Jessie’s elderly neighbor Miss Cleta becomes the first white townsperson to accept Tal’s treatment. And when a young black man is lynched, Calloway is brought to its knees once again as Jessilyn realizes that her anger can make her heart as full of hate as the klan members who have terrorized her town and her family.
My review:
Jennifer Erin Valent's voice is so amazing in this book! All of the teasing the characters did toward each other and the southern sayings sprinkled throughout the book were adorable, too. In fact, I enjoyed the "voice" in the beginning so much that I read the first chapter out loud to my husband on the way to church on Sunday. Less than four days later I'd finished the book. That's a good story. I would've finished even sooner, but I had to work. Anyway, I loved the dialog in this book because it planted me solidly in the setting. I could literally hear the characters talking in my head as I was reading.
There were so many things to love about this story. I thought it was awesome that even though it's the third book in a series, you can read it without having to read the previous books. I haven't read them and I didn't get the sense that it was necessary to enjoy this book because the facts were touched on enough to give you a sense of history with the characters. I loved how there was danger, intrigue, and heart pounding romance in this novel. There was also a great lesson in the story about what it means to really know Jesus compared to knowing about Him because you were raised going to church.
I appreciated the message that Jesus and hate can't live in the same heart. That was shown so well in the story! I also cried through a few of the chapters toward the end. The situation at the funeral was so beautiful that it really moved my heart. I loved how Jessie realized that one of the things that made the people she cared about so beautiful to her was their faith in Jesus. That was a nice touch and so very true.
Jessie's faith journey was genuine, honest, and realistically portrayed. Her insight into the darkness in her own soul was powerfully written. There were a few things that were vividly described and thus made me cringe, but it was necessary to appreciate the situation the characters were in. Some things just don't feel right when they are glossed over - like prejudice in the south. Thankfully the author didn't gloss over anything. This book was awesome on so many levels that I could go on and on. It's making my best fiction for 2010 list.
Catching Moondrops was published by Tyndale and released in October 2010. An ARC of this book was sent to me by the publisher for the purpose of reviewing only. I was not compensated in any way for my opinion of this book.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
My review of Exposed by Ashley Weis. Awesome book!
5/5 stars overall, and 4/4 stars for healing hearts!
About the book:
Allyson Graham, marriage counselor and lover of love, lived a life of romance few could imagine. Until her husband's secret addiction stared at her from the computer screen. Will she be able to forgive the man who lied to her all of those precious years? Follow her painful story alongside the heartbreaking story of Taylor Adams, a young girl searching for her worth in the world. As Allyson struggles to forgive her husband for lying about his addiction, Taylor naively falls into the same self-destructive industry and discovers that the attention and fun is nothing like she thought it would be. Discover the hearts of these two women as they search for beauty after the rain.
My review:
Wow. This story kept building and building in regards to depth and insight. At first I was thinking this was a four star book because I wasn't able to understand Ally's outrage, but by the end of the book the character's growth was so impressive the story had moved up from four to five stars in my opinion. Everything came together so well even though it was NOT all neat and tidy, and yeah, it got me crying, too. I love it when a book moves me to tears in a good way. The coolest thing about this book was the faith thread and how honestly and naturally it was portrayed. The author didn't seem to concern herself with how her characters should think and act. She made them real by showing how they really thought and acted, and she did a great job of it because I forgot I was reading several times. I felt like I knew the characters well by book's end.
I think I identified the most with Taylor. She was so trapped. And her neediness and faulty thinking just kept her more glued to the heartache. She clearly had that phenomenon going where victims identify so much with their abusers that they become loyal to them regardless of how badly they were hurt. Even when she tried to get away, she failed because she was so lost. I hurt for her. I loved how the author showed the ugly side of her life and made her plight so real. A few times it was so intense I needed to take a break from the book and just let it soak into my head and heart. I tend to mull things over a lot and this story gave me a lot to ponder. When I went back to reading things intensified. I thought it was brilliant how when Taylor's life got worse, Ally started remembering the good times. I think that helped keep me reading because there was balance there between the heavy and the beautiful stuff.
