Product Description
It’s 1876, and 20-year-old Mattie Flynn is determined to make a fresh start after fleeing from her sinister boss in the gambling house where she was employed as a singer. Mattie travels to Deadwood, South Dakota, in search of her younger brother, who went ahead of her in hopes of making a fortune in the gold mines.All Mattie wants is a safe and respectable life for the two of them, but that doesn’t seem to be her destiny as she faces more heartache and trials. Will the suspicious bottles of gold dust from her brother’s claim be the key to her future…or does the handsome street preacher, who is always turning the other cheek, truly hold the answers to her deepest longings?

My Review:  

I found this book slow to begin with but by the time I finished the first chapter I was totally engaged.  I became interested initially because I love the cover, and for some reason, the author looks familiar to me.  The main character travels to be with her brother and only living relative in the Black Hills of South Dakota.  She was also escaping nightmarish treatment from her boss in Abilene, where the family originated.  Mattie is a very likeable character.  She pitches in to help and wants to make her own way.  She makes a lot of new friends in Deadwood.  Some of these new friends have a real faith in Jesus, which Mattie did not share.  This is classic historical Christian fiction with romance and adventure.  I learned a little about history as well – seeing the time period from the view of the main character.   I have never read this author before, but will now check out more books by her!

I did a radio interview today over the phone and I’m hoping I don’t have to listen to it because no matter how clever and witty I think that I’m being during the interview, I always find that I sound pretty dorky when I listen to it afterwards.

But one of the questions was a pretty good one, and one that I don’t get all that often.  It was ‘How can you create characters who aren’t autobiographical?’

Gosh, I hate questions that make me have to think on a dime!  I’m a writer because it usually takes me three to four passes before I come up with something brilliant to say.  Unfortunately, with a radio interview you’ve got one shot and one shot only.

My brilliant answer was, “My main character is always autobiographical.”  After a short pause, I went on to explain in a muddle of words that I’m still not convinced made a lot of sense.  But here, with all the time in the world to put down my thoughts, I’ll have a better chance of explaining.

It’s a given that most authors write what they know.  Besides being a writer, I’m a wife, mother, friend, daughter, sister, granddaughter—just like the majority of my readers.  It’s my real world and what I know best.  My everyday life is very similar to that of most of my readers, as are the emotions experienced over great joy, loss, grief, homecomings, and departures.  When I write emotional scenes involving my protagonist, I’m giving her the emotions I’ve felt in real life; the same emotions that will resonate with my readers.  We might not have shared the same actions in life, but we’ve most likely shared the same reactions.

But sometimes I’m a little more blatant with the ‘borrowing’ of real life.  In my November, 2008/9 books (The House on Tradd Street and The Girl on Legare Street) my protagonist, Melanie Middleton, is anal-retentive and loves the musical group ABBA.  I’m not admitting to anything, but certain friends who know me well have told me that of all my characters, she’s the most like me.  I’m quite sure I don’t know what they’re talking about.

In my latest release, The Lost Hours, the protagonist, Piper Mills regrets not having asked her grandmother for her stories before her grandmother succumbed to Alzheimer’s.  My own grandmother (to whom the book is dedicated) suffers with Alzheimer’s, and although I grew up listening to my grandmother’s stories, I imagined while writing the book the devastation I would have felt if I hadn’t taken the time to listen.  Again, it’s the shared emotion with my readers that makes this particular character not only autobiographical, but also authentic.

Sometimes, the autobiographical aspect of a character is completely unintentional.  A writer friend recently pointed out to me that in every single one of my books, the protagonist is in some way at odds with her mother and/or her mother is dead.  Since my own mother and I have always had a difficult relationship, this makes sense—but it was just incredible for me to learn that I had done the same thing in so many books yet never noticed it!

When I’m not feeling autobiographical, I like to pretend that I have the divine hand of Providence and I allow myself to create better worlds than the one in which I reside.  As a child growing up, I always, always wanted a sister and ended up with three brothers instead.  In retaliation, I write a lot of sister books, and in the one book where my character has a brother (Pieces of the Heart), he’s dead before the first chapter starts.  Hey, it’s my world and I can do whatever I want!

Same goes with naming characters.  My husband picked the names of both our children and our dog.  So with every book, I go through the list of children’s names I wanted and just go to town naming all those characters who will people my book and I don’t have to get anybody’s approval.

I even find that sometimes my protagonist is my alter-ego—the person I _wish_ I could be because they’re stronger, smarter, more resilient.  Skinnier.  Yeah, even that.  I have one protagonist (The House on Tradd Street and The Girl on Legare Street) who has an enormous sweet tooth and has donuts for breakfast every morning, but never gains a pound.  She’s definitely not autobiographical, but I definitely wish that she were!  But that’s the joy of writing, and in Karen’s world, I get to pick the reality.

