Discordant Notes in Paradise…Fur Elise – Peggy Sue Wells

Posted on by July 8, 2015
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Deb’s Dozen: 12-Word Summaries – Beautiful violist, heart-sick parajumper, murder? kidnapping, action, adventure, adversity, romance, and reunions.

Michael Northington casts his career as an Air Force parajumper aside after a top-security guard assignment leads to the murder of a friend. Feeling betrayed by those he trusted, he heads for paradise in the guise of St. Croix.

Elise Eisler has long lived on the island, the only daughter of a musician father and a painter mother. Elise is an artiste herself, a violist well-known on St. Croix. After her parents die, Elise’s life is out-of-tune so to change the music and her memories, she elects to move back into the big house from the studio she shared with her father and to rent that studio out.

Trying to save the beloved symphony hall, an institution on St. Croix, Elise pays little attention to the rather gloomy renter, Mr. Northington, although she does take note of his attractiveness.

Coerced back into duty on a rescue mission of a liberal senator’s do-gooder daughter who has gotten herself trapped in the midst of an international organ-swapping ring, Michael again finds himself questioning the politics of the situation. Somehow Elise, the island, the daughter, the senator, the organ-swapping ring, and the murder seem to be linked in some way. As Michael inches closer to the truth, the island is battered by Hurricane Hugo. Will any of them survive?

Every page shouts Danger! Deception! Deviousness! Deviltry! or Lovely, Lyrical, Romance, and Beauty. Once enmeshed in this extremely well-written novel, you won’t want to stop reading – do start early in the day or you’ll be up all night!

Peggy Sue Wells, named after the Buddy Holly song, has authored over two dozen titles including the award-winning The Slave Across the Street, which was a Wall Street Journal and USA Today best-seller, the What to Do series, Rediscovering Your Happily Ever After, and the Patent. Peggy’s books have been translated into five languages and sell internationally. Keeping herself very busy, Peggy is a frequent radio guest, coaches writers, teaches at writers’ conferences, and speaks at a multiplicity of events. You can find more information about Peggy on her web site, PeggySueWells.com.

I was given a copy of Fur Elise by Elk Lake Publishing for my unbiased review.

A Sky without Stars can lead to a Darkness of the Soul – Linda S. Clare

Posted on by July 8, 2015
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Deb’s Dozen: 12-Word Summaries – Transplanted Lakota Indian mom and son. Hard times, new family, God’s love.

Frankie Chasing Bear and her son, Harold, have come to Arizona from their home in South Dakota hoping to find a new life after the death of her husband. Eking out a bare existence by working in the kitchen at the Indian School is hardly sufficient to make them successful. Enter Nick Parker, the Federal Indian Agent for the area (and half Lakota). He wants to help Frankie, but she is leery of Indian men – many of the ones she knows are alcoholics like her husband was. What keeps Frankie going and gives her hope is a quilt her grandmother taught her to make – a Lakota Star pattern. Her grandmother had often told her; A bed without a quilt is like a sky without stars.

How Frankie and Harold scrape their way to a better life, and how Nick fits into the picture, as well as learning how Indians are sometimes treated by the white folk in the area, makes an interesting and informative read. You’ll be fascinated by the discussions of Indian life.

Linda S. Clare has written many books, essays, short stories, and poems. An award-winning author, she edits and mentors other writers and frequently speaks at conferences and church retreats. She and her husband live in Eugene, Oregon with their three wayward cats.

I was given a copy of A Sky Without Stars by Abingdon Press for my unbiased review.

Hope doesn’t float; rather hope anchors us to Jesus!

Posted on by July 8, 2015
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Deb’s Dozen: 12-Word Summaries – Running from a Crazy Man (and other adventures traveling with Jesus) AMEN!

I met Lori Roeleveld at the New England Writers’ Conference a few weeks ago. I attended her workshop on Blogging—you see, I’d love to see PositiveGrace.com become the go-to blog for readers of Christian books. I learned much from Lori that day—not the least of which was that I write not for you nor for myself nor for fame nor for fortune, but for my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Lori asked me if I’d review her book, the title of which, and my comment on the contents, appears in Deb’s Dozen. I should have remembered that lesson I’d learned (AGAIN!) at her feet those few weeks ago. Instead, I picked up her book—saw the incredible number of chapters—and indulged myself in a huge sigh—SIGH!

Then I started reading. God humbled me as I read the words that Lori penned. The words are rich and beautiful and so expressive—and they pierced my soul deeply. The first indications that I was in for a crazy ride (should have been the title, but sometimes I’m slow!) were her words in a chapter entitled Beautiful Impossibilities. Jesus calls us to beautiful impossibilities every day because we’re not actually here to accomplish something. We are here to be something—broken, faithful, devoted, true, enduring, patient, loving, sacrificing, joyful in affliction, given over to Christ and to others in His name. I had to learn that lesson when I learned to just be. I wanted to be on the platform speaking for Him, teaching for Him at retreats and conferences….He called me from that to just be—to just be Deb. Lori reminded me of that.

Another truth: Maybe you’ve blown it. Maybe you’ve blown it big. A little temptation, a small indulgence left unrepented gave birth to full-on, life-changing sin, and now, you’re afraid there’s no way to come home….Don’t let the dealer of your brokenness convince you to stay hooked on sin with the lie you can’t go home again. Home is waiting for your call. Your Father will save you in a heartbeat.

I’m feeling my age these days, but Lori summed up how I feel so succinctly. You’re tired. Tired of trying. Tired of failing. Tired of yourself. And then gently reminded me from Isaiah 46.4 Even to your old age I am He, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save.

Those are but three of the powerful illustrations from the book—there are many, many more. Running from a Crazy Man is one book that will remain in my library to be re-read time and time again. Thank you, Lori—for remaining true to your calling and writing the words that the Lord wants so many of us to hear!

You will want to buy Lori’s book – several copies (you’ll want all your friends to read the book, too) – and subscribe to her blog: www.loriroeleveld.com

Lori Stanley Roeleveld provided me with an advance reader copy of Running From a Crazy Man in exchange for my unbiased review (and I am ever so grateful for the gift!).