It's hard to post a review without posting spoilers, but I will try to. Ally's growth and living the experience of seeing God use her loss to be someone else's blessing was pretty powerful stuff. The best part was the transition was gradual enough to be believable. I loved how Ally realized that she was able to give advice to people when she wasn't suffering the same thing in her life, but when her client's lives mirrored her own, she discovered she didn't know the first thing about forgiveness or how to heal a marriage, even though she did that for a living. Ally had a perpetual sense of inadequacy that her husband's addiction fed whenever he confessed something else to her. But I commend him for confessing anyway. There is no real healing in a marriage where there are secrets kept. While I understood her husband's reluctance because she reacted exactly how he feared she would, he still told her about his past. That was brave.
I loved how Ally questioned God so much. Everything she thought was so honest. I also loved how when she pushed her husband away because of anger what she really wanted was for him to fight for her and for their marriage. How beautifully that was shown. I loved how he didn't always do the right thing, but Ally learned to look to God instead of to herself or her husband to be her strength. Again, beautifully done. This is one of those life-changing books that will stay on my keeper shelf.
While not perfect in regards to craft (at first some of the wording seemed a tad clunky), the powerful message and characterization won me over in the end. I highly recommend this book to anyone, but would caution someone who has been sexually used by men to make sure they are ready to deal with some of the scenes in Taylor's portion of the book before cracking this novel open. But the potential for healing is so much greater than the risk of emotional re-injury, that I would encourage everyone to pick it up and try it first. You can always set a book down when it becomes overwhelming, then pick it up again when you feel God is prodding you to try again. But if you never pick it up in the first place because of fear, you may be missing out on the biggest blessing of your life. I'm so glad I bought this book!
Exposed was published by Winslet Press and released in Sept. 2010.
About the book:
Allyson Graham, marriage counselor and lover of love, lived a life of romance few could imagine. Until her husband's secret addiction stared at her from the computer screen. Will she be able to forgive the man who lied to her all of those precious years? Follow her painful story alongside the heartbreaking story of Taylor Adams, a young girl searching for her worth in the world. As Allyson struggles to forgive her husband for lying about his addiction, Taylor naively falls into the same self-destructive industry and discovers that the attention and fun is nothing like she thought it would be. Discover the hearts of these two women as they search for beauty after the rain.
My review:
Wow. This story kept building and building in regards to depth and insight. At first I was thinking this was a four star book because I wasn't able to understand Ally's outrage, but by the end of the book the character's growth was so impressive the story had moved up from four to five stars in my opinion. Everything came together so well even though it was NOT all neat and tidy, and yeah, it got me crying, too. I love it when a book moves me to tears in a good way. The coolest thing about this book was the faith thread and how honestly and naturally it was portrayed. The author didn't seem to concern herself with how her characters should think and act. She made them real by showing how they really thought and acted, and she did a great job of it because I forgot I was reading several times. I felt like I knew the characters well by book's end.
I think I identified the most with Taylor. She was so trapped. And her neediness and faulty thinking just kept her more glued to the heartache. She clearly had that phenomenon going where victims identify so much with their abusers that they become loyal to them regardless of how badly they were hurt. Even when she tried to get away, she failed because she was so lost. I hurt for her. I loved how the author showed the ugly side of her life and made her plight so real. A few times it was so intense I needed to take a break from the book and just let it soak into my head and heart. I tend to mull things over a lot and this story gave me a lot to ponder. When I went back to reading things intensified. I thought it was brilliant how when Taylor's life got worse, Ally started remembering the good times. I think that helped keep me reading because there was balance there between the heavy and the beautiful stuff.
It's hard to post a review without posting spoilers, but I will try to. Ally's growth and living the experience of seeing God use her loss to be someone else's blessing was pretty powerful stuff. The best part was the transition was gradual enough to be believable. I loved how Ally realized that she was able to give advice to people when she wasn't suffering the same thing in her life, but when her client's lives mirrored her own, she discovered she didn't know the first thing about forgiveness or how to heal a marriage, even though she did that for a living. Ally had a perpetual sense of inadequacy that her husband's addiction fed whenever he confessed something else to her. But I commend him for confessing anyway. There is no real healing in a marriage where there are secrets kept. While I understood her husband's reluctance because she reacted exactly how he feared she would, he still told her about his past. That was brave.