Piper Mills has just lost her grandfather when the family lawyer passes on a small gift from her grandmother. The gift is nothing more than a small charm and Piper is puzzled about why it’s important. Unfortunately, she can’t ask her grandmother who is suffering from Alzheimer’s. However, when Piper’s grandmother dies, she attempts to find some information about her grandmother’s mysterious past. When an old friend of her grandmother refuses to speak with her, Piper goes undercover as a renter on her property to pursue the truth.

I really enjoyed this story by Karen White as it embodied many of the things I’ve come to expect from White’s books. Interesting characters who are deeply hurt and looking for peace and redemption, a slow but satisfying pace, and a rich setting. Karen White also seems to write about mysterious family history well.

I enjoyed the way the story was told and the characters though a few pieces of the premise stretched believability a little bit for me. I have a hard time thinking of girls sharing a scrapbook based on when they get to wear a charm. Even so, I just threw my disbelief to the wind and savored the story.

I also love love love White’s prose, for example, how beautiful is this?
“But guilt, she’s also learned, was a lot like tree sap: it stuck to everything and after a long time it hardened to stone, trapping unsuspecting creatures inside of it.”

Little nuggets of wisdom like that are throughout the book! I’ve also noticed that White does not follow conventional point of view in her book…this book is told through Piper’s first point of view and Lillian and Helen’s third person point of view.

Ultimately, this is a satisfying character piece with an interesting mystery to keep you engaged to the end.

Product Description
In the seemingly ordinary Amish home of Grace Byler, secrets abound. Why does her mother weep in the night? Why does her father refuse to admit something is dreadfully wrong? Then, in one startling moment, everything Grace assumed she knew is shattered. Her mother’s disappearance leaves Grace reeling and unable to keep her betrothal promise to her long-time beau. Left to pick up the pieces of her life, Grace questions all she has been taught about love, family, and commitment.Heather Nelson is an English grad student, stunned by a doctor’s diagnosis. Surely fate would not allow her father to lose his only daughter after the death of his wife a few years before. In denial and telling no one she is terminally ill, Heather travels to Lancaster County–the last place she and her mother had visited together. Will Heather find healing for body and spirit?

As the lives of four wounded souls begin to weave together like an Amish patchwork quilt, they each discover missing pieces of their life puzzles–and glimpse the merciful and loving hand of God.

My Review:  The Secret is another great book by Beverly Lewis.  I look forward to the rest of this series.  The characters are real and not perfect.  There is a mystery that needs to be solved, and an old romance that seems to reappear.  Grace’s life is topsy-turvey.  The story weaves in a good mix of Amish, English, and Mennonite characters.  The Amish do not seen as strict in this story as they do in former books, but there is still some of that which is to be expected because of the culture.  I read this book in just a couple of days.  Even though the book kept me engaged, I would have to say there were no huge surprises.  I may have seen this theme before, although at this point I have no idea how Mrs. Lewis will develop the series.  A very worthwhile and interesting book to read.  It will tug at your heartstrings.

Watch Horrid Henry on YouTube

Synopsis

Henry is dragged to dancing class against his will; vies with Moody Margaret to make the yuckiest Glop; goes camping; and tries to be good like Perfect Peter – but not for long.

Annotation

Horrible Henry causes his brother Perfect Peter all sorts of problems when he behaves properly for a change, upstages Peter at a dance recital, plays pirates, and goes on a camping trip.

My Review: The main characters in this book series are Horrid Henry, Perfect Peter, and Moody Margaret.  This is a very fun book.  Horrid Henry is the character most boys and girls would love to be, but do not quite have the nerve.  He thrives on being naughty.  Perfect Peter on the other hand is how most children actually behave. Ah, Perfect Peter, the darling of his parents.  He never does anything wrong.  Horrid Henry can only be good for so long, then the mischief begins.  Henry’s antics on the family camping trip are unforgettable!  My second grade class loves Horrid Henry.  They laughed out loud as I read his many adventures.  This is a great book for boys, who in my opinion need more easy chapter books. Girls can relate as well. The Accelerated Reading level is 3.3 (third grade, third month) which is perfect for many of my second grade students.  I already have several who want to read this book on their own.  I am very glad to have these books as a part of my classroom library, and I recommend them for those boys who have a hard time finding something they can relate to in books.  Captain Underpants, Horrible Harry, and Junie B. Jones fans will love these books.  I recommend these books for children ages 5-9.  There are several books in the series with more to come, and I can’t wait to read them all!

