When You’re Down and Hurtin’ – on the Rough Tracks – God is There

Posted on by July 8, 2015
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Shelleen: Rough Tracks

Deb’s Dozen: 12-Word Summary – Daddy’s Girl, a Fairytale, and My Love Song – Wow! Enraptured – Rough Tracks

I’ve not reviewed music before on my blog, but I have to tell you about a rare talent I had the privilege of meeting at the Writer to Writer Conference in Hershey, PA, this month. Her name is Shelleen and she’s a tall, terrifically talented singer. She gifted me with a copy of her CD as we were leaving, with the note, “Write On, Deb!”

Shelleen told me she sang for herself and occasionally in church, but that she gets into the music and lets her emotions shine through. The gals with her attested to her talent and ability. Tonight I finally had time to give the CD my attention and to listen to her music.

The first song that played was I’ll Dance – and I wanted to get up and do just that! The next one that captured me was Wow! She writes of her awe of the God we love and serve and how when she thinks of him – Wow! Daddy’s Girl tells the devil that “My Daddy’s bigger than your daddy and He who is in me is bigger than he who is in the world” [My paraphrase] My Love Song is her love song to Jesus and so beautiful. I Trust You says I open my heart to you (Jesus).

Along with the beautifully expressive words comes some rocking music – heavy on drums, with a way cool acoustic guitar. You’ll be blessed to the bottom of your heart and soul listening to Shelleen’s Rough Tracks.

About herself, Shelleen says, “Although my writing began in a time of grief and pain, it didn’t end there. I believe you will not only be entertained, but more importantly, my prayer is that you can relate to the honesty of my emotions, and be inspired. You will hear the heart of a woman, who thankfully responded to her pain by letting go of the reigns of her life and falling back into the arms of Jesus, experienced comfort, healing, restoration, and unspeakable joy!

This CD is really my testimony, and evidence I present to you of a loving Savior. My vision for this album is to point people to Him, and my prayer is that the music will do for others what it did for me… Helped me heal, worship, rejoice, and honestly express and release how I felt inside….just like my poetry…. be it good, bad, or ugly.”

Buy it! Listen! Dance! Experience the Wow! Go to www.ShelleenSings.com and be blessed.

Is the past coming alive in Wildwood Creek?

Posted on by July 8, 2015
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Deb’s Dozen: 12-Word Summary – Mysterious location, mysterious circumstances. Is the past coming alive in Wildwood Creek?

Allie Kirkland wants to follow in her film director father’s footsteps. She remembers his “ability to create things that never were.” She has defied her mother and step-dad to stay in school studying film-making.

When Allie gets the opportunity to work on the Mysterious History docudrama miniseries about Wildwood Creek, she is drawn in, almost against her better judgment. The director, Rav Singh, was known for projects “rife with dark psychological stuff that tended to explore the worst side of human nature.”

Allie and her best friend, Kim, are in for the adventure of their lives. Allie is hired to be a production assistant even though she has almost no experience. Kim is hired to be one of the actors – one of the women working in the bathhouse. They’re counting on their neighbor, Stewart, to use his prodigious research skills at the library where he works to get them more information about Wildwood Creek. Allie is especially interested in the mysterious and infamous Bonnie Rose, who once lived in that long ago vanished community.

Wildwood Creek is a departure from Lisa Wingate’s other Shores of Moses Lake books. I didn’t even realize the location was in that area until Allie takes a trip to the location prior to the commencement of shooting the docudrama. I’ve loved all of the books set in Moses Lake. With this book, I admired the ability of Wingate to modify her writing to match the mood of the melodrama that takes place in the book. Well done!

Come along with Allie and Kim as they experience pioneer life in the gold-rush town of Wildwood Creek, Texas – you’ll be thrilled you did!

Lisa Wingate is a popular inspirational speaker, magazine columnist, and national bestselling author of several books (I’m exhausted just reading her bio). She’s a Christy Award finalist, a seven-time Carol Award nominee, and the winner of 2011 and 2012 Carol Awards. She and her family live in Central Texas. For more information on Lisa and her books, visit www.lisawingate.com.

Bethany House Publishers gave me access to an Advance Reader’s Copy of Wildwood Creek on Net Galley for my candid review.

Jilted at the altar, she follows her Heart’s Pursuit

Posted on by July 8, 2015
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Deb’s Dozen:12-Word Summary–Jilted, hires a bounty hunter, succeeds in quest, finds love and family.

Silver Matlock was jilted at the altar and worse – her fiancé absconds with her dad’s money and mother’s jewels. As they now have no way to pay the note on their business coming due at the bank, Silver feels responsible for recovering the money.

A gutsy, forward-thinking woman, she hires a bounty hunter, Jared Newman, to find the scoundrel. The pair set out to track him down—Silver adamantly, Jared reluctantly—he’d not wanted her company on the search.

As they travel, they are drawn to each other, but both feel the other is beyond their reach. As the journey progresses, they learn much—about themselves, and about each other.

I love Robin Lee Hatcher’s books, although this one is a bit different from her usual historical romances. I must say I like the change I love the character of Silver and both she and Jared are very real.. You’ll enjoy reading about Silver and Jared – 4 stars. I also enjoy Robin’s newsletter–you can sign-up at http://www.robinleehatcher.com/

To quote her bio, “Robin Lee Hatcher is an award-winning author including the Christy Award for Excellence in Christian Fiction, two RITA Awards for Best Inspirational Romance, and the RWA (Romance Writers of America) Lifetime Achievement Award.”

I received a copy of The Heart’s Pursuit from Zondervan Publishing for my candid review.