I loved how Ally questioned God so much. Everything she thought was so honest. I also loved how when she pushed her husband away because of anger what she really wanted was for him to fight for her and for their marriage. How beautifully that was shown. I loved how he didn't always do the right thing, but Ally learned to look to God instead of to herself or her husband to be her strength. Again, beautifully done. This is one of those life-changing books that will stay on my keeper shelf.
While not perfect in regards to craft (at first some of the wording seemed a tad clunky), the powerful message and characterization won me over in the end. I highly recommend this book to anyone, but would caution someone who has been sexually used by men to make sure they are ready to deal with some of the scenes in Taylor's portion of the book before cracking this novel open. But the potential for healing is so much greater than the risk of emotional re-injury, that I would encourage everyone to pick it up and try it first. You can always set a book down when it becomes overwhelming, then pick it up again when you feel God is prodding you to try again. But if you never pick it up in the first place because of fear, you may be missing out on the biggest blessing of your life. I'm so glad I bought this book!
Exposed was published by Winslet Press and released in Sept. 2010.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Do you all want to read the rest of that "alleged" sex scene? Please comment.
Here is the before and after segment from the alleged sex scene that I posted yesterday. I will highlight the segment you read before in red so it stands out. For those readers just now joining the conversation, I had previously posted the paragraph that alluded to the sex as the identified scene, because that was the place that mentioned what actually happened. Here is the portion of the chapter leading up to the "act" and then the aftermath. I am not posting the whole scene because that would give some spoilers away, like why he is crying to begin with. If you want to find out you'll have to buy the e-book, hehehe. I personally think that this partial scene is more about emotional intimacy than actual sexual activity, but maybe you'll disagree with me? Go ahead and comment away....She gasped and pulled him into her arms.
Josiah allowed her to hold him, his heart numb from hours of crying. He didn't want to start sobbing again. Not with Tara there. It was too overwhelming to talk about. He just wanted her to hold him forever and never let go.
His shoulders shook as she squeezed him tighter. How he loved this woman.
"Don't say anything. Just let me hold you, okay?" Her warm breath on his ear made him shiver with delight. He wanted nothing more than to escape the pain and make love to Tara. In so many ways she had helped to heal his hurting soul back in high school. He wanted to feel that close to her again.
She seemed to sense his need and gazed at him with loving eyes. "I'm here for you."
Not trusting his voice to remain steady, he nodded and held her against him. She felt so good, so perfect. And her pheromones were making his head swim. "Tara..." Tipping her face up with his finger, he gazed down at her and offered her a tentative kiss. "I need you so much right now. I--"
She cut him off with a heady kiss. He released his pain as he filled his nostrils with her unique fragrance, and he reveled in the feel of her lips on his. His heavily guarded wall crumbled until he was wide open to whatever happened next.
While Tara didn't say anything, he knew the reason she had come to his house was now completely forgotten. He wanted her to know how much he appreciated her comfort.
"I love you so much, Tee."
She blinked back tears. "I love you, too."
Boundaries forgotten, they found comfort in each others arms, and by the time they finished he was completely exhausted. While their bodies were satiated, the ache that had propelled him toward physical intimacy remained. Only now, there was an added layer of guilt.
He'd blown it big time by letting her inside his house. He should've known better than to kiss her when he was in such a weakened state. It was his fault, and he hated himself for it.
One glance into her eyes told him she understood completely. How quickly the fires of passion had faded, now that they were rational and had cooled down enough to think about their actions. They both knew that their behavior didn't honor God, nor did his lack of restraint show any respect for Tara. In fact, it only made it that much harder for him to resist future encounters.
Now that he'd had a taste of Tara again, his body would crave more.
"I... I need to go." She scrambled to put her clothes back on, and before he could even apologize, she had fully dressed and slipped out the front door and into the night.
The gaping hole in his heart broke open and bled... until he was completely covered with the stain from his sin. Josiah closed his eyes, and wept.
******
Me again... I don't know about you, but I still don't think that is a sex scene that shows sex in a positive light or would make a young person want to run out and do it. I just see it as a realistic portrayal of regrets and guilt after making a poor choice in the heat of the moment. But maybe I'm off base here. Anyone?
Hey, this is cool! I'm in the December edition of the Romantic Times in an article about ACFW!