GIVEAWAY!! Sourcebooks has generously allowed us to give away up to 5 Horrid Henry chapbooks (called Horrid Henry’s Dance Class! To enter, leave a comment and tell us about the worst childhood prank you’ve seen…or done yourself! To be eligible, you must leave a valid email address and have a United States or Canadian mailing address. We can’t wait to see what you come up with!

Here’s our end of event wrap-up! Thanks so much Trish, Nymeth, and Hannah and everyone else who took a part!

1. Which hour was most daunting for you?
Sally: The last hour I was awake.
Amy: Probably around 10 when I took a nap? I had been living on 3 hours sleep a night the week before which didn’t really help.
2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year?
Sally: Jodi Picoult’s Vanishing Acts, Malice by Lisa Jackson
Amy: I recommend all those great YA books. the Forest of Hands and Teeth is pretty engaging.
3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?
Sally: no
Amy: With so many participants, it might be helpful to assign cheerleaders to certain sections as ultra organized as that sounds. Some blogs received a lot more comments than others, which could be due to feeds updating, but something like this might help with that and help everyone to feel encouraged. Also 5 am? Almost impossible starting time.
4. What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon?
Sally: It’s nice to have cheerleaders and be motivated by staying connected online.
Amy: Twitter and using tweetgrid. Quite honestly, I didn’t have time to read many blogs but felt like I could keep up with everyone on twitter.
5. How many books did you read?
Sally: 3
Amy: 2

6. What were the names of the books you read?
Sally: In Praise of Stay-at-Home Moms, Take One, and Fudge Cupcake Murder
Amy: Boneman’s Daughters by Ted Dekker, and The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

7. Which book did you enjoy most?
Sally: Fudge Cupcake Murder
Amy: The Forest of Hands and Teeth

8. Which did you enjoy least?
We liked them all

9. If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders?
10. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time?
Very likely as readers!

Amy here…just finished my second book. This might be my slowest readathon ever! I really did enjoy the Forest of Hands and Teeth, though.

Sally has already gone to bed, and I’m thinking of shutting down the computer and going to read until I fall asleep.

There is just never enough time to read…even when you devote 24 hours to it! Enjoy the rest of your readathon everyone!

To our regular readers – Amy and I are participating in Dewey’s 24-hour Read-a-thon.  It is Amy’s third and my second read-a-thon.  For some unknown reason, my husband has gone out of town during this time – really prearranged meetings for WORK.  We had a rocky beginning, but now with full tummies (pizza, bread sticks, and apple things from Pizza Hut) we are well on our way to the home stretch.

Amy is reading a zombie Young Adult book?????????  First, vampires, now zombies?   I just finished Karen Kingsbury’s new book, Take 1.  It is awesome and even though it’s a new series, some old familiar and well-loved characters from former books appear.  Now I need to read a kiddo’s book and then Jodi Picoult’s Vanishing Act.  Been hearing good things about this author, but have never read any of her books.  Well off to the pages………….

. What are you reading right now?
Sally: Take One by Karen Kingsbury
Amy: The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

2. How many books have you read so far?
Sally: 2
Amy: 1

3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon?
Sally: Vanishing Acts by Jodi Picoult
Amy: Fragile Eternity by Melissa Marr

4. Did you have to make any special arrangements to free up your whole day?
Sally: No
Amy: Not really.

5. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those?
Sally: YES, they were unavoidable
Amy: OH so many! I couldn’t connect my computer to the wireless network here so I had to mess around with that for a long while, the lawn people came and were loud, etc.

6. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far?
Sally: That I can eat so much.
Amy: There’s a lot more participants this time than the last two times!

7. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?
Sally: No
Amy: 5 am is a brutal starting time, especially when you’ve had a rough work week!

8. What would you do differently, as a Reader or a Cheerleader, if you were to do this again next year?
Sally: Nothing
Amy: Make sure everything works before I start! The community aspect of the event is most of the fun so it’s sad when the computer doesn’t work

9. Are you getting tired yet?
Sally: Yes
Amy: I already had quite the nap, so no worries, there!
10. Do you have any tips for other Readers or Cheerleaders, something you think is working well for you that others may not have discovered?

I just want to say thanks to all the cheerleaders and all the event organizers. I KNOW how much work this is and you guys have done a GREAT job!

I can’t believe we’re almost halfway through!!!!

I finally finished my first book..the review book. Admittedly, I took about an hour’s nap and had the slow start this morning, but I’m feeling really good now.

I’ve been borrowing my dad’s computer which is a Mac and I’m used to a PC…so I’m sad I haven’t been able to visit as many blogs as I like or join in all the fun…it takes me twice as long to figure out where things are on this computer!!!

So I’ve read just 400 pages in 12 hours (shameful!) but I fixed myself a big plate of veggies and a giant glass of diet Mountain Dew and I’m ready to read some YA! (The Forest of Hands and Teeth!)