Sunday Words of Encouragment October 28, 2012

We had a beautiful, Spirit filled communion service today.  Pastor continued his sermon series extolling the Power of the Spirit. He pointed out how Elijah passed the 'Mantle' (cloak) of power to Elisha. Elisha had asked for a double blessing and in fact the Bible records twice as many miracles for Elisha as Elijah.

Why do we need the Power of the Spirit?

• To be a witness. Acts 1:8
• To do exploits for God. Acts 6:8
• As an emblem of God's presence. 1 Corinthians 2:4
• As a ransom from destruction. 1 Corinthians 6:1
• As a revelation of Christ. Acts 4:33
• To prevent our hearts from fainting. Isaiah 40:29.

What response is needed from us? 

• Physically – we are expected to take action as directed by His Will.
• Spiritually – we are expected to surrender to His Will and direction.

When Elijah came upon Elisha, who was leading workers in the field, Elijah put his cloak on Elisha. Elisha, a man of worth, immediately returned home, sold his oxen and followed Elijah as his servant. 1 Kings 19:19-21.
Elisha did not make provision for less than God's best. He was accountable for the responsibility he took on. Likewise, our response should be immediate and wholeheartedly committed. We must be careful not to let the enemy trick us with good intentions that are not fulfilled. We should expect to put in effort and sacrifice as there is always a cost for commitment.

This is an old praise song that seems totally appropriate for today's message.

A Verse for Today:
1 Corinthians 4:20 (NIV)
20 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.

I pray today (and I must renew this each day) that God, through the Holy Spirit, would strengthen my intentions into fulfilled commitment.

Sharing Beyond Books #72 Comment Giveaway October 27, 2012

Welcome to another SBB!

Hello late on Saturday Night. I'm finishing this late tonight as we went to a Sunday School group bonfire. The location was on a lake and beautiful although the wind picked up for a chilly 57 degrees. We watched Thou Shalt Laugh 4 and there was some great humor! 

Thank you to all who shared last week.

Several of your countries do not celebrate Halloween but I loved that most of you shared costume ideas or favorite costumes from childhood. I especially loved the book ideas: Carol NW suggested dressing as a library; Abby suggested dressing as a giant book; and Elizabeth mentioned school children having to dress as book characters. Several of you also mentioned dressing in older period costumes which would be fun too.