Wish I could show you the picture and the whole column, but it's not possible. I was able to scan in the picture, and while it's grainy, you can see that it's definitely me.
Monday, October 25, 2010
My first genuinely heartfelt one star review! I have finally arrived as an author!
I have been told this day would come and until then, you're not a real author. So I guess I am now official...and real...if this is what it takes. I don't fault the reviewer for expressing her opinion about my book, First Love, strong as it was. However, I do find it unfortunate that she admitted she did not finish the story, or she might have felt differently at the end. But that aside, this is my "sex scene" that she referred to. Yes, I did tell it her was implied, because in my opinion it was. To me a sex scene describes sex. This doesn't describe sex. Do you agree or disagree? I won't freak out if you have a different opinion, so go ahead and express yourself. :)Boundaries forgotten, they found comfort in each other's arms, and by the time they finished he was completely exhausted. While their bodies were satiated, the ache that had propelled him toward physical intimacy remained. Only now, there was an added layer of guilt.
Now on to the review. I am withholding the reviewer's name and the site I found it on in order to keep it somewhat anonymous as I know some people will strongly disagree and want to defend my book. Don't worry about me. I'm a big girl. Anyhoo, here it is...
"If you are looking for a clean Christian romance, this is not the book for you. This is EDGY inspirational fiction. I was concerned about accepting this when I realized it was written by an author who writes "edgy inspirational fiction", but was assured there were no sex scenes, mostly implied mess ups and remembering what had happened in the past. That is not what I read.
I think this story line could have been done very tastefully and without crossing the line. Unfortunately, it was not. I stopped reading when it got too graphic for me to be comfortable. There was no character development that I saw, not even a real relationship between the main characters outside of their past sexual relationship and them remembering what they had done and realizing they still wanted to do it. Even that would have been fine if it hadn't been described in about every other paragraph.
I don't understand how an author who is trying to show that it is wrong to be intimate before marriage is willing to describe that intimacy in such detail. Yuck. I cannot recommend this book to anyone."
So there you have it. My first blistering review. For those who are curious I will say this...one of the key elements of the story was that their prior relationship was based on physical intimacy and they didn't know each other very well as people, just from their sexual relationship. So my characterization showed that as she so clearly stated. But it was intentional on my part. I thought the back cover description made it clear that this book wasn't a sweet romance. I'm not sure what else I can do to make things clearer. I am pretty sure she will not read any more of my books. That's okay with me.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
New Giveaway! Enter for a chance to win Catching Moondrops by Jennifer Valent
To enter for a chance to win a copy of this book simply answer this question... Do you have a favorite book or movie about racial tension in the South? If so, what is it? Also, what is it about books dealing with racial prejudice that interests you? Thanks, and best wishes to you!
About the book:
Jessilyn Lassiter no longer has to convince people she’s not a child. Having just turned 19 in the summer of 1938, her love for Luke Talley has never been more real. And Luke is finally beginning to care for her in the way she’s always dreamed of. But their budding romance is interrupted when Tal Pritchett—a young, black doctor—comes to Calloway, stealing the heart of Jessilyn’s best friend, Gemma, and stirring up the racial prejudice that has been simmering just beneath the town’s surface. The tension starts to bubble over when Jessie’s elderly neighbor Miss Cleta becomes the first white townsperson to accept Tal’s treatment. And when a young black man is lynched, Calloway is brought to its knees once again as Jessilyn realizes that her anger can make her heart as full of hate as the klan members who have terrorized her town and her family.
My thoughts:
Just starting this book today. I am loving it so far. I can hear the characters talking as I'm reading and they sound genuinely southern in a post-depression south sort of way. Great writing and full of emotion and humor. This story is good so far. I've read the first four chapters. It's hard to put down.
About the book:
Jessilyn Lassiter no longer has to convince people she’s not a child. Having just turned 19 in the summer of 1938, her love for Luke Talley has never been more real. And Luke is finally beginning to care for her in the way she’s always dreamed of. But their budding romance is interrupted when Tal Pritchett—a young, black doctor—comes to Calloway, stealing the heart of Jessilyn’s best friend, Gemma, and stirring up the racial prejudice that has been simmering just beneath the town’s surface. The tension starts to bubble over when Jessie’s elderly neighbor Miss Cleta becomes the first white townsperson to accept Tal’s treatment. And when a young black man is lynched, Calloway is brought to its knees once again as Jessilyn realizes that her anger can make her heart as full of hate as the klan members who have terrorized her town and her family.
