a review for Godspeed and i wish i had more time

when my lovely friend, February Grace announced that she was going to publish her first novel, Godspeed, i wished i had more time to help her promote. alas, this thing called "moving, being in limbo, and building a house" has limited what i can do here in blogland. but, i'll do what i can and that is to post my short review, and give you some links to places where others are helping her.

"In her unique, lyrical style, February Grace uses beautiful language and rich descriptions to give us a novel full of mystery, danger, intriguing characters, and romance. Abigail and Quinn’s story hooked me from the first page and wouldn’t let go until the end. My only regrets in reading it were that I should have picked it up sooner, and I was sorry when it was over."

Godspeed is available at Amazon for Kindle, and at Lulu in paperback.

Interviews with Bru can be found at these blogs:

Laura Diamond
Angela Felsted

Confessions of a Watery Tart

Lydia Kang

another review OR the cool thing about being a writer

when i started writing, i never imagined all the great people i'd meet, especially other writers. the connections i make always surprise me.

the other day, i was checking my Facebook home page and came across a link to a novel called Fins, by Ashley Knight. seeing it was a mermaid story peaked my interest. i love mermaid stories. i followed the link to Ashley's website, read the first two chapters, and was hooked. that led me to downloading a copy onto my Kindle for PC and i spent the next couple of days devouring this book. (when i get the chance, i'll put up a review).

in the meantime, i'd "friended" Ashley on Facebook and we started chatting. i discovered that we have a few things in common. when i finished Fins, i sent her a message to let her know i'd enjoyed it and then told her that some things in her novel reminded me of Eldala - heart connections, shared dreams, a main character who finds out she's more than she thought she was...

that led to Ashley downloading a copy of Eldala. when she finished reading, she wrote a review for me. i've posted it on my Eldala blog. i can see a new friendship forming here. makes me glad i started writing.

review of Eldala by Margo Berendsen

new blogging and writing friend Margo Berendsen of Writing at High Altitude posted a great review on Goodreads. many thanks, Margo.

a lovely review for Eldala and the handing out of awards

it always amazes me when someone likes my book. i wonder why that is. maybe because i don't believe in myself? could be, but this isn't really the time to analyze my foibles. this post is about a kind review from my blogging friend Donna Hole. you can read it at her blog: Eldala Review

in the same post, she hands out the Friends for the Journey award. (yes, it's become an award. there's no controlling something once you've sent it out into the world wide web. it kind of takes on a life of its own. i have to let it go.) Christine handed it out a few days ago and i forgot to mention it.

if you want to see who's received this so far, i've kept track on my "friends for the journey" page. (yet another way to put off writing. who knew there were so many?) click on the tab under my giraffes.

on "Loving the Reviews Challenge" and how to blog

my new Goodreads friend, Brandi Kosiner, will be hosting a contest for us bookish types who love to get lost in a story and then review it. ok, so i admit i don't review a lot of books, but this sounded intriguing, especially since i'll get to do a guest post about something as yet to be determined. (that sounds really official, doesn't it?) for more details, you can read Brandi's intro post.

on another note, as i wrote the intro paragraph, i thought about what i've read about social media and getting more people to your blog, etc. the article i read today talked about having great post titles and keywords and super content to get more visitors through the search engines. so when i looked at what i'd written, i thought, "this could be better. it should sound more professional."

but then it wouldn't sound like me. i have to write my blog like i write it and not worry about stuff like that. writing any other way would sound stilted and forced. (kind of the way my opening scene sounded yesterday when i tried to get it ready for a critique. it just wasn't me. i was trying too hard.)

all that to say, i'll keep writing like me.

extended review by Lisa J. Yarde

Lisa J. Yarde, a.k.a. The Brooklyn Scribbler, and author of On Falcon's Wings, had already given me a great review on my "Other Reviews" page, but she sent me another that's more in-depth. Thank you, Lisa. I count you as one of my encouragers.

“You now have a choice, and it will take great courage to choose the right. From this moment on, you will be walking the path between who you are now and who you were born to be. All I am asking you to do is let yourself make the journey….” – Arathor’s letter to Kieran, Eldala

In Eldala by Michelle Gregory, Kieran, the orphaned heir to the throne of Teleria discovers the truth of his origins in a letter from his father King Arathor. When Kieran discovers the truth behind his identity, he goes on a quest to recapture his father's kingdom, and find the childhood friend he lost. Little does he know that she is key to unlocking his destiny.

As a baby, Kieran becomes the adoptive son of a blacksmith. His father, King Arathor asks the man to shelter the child from the kingdom’s enemies. On his twentieth birthday, Kieran discovers his unexpected heritage. Although he angrily rejects the truth at first, after Kale produces Arathor’s sword, Kieran is hard-pressed to obstinately deny the past. He has seen the long-hidden weapon in his dreams. Another image from the past also haunts him; the memory of a dark-eyed friend, Jessara, who was lost to raiders in the forest during their childhood.

to read the rest, you can go to my Eldala page: Lisa J. Yarde's Review

Kristie Cook's review of Eldala

Kristie Cook, author of Promise and Purpose (coming out next month), posted this on Good Reads and Amazon. many thanks, Kristie.