It sounds like we all have pretty big, and mostly out of control, TBR piles, boxes and shelves. I think the most organized sounded like Ricki with her sorted shelves, miki with her boxes by genres and mamabunny13 with her 10 books in a stack approach. I do have boxes by genres in addition to authors so maybe I can incorporate that for next year's approach to the TBR stacks. :-)  And Birgit, Carol and others - we will not even discuss the ebook (Knidles, Nook, etc.) TBR stacks!!

~~~~

The Winner from SBB #71 comments is: #18 Cheryl C There are still 5 'love' books to pick from and 1 Christmas choice (see my note above about adding more titles to that list soon). Cheryl please choose a book (or GC if international) from the remaining five Love Books List for Giveaway, the new Christmas Giveaway Book list, OR pick from the Updated ARC/Review List and let me know your choice, your address and a choice of bookmarks by completing the WINNER FORM.

WEEK #72 Questions

Q1. Faith Hope & CherryTea asks: Many of the classics being formatted for ebooks are including the original illustrations. Are you more influenced to prefer or choose a book with illustrations?? 

I have been really lax at re-reading classics. I'm thinking I would rather listen to them then read. :-) But IF I were reading I think I would love to see original illustrations in the old classics.

While looking for an image I discovered a classic
that I loved as a child. Maybe you have one to share that you remember?

Images found at Ventura County Star for Winnie the Pooh
                   and

Wikipedia for Charles Dickens

Q2. Since we are almost on Halloween I have one more question: IF you do / or were to celebrate what part of Halloween would you participate in?? Decorations? Would you let the kids go down the street door to door for trick or treating or take them to a festival event??

A: We avoid the night and turn out our porch light although we are on a secluded mile long drive so not likely to get visitors anyway. :-) I get a big bag of candy for our church which is sharing with other churches in a downtown "Trunk or Treat" event where they give the candy out of the backs of cars. My daughter will dress the grandkids and take them to that type of event but she may well walk them around her neighborhood too to get their "trick or treat" candy. They have a very safe neighborhood and she will decorate her house as will many others. Our town also has a haunted house every year.

Mystica asked last week to explain the candy "trick or treat" aspect. I found two articles to share for explanations:   Why candy is given out on Halloween? found at http://www.emasherbs.com  and http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Why_do_people_give_out_candy_on_Halloween

Spider Web and Pumpkin Trunk idea found at Squidoo How to Trunk Your Car

Thanks to those who are sending in Questions. DON'T BE SHY! Surely everyone has a Q or two you'd like to ask. Input suggestions in this Suggested Question Form. At the end of each month I will draw from the suggestions I used the month before and that person will get a book choice or GC. I thank everyone for submitting questions but some of you others might want to get in a question or two as we have a few people submitting most of the questions so far. Either way - it works for me. :-) The question list is being replenished!  Thanks for sending in questions!

***OCTOBER Questions were submitted by: Louisa, Mary P, Krystal, mamabunny13 and Faith Hope & CherryTea. This months Q winner is: Krystal. Please choose a book selection from the SBB winner choices.

Your turn to share:

1. Faith Hope & CherryTea asks: Many of the classics being formatted for ebooks are including the original illustrations. Are you more influenced to prefer or choose a book with illustrations?? Or share an illustrated classic you remember from childhood.

2. IF you do / or were to celebrate what part of Halloween would you participate in?? Decorations? Would you let the kids go down the street door to door for trick or treating or take them to a festival event??

SBB Comment Winners can choose a selection from the remaining Valentine and "Love" books (5 left) or the new Christmas Giveaway Books. Also I have added the Updated ARC/Review List now.

SBB Rules:
a) Must be a follower.
b) Share a comment on any (or all) of the two/three questions above.
Open internationally and an international winner may get a smaller book or a $5.00 GC if I decide the mailing is too much.

I will pick a Comment winner from all comments made by Friday, November 2, 2012 at 10 PM central.

Winners of Angel's Landing and Sultry with a Twist

CONGRATULATIONS TO WINNERS
Giveaways Ended October 26, 2012


Giveaway Three Copies of Angel's Landing 

Na, pc and Natasha

Giveaway ARC Sultry with a Twist

Alicia

Na, pc, Natasha and Alicia Please fill in the Winner's Acceptance Form or email me at mesreads AT gmail.com to confirm the win and I will notify the publisher and or send the books.  Please reply within 72 hours!
Thank you to all who entered these giveaways.. 

Guest Post and Giveaway by Suzanne Barrett