My thoughts:
Just starting this book today. I am loving it so far. I can hear the characters talking as I'm reading and they sound genuinely southern in a post-depression south sort of way. Great writing and full of emotion and humor. This story is good so far. I've read the first four chapters. It's hard to put down.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
My review of Courting Constance by Teryl Cartwright.
4/5 star rating overall, and 2/4 hearts - "a weak pulse" for healing... but the cool thing is that this secular romance even has a spiritual pulse at all!
About the book:
If marriage was an occupation, Constance was determined to enjoy her search for employment. Men, after all, made it easy to fall in love. Sadly, though, they also made it just as difficult to stay in love.
Constance was not going to settle for an ordinary life as a wife. She just had to convince a certain someone as well as herself that a wedding could be the beginning of some adventures instead of the end of them.
My review:
For a book not labeled as a Christian romance, this regency novel was pretty sweet and even Christian sounding. The heroine reflects on the Bible and even has a change of heart that strengthens her faith. I wasn't expecting that. And for a romance it was more funny than romancy because of some of the crazy things that Constance did. While this book could be read as a stand alone, I got the impression their was a previous story when I was about halfway through this book. That didn't hurt the story at all. I just thought I'd mention it.
As far as entertainment value goes, I read this book quickly. There were a few places where the spiritual journey seemed to pop out of nowhere, like the inciting incident that should take place prior to the reaction was delayed or missing. But it was a minor issue. Overall I found this story delightful and amusing. The antics made the story cute. I particularly loved the mix up at the end and Constance's scheme involving a gun. I won't say what it was (or it would spoil the fun for the reader) but I will say it was hilarious! In fact, that was probably my favorite part of the book. I also enjoyed all of the crazy bantering and small talk that people did when socializing in those days. If you like a clean romance with witty banter and funny incidents, you will enjoy this Regency.
Courting Constance was published by Vintage Romance Publishing and was released in July 2010. The author sent me the book to review. I was not compensated in any way for my opinion.
About the book:
If marriage was an occupation, Constance was determined to enjoy her search for employment. Men, after all, made it easy to fall in love. Sadly, though, they also made it just as difficult to stay in love.
Constance was not going to settle for an ordinary life as a wife. She just had to convince a certain someone as well as herself that a wedding could be the beginning of some adventures instead of the end of them.
My review:
For a book not labeled as a Christian romance, this regency novel was pretty sweet and even Christian sounding. The heroine reflects on the Bible and even has a change of heart that strengthens her faith. I wasn't expecting that. And for a romance it was more funny than romancy because of some of the crazy things that Constance did. While this book could be read as a stand alone, I got the impression their was a previous story when I was about halfway through this book. That didn't hurt the story at all. I just thought I'd mention it.
As far as entertainment value goes, I read this book quickly. There were a few places where the spiritual journey seemed to pop out of nowhere, like the inciting incident that should take place prior to the reaction was delayed or missing. But it was a minor issue. Overall I found this story delightful and amusing. The antics made the story cute. I particularly loved the mix up at the end and Constance's scheme involving a gun. I won't say what it was (or it would spoil the fun for the reader) but I will say it was hilarious! In fact, that was probably my favorite part of the book. I also enjoyed all of the crazy bantering and small talk that people did when socializing in those days. If you like a clean romance with witty banter and funny incidents, you will enjoy this Regency.
Courting Constance was published by Vintage Romance Publishing and was released in July 2010. The author sent me the book to review. I was not compensated in any way for my opinion.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Healing Hearts, the series: Shawna K. Williams shares her thoughts about rules...
Healing Hearts, the series: Shawna K. Williams shares her thoughts about rules...: Can you relate to what she says? Read it and see. If you love the message, please pass it on!
Here is a link to the article about me in the Herald!
Note: There were some inaccuracies noted, so please read this first.
