Peering Through Life's Window

A Warm Welcome to Jean Pike Thanks so much for having me today, Gail. It's my pleasure.   There are so many Biblical truths I tried to incorporate into King of Hearts that I had a hard time deciding what I wanted to tell your readers about the story. But as I started thinking about one of my secondary characters, my thoughts seemed to fall into place. Clara Blessings spent her life giving to others. When my heroine, Harper, and her brother, Nicky became motherless, Clara stepped in to help raise them. A talented pastry chef, she devoted her life to using her talents for the glory of God. Along with to-die-for wedding cakes, she baked amazing birthday cakes for underprivileged children who might not otherwise have gotten one. When Clara becomes increasingly forgetful and starts to make unsafe choices, a social worker threatens to have her removed from her home. The town rallies around their beloved Clara with offers of help. A local contractor offers to install safety locks on the ...

A Warm Welcome to Jodie Wolfe Hi Jodie, tell us a little about yourself. Hi, thanks for having me here today, Gail. It's my pleasure. Let’s see, what can I say about myself. I live in southcentral PA. I’ve had a longing to write ever since I was a little girl. I currently write Christian historical romances. I love winter and snow. You’ll usually find me with a book close at hand, because I’m an avid reader. I love to walk and spend time with my husband.  Were you an avid reader as a child? If so, what did you read? Yes! I loved Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House on the Prairie series. I also read the Encyclopedia Brown Series, Trixie Beldon Series, Nancy Drew , etc. I read more mysteries when I was younger than I do now. :) Why do you write? For me, writing is something God has called me to do. It’s a way of encouraging others to go deeper in their faith, even in the midst of difficulties they may be facing. Tell us about your latest book. How hard can it be to round up one del...

More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website Biblical: A Certain Man by Linda Dindzans -- Mara is a young Samaritan beginning to discover her love for Samuel—and his for her. Soon she will be deemed mature enough to marry. Her hopes are dashed when her greedy father brokers a match with the cruel son of the wealthy High Priest of Shechem. When her loathsome betrothed is killed, her beloved Samuel must run for his life. Mara and Samuel struggle to survive and reunite during the treacherous and scandalous times of the Bible under the merciless rule of Rome. (Biblical/Historical from Scrivenings Press) Contemporary:     B etween the Sound and Sea by Amanda Cox -- Every family has its secrets. Josephina Harris wouldn't mind if her family still had a few of their own after a lawsuit tarnishes their name. When an opportunity opens to become a temporary keeper of a decommissioned lighthouse on a North Carolina island, she jumps at...

HAPPY SUMMER!    Whether enjoying a lemonade and a snack while reading a good book, having tea with a friend or hosting a bridal shower, strawberries make the occasion special. See recipes below. Summer Reading and Recipes There are over two-dozen recipes in the back of Cooking up a Mystery, each one named for a character in the book. They were donated by members of Mission Love Seeds, a charitable group created to help children throughout the world and to respond locally after disasters to demonstrate God's love. Learn more at Mission Love Seeds About Cooking up a Mystery Laney Eskridge worked to put her husband through dental school. Then he left with another woman. She's on edge from the emotional scars and her parents' deaths. Then she hears unexplained noises in her new tea house, and her anxiety is tripled. Add a budding romance with Eric—a guy with a fear of commitment—and it's all too much to handle. She cuts ties with Eric and plunges into making her business...

More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website Contemporary Romance: Renee by Sandra Ardoin -- A bake-off competition can change widow Renee Burnette’s life and mend a frayed friendship. As the bake-off competition intensifies, Renee’s office relationships are strained, her sweet son becomes unruly, and the rift with her old friend widens. Can a decades-old cookbook help Renee restore the bonds every woman needs? (Romance from Corner Room Books) Pointe, Shoots, and Scores by Carolyn Miller -- When Bailey Donovan’s dance studio faces the risk of closure, she takes a God-given miracle of a gig training a complete non-dancer for a TV show. Only problem is, he’s a real grump, and for an athlete, seems to be lacking all the moves. Luc Blanchard loves hockey, God, and his family, with no time for more, until an unexpected promotion forces him to swallow his pride for the sake of his team. Sparks soon fly as these two opposites spend time...

  A Warm Welcome to Kristi Neace Kristi shares a devotional. She will start a new Bible study on Facebook in July. Watch for the announcement, giving the exact date and time on her  Facebook Page   Scriptural videos also available. See below.*  In a Pit? Psalm 40:1-3‚ “I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD.” Can you think of a time when God helped you out of a low place? Perhaps something had caused you to spiral downward, or maybe like the Old Testament character, Jonah, you had run away from God so as not to have to do what He was asking of you.  Through this passage, we see that David was experiencing this first-hand. He was in a place of despair, yet God was gracious, and after some time, placed Dav...

More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website Biblical: Petra: An Unbroken Legacy by Lisa L. Dorsey -- Embark on a journey through time and faith. Witness as the survival of a family's faith intertwines with pivotal moments in history to build a spiritual legacy anchored in God's steadfast Love, timeless Word, and infinite Wisdom. (Biblical Adventure from hope*books)   Contemporary Romance: The Triplets’ Summer Adventure by Laurel M. Blount -- Back home for the summer, adventure-seeking Nick Marshall thinks his park ranger gig will be easy—until the children’s camp he’s overseeing is left without a cook. Desperate to fill the position, he offers his high school nemesis, Cara Andrews, the job. As the two work together, Nick can’t help but fall for the single mom and her triplet sons. But convincing her to take a chance on him might be Nick’s toughest challenge yet… (Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin]) Mary’s Calico H...