I have read eight titles by Suzanne and I have been impressed by the unique plots in each. I asked her to share how she comes up with such different ideas.

 Coming Up With New Romance Plots: What Moves Me
by Suzanne Barrett

Why do I write the stories I do?  Each of my books is set in a different location with a protagonist engaged in an unusual activity.  My interest in England and Ireland fueled several stories:  TAMING ROWAN is set in England’s Cumbria; IN LOVE AND WAR is set in County Waterford.  SIERRA BRIDE is a historical with an Irish immigrant heroine, set in Eastern California near where I lived as a girl.

AN IRISH ROGUE is set in my home town of Santa Cruz, California.  LATE HARVEST explores the Mendocino wine country.  I’m currently working on another wine country story, INDECENT PROPOSAL, again set in my home town.  (Wine country, wine-making, and the Santa Cruz Mountains are of particular interest to me.)
 

I love the tortured hero.  It is satisfying to watch him stumble and pick himself up again and again until he finally has his light-bulb moment and realizes that what holds him back from achieving his goal is … himself.  I empathize with a heroine who also has baggage but is, underneath it all, an honorable person.
 
For me, reading fiction is an escape.  I want my protagonists to struggle to achieve their happy ending.  I want to see character growth that makes them worthy of their goals.
 
A character may have a less-than-honorable beginning, but to satisfy the romantic in me, he or she must have a moment of truth that changes everything once thought correct and sets him/her on a new path.  One of the ways I work to achieve reader empathy with a less-than-wholesome character is to show the mental push-pull going on.  If my heroine acts like a twit, she’d better have an inner voice questioning her behavior.  I think this helps a reader relate to someone who behaves badly because she then knows that character is acting “out of character.”

Settings and character traits do not make a story new, but if an author can fully engage her reader with likable protagonists and also create a unique setting, that story can be a classic and still feel fresh and exciting.
 
I used this technique in TAMING ROWAN, a story about a project engineer, an alpha male who lays down a “no women on site” rule, and a youthful, talented heroine who fights for acceptance.  Pretty standard fare?   However, I made it unique by making the heroine a structural engineer with just the right qualifications for the project.  Then I set the story at a remote antenna installation in northern England.  The dishy but rude British project officer is then forced by circumstances beyond his control to accept the young American.  Add the remote beauty of the Fells, cozy English pubs, wild storms, and an unwanted but undeniable attraction between the hero and heroine and you have the recipe for a romance that isn’t the norm.
 
In LOVING LUKE I have created a wounded warrior, a reclusive photographer who was badly burned in a car crash and now struggles to revive his career and heal emotionally, and a social worker with a tender heart.  Add a high-achieving family to whom she’s the square peg, a quirky gal pal, and a torrential storm that strands the heroine overnight at the hero’s cabin and… well, I’ll let you be the judge.
 
One reviewer said:  “This book hits all my love buttons!  I love the characters, from Jo, the conflicted heroine with the ritzy family, to the even more conflicted hero, Luke Falconer, who’s got demons and guilt and tremendous talent for photography and great heart, which he keeps hidden until it comes to Jo.”
 
I’d like to read your comments on what type of stories hit your love buttons.


About the Author:

Suzanne Barrett
Following a career in engineering, Suzanne has returned to her first love of writing and literature. Born in Southern California, Suzanne, along with her husband and an elderly cat make their home in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Suzanne is also a jewelry designer, and her wirework is shown at various arts and wine events throughout the county. (Visit her jewelry website at www.bellerustique.com.) In addition, she has an Irish travel website with articles, recipes and an extensive photo gallery. When she's not writing or designing jewelry, Suzanne loves to garden.

First published by Kensington Books, Suzanne's first novel for Turquoise Morning Press was Late Harvest a Mendocino California wine country story, followed by her two-time Golden Heart finalist book In Love and War a story set in County Waterford, Ireland.  Taming Rowan is set in England's Cumbria district and one borne of her work in aerospace. She has also released over the past year or so: Gift of the Heart, Sierra Bride, An Irish Rogue, Risking it All, Loving Luke and her most recent release, The Prodigal Lover

Visit Suzanne at:
www.irelandforvisitors.com
www.bellerustique.com
www.suzannebarrett.com
Twitter @suzanneb1441

Giveaway 

of Herringbone Green Jasper Earrings hand made by Suzanne 

and a digital copy of Loving Luke

TO ENTER THIS GIVEAWAY for earrings and digital copy:

1. MANDATORY FOR ENTRY: Leave a comment here for Suzanne answering "What type of stories hit your love buttons?"