I never wrote a book titled "Reflections" as stated at the end of the article. That was written by another Michelle Sutton in 1996, not me. I hadn't started writing until 2003. Also the St. Michael's church mentioned was in Flint, MI, not Syracuse. Also, there is no State University of Northwest New York. It's simply State University of NY. The conference where I met Francine Rivers was in 2004, not 2005. I only have three publishers, not over half a dozen. Last, I've authored over a dozen novels, but currently seven are published, not over a dozen. The rest of my books are releasing over the next two to three years and they are all contracted. Now that we've cleared up the boo boos, here is the article. The columnist is a good writer (and a retired pastor) so it's entertaining to read. It's funny how so many times interviews are littered with small mistakes, but I didn't want people who live in Syracuse, for example, to say, "What? There is no St. Michael's in Syracuse!" I know there isn't, hence the clarification. Anyhoo... enjoy!
Michelle Sutton: Area queen of Christian fiction | The Sierra Vista Herald
Michelle Sutton: Area queen of Christian fiction | The Sierra Vista Herald
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
I write for coffee tee shirt is now at the Edgy Christian Fiction Lovers ning site!
Order your shirt here and help support the site!
(note: you can change the style, color, design, and size)
(note: you can change the style, color, design, and size)
My review of Whisper on the Wind by Maureen Lang!
4/5 stars for quality and 3/4 hearts for spiritual content. I definitely recommend this book.
About the book:
In Brussels at the height of WWI, a small, underground newspaper is the only thing offering the occupied city hope—and real news of the war. The paper may be a small whisper among the shouts of the German army, but Edward Kirkland will do anything to keep it in print. Meanwhile, Isa Lassone, a Belgian-American socialite whose parents whisked her to safety at the start of the war, sneaks back into the country to rescue those dearest to her: Edward and his mother. But Edward refuses to go, and soon Isa is drawn into his secret life printing the newspaper . . . And into his heart.
My review:
While a bit long, I found this story thoroughly enjoyable. I always appreciate stories about the two world wars. This one was unique in that it was set during WWI, and some of the things available in the 1940s weren't available during The Great War. I loved the whole underground newspaper theme and the idea of keeping the spirit of Belgium alive through the power of the written word. That, of course, made the German occupiers crazy, and thus more determined to destroy the "traitors," which increased the tension.
Whisper on the Wind had a lot of conflict and a wonderfully subtle romantic thread. As a lover of romance, I enjoyed that very much. The spiritual thread was also pretty well done. It didn't feel contrived and flowed naturally with the story. The theme of forgiveness and loving others regardless of their background was powerful, too. There was just enough danger in this story to keep me stressing out as I worked my way through the war along with the characters. I waited for the inevitable to happen, and of course, it eventually did. But a Phoenix rose from the ashes in this story and their actions turned the hearts of several people back to faith in Christ. This story was very well done, and I commend the author for her amazing gift when it comes to craft, setting, dialog, and showing faith in action.
Whisper on the Wind was published by Tyndale and released in September 2010. A copy of this book was provided to me for review by Tyndale.
About the book:
In Brussels at the height of WWI, a small, underground newspaper is the only thing offering the occupied city hope—and real news of the war. The paper may be a small whisper among the shouts of the German army, but Edward Kirkland will do anything to keep it in print. Meanwhile, Isa Lassone, a Belgian-American socialite whose parents whisked her to safety at the start of the war, sneaks back into the country to rescue those dearest to her: Edward and his mother. But Edward refuses to go, and soon Isa is drawn into his secret life printing the newspaper . . . And into his heart.
My review:
While a bit long, I found this story thoroughly enjoyable. I always appreciate stories about the two world wars. This one was unique in that it was set during WWI, and some of the things available in the 1940s weren't available during The Great War. I loved the whole underground newspaper theme and the idea of keeping the spirit of Belgium alive through the power of the written word. That, of course, made the German occupiers crazy, and thus more determined to destroy the "traitors," which increased the tension.
Whisper on the Wind had a lot of conflict and a wonderfully subtle romantic thread. As a lover of romance, I enjoyed that very much. The spiritual thread was also pretty well done. It didn't feel contrived and flowed naturally with the story. The theme of forgiveness and loving others regardless of their background was powerful, too. There was just enough danger in this story to keep me stressing out as I worked my way through the war along with the characters. I waited for the inevitable to happen, and of course, it eventually did. But a Phoenix rose from the ashes in this story and their actions turned the hearts of several people back to faith in Christ. This story was very well done, and I commend the author for her amazing gift when it comes to craft, setting, dialog, and showing faith in action.
Whisper on the Wind was published by Tyndale and released in September 2010. A copy of this book was provided to me for review by Tyndale.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Found five more books in my mailbox today! This makes nine books in two days!!!
It's a good thing I am cutting back on blog tours and sticking with just a few reputable publishers/publicists because I am getting flooded with books despite my cutting back on tours. Here is the latest batch...
To see close ups of the covers on Amazon just click on the individual picture, and if you want to order the books based on what you read, feel free!
Inspirational Ebooks: Enter to win First Love, by Michelle Sutton
read the teaser and enter the contest (click on the link below)
Inspirational Ebooks: First Love, Michelle Sutton: "Romance/Contemporary/Series Josiah and Tara had enjoyed acting in their high school plays. They had also been each other's first lover... in..."
Inspirational Ebooks: First Love, Michelle Sutton: "Romance/Contemporary/Series Josiah and Tara had enjoyed acting in their high school plays. They had also been each other's first lover... in..."
Monday, October 18, 2010
Found them in my mailbox today! More books!
Won this on Goodreads!
Got this from a publicist for promo...never heard of the book!
Another book from a publicist. I'll give it a try...
What a cool blessing! I'll be in the Friday newspaper!
Got a call tonight from our local newspaper requesting an interview with me. The columnist said that a person wrote to them and said they needed to interview me because I am a local Christian author and they thought an interview with me would make a good column. According to the paper, the interview will be in the Religion section of the Sierra Vista Herald and the article will be in Friday's paper. This call came totally unexpected, and it was a real pick-me-up today. He also said he will bring the letter so I can see what the person wrote about me. There's nothing like getting encouragement from someone who appreciates your writing ministry. I recognized the person's name when he told me who wrote the letter, but I only saw this person twice and that was about two years ago, so you just never know...
Sunday, October 17, 2010
While We're Far Apart by Lynn Austin is up on CFBA!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Along with reading, two of Lynn's lifelong passions are history and archaeology. While researching her Biblical fiction series, Chronicles of the Kings, these two interests led her to pursue graduate studies in Biblical Backgrounds and Archaeology through Southwestern Theological Seminary. She and her son traveled to Israel during the summer of 1989 to take part in an archaeological dig at the ancient city of Timnah. This experience contributed to the inspiration for her novel Wings of Refuge.
Lynn resigned from teaching to write full-time in 1992. Since then she has published twelve novels. Five of her historical novels, Hidden Places, Candle in the Darkness, Fire by Night, A Proper Pursuit, and Until We Reach Home have won Christy Awards in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2008, and 2009 for excellence in Christian Fiction. Fire by Night was also one of only five inspirational fiction books chosen by Library Journal for their top picks of 2003, and All She Ever Wanted was chosen as one of the five inspirational top picks of 2005. Lynn's novel Hidden Places has been made into a movie for the Hallmark Channel, starring actress Shirley Jones. Ms Jones received a 2006 Emmy Award nomination for her portrayal of Aunt Batty in the film.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Penny Goodrich has been in love with Eddie Shaffer for as long as she can remember; now that Eddie's wife is dead, Penny feels she has been given a second chance and offers to care for his children in the hope that he will finally notice her and marry her after the war.
And elderly Mr. Mendel, the landlord, waits for the war to end to hear what has happened to his son trapped in war-torn Hungary. But during the long, endless wait for victory overseas, life on the home front will go from bad to worse.
Yet these characters will find themselves growing and changing in ways they never expected--and ultimately discovering truths about God's love...even when He is silent.
If you would like to read the first chapter of While We're Far Apart, go HERE.
New Giveaway! Now I'm giving away The Crimson Cipher by Susan Page Davis!
To enter the drawing for a chance to win a copy of this book simply post a comment about WWI and whether or not you've read any books set during this time period. If not, what interests you about the First World War and reading about it's contribution to world history. Don't forget to leave me a way to reach you if you win. I will use the Randomizer program to select a winner next Sunday. Enjoy!
About the book:
A female Navy cryptographer seeks to save lives...and uncover her father’s killers.