2. For two additional entries visit the author's website or blog and tell me something you find of interest.
3. For an additional entry comment on my review of Loving Luke or one of my reviews of Suzanne's other titles found through this link. 

PLEASE LEAVE YOUR EMAIL OR WAY TO CONTACT YOU.
Four total entries possible; separate comments not required.

* This contest is open Worldwide.
* This contest will close 10 PM (Central) on November 2, 2012.
The winner will be randomly selected from all entries.
WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED on November 3, 2012.
Winners will have 72 hours to respond by email or the winners form linked in the announcement.  

Book Review: Loving Luke by Suzanne Barrett

 A solid, entertaining romance with a tortured hero.

Loving Luke
by Suzanne Barrett

• File Size: 726 KB
• Print Length: 250 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1622370112
• Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
• Publisher: Turquoise Morning Press (July 1, 2012)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.

Genre: Contemporary Romance
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Book Description
Publication Date: July 1, 2012
Jo McGuigan’s job is on the line. She needs a photographer to teach her rehab class, but the only one available is an angry recluse who wants nothing to do with the hospital or its outreach program.
Luke Falconer’s photo career ends in a fiery auto crash that leaves him badly burned and crippled. Hating the world, he retreats to his cabin. But when an encounter with the intriguing social worker ends in a night of passion, their lives are changed forever. Jo is a spark to Luke’s flame, and where there’s smoke, there is often a raging inferno.

Review:
Jo is a maverick in her family. Her socially minded mother and sister frown on Jo’s choice of career as a social worker. They frown on her disregard for fashion and her lack of a suitable mate.  But Jo sticks with her independent nature and loves her job.

Jo’s soft heart has gotten her transferred to a trial position as director of a rehab class for the disabled patients.  Jo decides that a photography program would be something worthwhile for these rehab students struggling to find new meaning in their lives. The problem is the local photography expert, Luke Falconer, has retreated from the world.

Luke was a renowned mountain climbing photojournalist until a fiery car accident took the life of his pregnant wife and left him with more than just severe skin scars.  Luke blames himself for the accident and questions whether he can find a suitable replacement for his athletic career.  He has retreated to his secluded cabin.  He has also retreated emotionally to protect himself because he feels he failed in his marriage. Although he is beginning to find enthusiasm for his wild bird photography he has little interest in engaging with humans.

Jo and Luke meet when stuck in an elevator at the burn center. He is standoffish and rude even as he feels a pull toward the feisty young woman.  After Luke fails to return several phone calls Jo seeks out the lion in his den to ask him to work with her program.  He is still hostile but when a storm strands Jo at the cabin passion flairs between them.  The heat of their night together turns into a cold morning when Luke rejects his feelings and pushes Jo away.

Jo continues to struggle trying to teach the photography class herself. When Luke runs into her a few months later he realizes that other problems have developed from their reckless encounter.  Luke proposes a solution but can Jo trust Luke to provide all the support a family will need or is she facing the risk of greater heartache?  The passion between them is combustible but the communication is a bust. Can Luke rise above his past pain to create a life with Jo before he loses the opportunity?

Once again Suzanne Barrett has created a romance with real, vibrant characters and realistic conflict. Luke is a wonderfully tortured soul who needs a lot of patience. His gentle caring is beautiful even as his silence is frustrating. Jo is a nurturer with her own vulnerabilities.  The chemistry between the two sizzles as they try to come to terms with their preconceptions and misunderstandings. The story includes beautiful scenery and a few surprises.

I love that each of Suzanne’s books have unique characters and plots. They are reliably engaging with conflict and sensual romance. If you love sensual romance you need to try one of Suzanne's lovely stories.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Luke feels but doesn't express his loneliness:

Lonely? She didn't know the meaning of the word. His loneliness wasn't something you talked about. It was a gut-wrenching emptiness that ate at him like a cancer. Location 680.

And Luke fears his emotions:

But they'd argued, and he'd retreated. It was what he always did when he felt control of a situation slipping away from him.  Location 3956.

I received this ebook from the Author for an honest review.  See Author Guest Post for Giveaway of earrings and ebook.

This story is set in Muir Woods, California for my Where Are You Reading Challenge.