In 1915, German sympathizers escalated acts of sabotage in the United States to keep the nation from joining in the war. Following the mysterious murder of Emma Shuster’s father, Lt. John Patterson invites Emma to become a Navy cryptographer because of the expertise she gained in helping her father develop a cipher system. Emma finds new strength in her faith as she strives to outwit her adversary, known only as Kobold - German for goblin. Can Emma and John find love in the midst of turmoil as America plunges toward war?
My thoughts: I haven't read this book, nor do a have a copy to review. However, I do love Susan Page Davis's writing, so this novel is sure to please.
About the book:
A female Navy cryptographer seeks to save lives...and uncover her father’s killers.
In 1915, German sympathizers escalated acts of sabotage in the United States to keep the nation from joining in the war. Following the mysterious murder of Emma Shuster’s father, Lt. John Patterson invites Emma to become a Navy cryptographer because of the expertise she gained in helping her father develop a cipher system. Emma finds new strength in her faith as she strives to outwit her adversary, known only as Kobold - German for goblin. Can Emma and John find love in the midst of turmoil as America plunges toward war?
My thoughts: I haven't read this book, nor do a have a copy to review. However, I do love Susan Page Davis's writing, so this novel is sure to please.
A word about paying it forward by Barb Shelton...
You can read the column here...
Healing Hearts, the series: A word about paying it forward by Barb Shelton...: "My passion is huge for books with stories of every genre. There needs to be a purpose in what I read. I’m an avid learner, always seeking..."
Healing Hearts, the series: A word about paying it forward by Barb Shelton...: "My passion is huge for books with stories of every genre. There needs to be a purpose in what I read. I’m an avid learner, always seeking..."
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Journey Amazing: There's room for all...
Journey Amazing: There's room for all...: "Let's talk about authors and their audience as related to genre and passion. I write mostly romantic suspense (heavy on the suspense, but l..."
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
New Wordpress blog coming up here to include hearts rating!
For years I've had a Windows Live blog because of my MSN account. Now they have merged Windows Live into Wordpress, so I decided to give it a try. I will refocus this revised blog to specifically deal with ministry potential in book reviews. So if you want to know (starting this week) when I read a book how I score it in regards to ministry impact for healing hearts, then you'll want to check this blog out. Here is a link...
http://michellesutton.wordpress.com/
Here is the new rating system
(I'll incorporate this a bit into my current reviews here, too.)
1 heart - spiritually dead
2 hearts - a weak pulse
3 hearts - sporadic flutters
4 hearts - a healing heart
If you are already on Wordpress, by all means link to me. :)
My review of Rendezvous by Melody Carlson.
About the book:
Paige and Erin Forrester take their fashion-focused TV show to Paris, visiting renowned salons, designers, and international models. They meet up with designer Dylan Marceau, as well as with their new friends Taylor Mitchell and Eliza Wilton. When they take time to visit Eliza's family estate in Provence, romance, jealousy, and some surprises threaten the stability of On the Runway.
My review:
I enjoyed this third book in the series, but it seemed like more of a continuation of the series than a title that could stand on it's own. There were several good things to like about this novel, such as how it built on the two prior books, which I'd recently finished. What I didn't care for was the fact that this book had no real conclusion to it. Nothing seemed to wrap up. I prefer a book with a few loose ends tied together, and this one didn't have that. On the plus side, another great character, Gabin, was introduced in this book. Then...nothing.
Unlike the other books in the series, this one seemed lacking in the romance department, too, regardless of what the description above says. Plus, I find it hard to believe that all of those young adults would be sleeping in such close proximity to each other and absolutely nothing happened. Not even kissing. Seriously?
Anyway, I did worry about Blake for awhile, so that was good. The author also did a great job with the setting and I felt like I was hanging out in Paris with these ladies, and then later at the castle. Other than that there isn't much to say. I am not sure if I'll read the next book because while I liked these characters and this story, I am not sure I want to be pulled through very many more books to get to the end. I don't think I'll last for the long haul. Just sayin'. At any rate, I did enjoy this book and read it in a day. I'm just debating on whether or not I want to continue on because sometimes like with soap operas, these books can just go on and on.
Rendezvous was published by Zondervan and released in August 2010.
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