A sweeping story of family, friendship, love and war, Eldala takes you to another time and place that grabs your imagination and pulls you in. Kieran and Jessa, the two main characters, are strong, courageous and heroic, yet real and not too perfect. Their hearts are always in the right place and you can't help but cheer for them. The rest of the cast also shine. The point-of-view switches, mostly between Kieran and Jessa, but also with other characters every now and then. This could be confusing, but Michelle does it in such a way that you're glad to learn that part of the story and learn more about that particular character. Michelle has created a beautiful, detailed world that you'll enjoy getting lost in.

for more reviews, visit my Eldala review page.

ok, time for me to go back to writing.

review for Eldala by Lisa Yarde

my new blogging/writing/indie author friend Lisa Yarde took my book on her vacation and then wrote this kind review:

In Eldala, Kieran, the orphaned heir to the throne of Teleria discovers the truth of his origins in a letter from his father King Arathor. In it, Arathor writes, "All I am asking you to do is let yourself make the journey." Sage advice, which also applied to me in reading the book. I tend to read within my genre and rarely have I read fantasy, but I'm so glad Michelle Gregory introduced me to her work.

When Kieran discovers the truth behind his identity, he goes on a quest to recapture his father's kingdom, and find the childhood friend he lost. Little does he know that she is key to unlocking his destiny. I loved the emotional journey that Kieran undertakes, in which he learns to be a fighter and a leader of many people and I hope to read more about him in the future.

and then she said she was looking forward to reading more about my two main characters in Blackheart, and well, that still has to get done. i'd like to read it, too. i think i have an idea for the next scene, but now i have to find the time to write it.

for more reviews, you can visit my Eldala blog.

review for Eldala

my new blogging friend, Christine Danek, reviewed three books yesterday, the third being Eldala. you can read the review in this post: Books, Books, Books.

thank you, Christine.

for more information on Eldala, you can visit my Eldala blog. you'll find character pictures, the first chapter, and more reviews.

great reads - part 2

the first part of this post can be found here: great reads - part 1. i split the two for the sake of length, but this is still long.

the next four are by an author i found by accident, when i was looking for something else entirely. i'm glad i found these books by Christian author Kathleen Morgan.

the first three are part of a series called These Highland Hills. they all take place in the mid-1500's and are set in the Scottish Highlands. they follow three family members as they deal with love and forgiveness, while staying loyal to their clans. besides being great stories, they also revealed a bit of Scottish history, along with some Scottish church history.

i was impressed by the way Kathleen wrote romantic scenes that were tasteful and yet still left me feeling like i'd read a romance that wasn't washed out or cleaned up for Christian readers. these were real people experiencing honest emotions and real struggles with their faith and with their obvious attraction.

if you love Scottish Highland heroes and heroines (or just men in kilts), i think you'll enjoy these as well.

In the harsh Scottish highlands of 1565, superstition and treachery threaten a truce between rival clans. It's a weak truce at first, bound only by an arranged engagement between Anne MacGregor and Niall Campbell-the heirs of the feuding families.

While Niall wrestles with his suspicions about a traitor in his clan, Anne's actions do not go unnoticed. And as accusations of witchcraft abound, the strong and sometimes callous Campbell heir must fight for Anne's safety among disconcerted clan members. Meanwhile his own safety in threatened with the ever-present threat of someone who wants him dead.

Will Niall discover the traitor's identity in time? Can Anne find a way to fit into her new surroundings? Will the two learn to love each other despite the conflict?


Orphan and heiress, Scotswoman Regan MacLaren is a bride of but one day when her husband is murdered. A seemingly cruel fate, however, has even worse in store for her. Iain Campbell, laird in his own right and a fierce warrior, is waiting for the love he knows God will bring him. Still, a woman near death and without a memory isn't quite what he expected.

Yet even as Regan and Iain come to know and love each other, lost memories aren't the only obstacles in their way. Iain's a suspect in her husband's murder. Others stand to gain if Regan remains in her dead husband's family. And Iain soon becomes a stumbling block to unholy ambitions—ambitions that may well lead to more deaths, Iain's included.


It is May 1568, and Caitlin Campbell has recently had her heart broken by a callous young nobleman. With a track record of not choosing men well, she meets Darach MacNaghten, whose clan has been outlawed. Not only is he everything Caitlin should be wary of, but he is a man of many secrets, none of which bode well for the Campbells.

Darach comes to Kilchurn to free his imprisoned older brother, but when he realizes that his plan has no chance of success, he kidnaps Caitlin to hold her as hostage until his brother is released. This undertaking, so simple on the surface, soon leads to a clash of wills between two proud, headstrong people. And the problems only worsen the closer Darach's plan draws to its unforeseen conclusion.

this last one is a stand-alone, but was just as exciting as the other three.


The year is 1568 and Mary, Queen of Scots, is imprisoned in Lochleven Castle. But Mary’s supporters, including noblewoman Heather Gordon, are planning a daring rescue.

In order to gain entry to the castle, they need to help of one man--a resident of a small cottage in the frigid Highlands who just happens to resemble someone with access to Lochleven.

Heather travels to the cottage as a tutor, determined to train this man to act the part of a nobleman in order to make their scheme a success. But in the close quarters of the cottage there is more afoot than political rebellion. And Heather is soon in danger of losing her heart and her head!

A suspenseful story of deceit and betrayal, love and secrets, this is a book you won’t want to miss.

Kathleen has also written other Highland books, along with a series that takes place in the U.S. in the 1800's (i think). i'm looking forward to reading these as well.

great reads- part 1

it's not often that i talk about books here. i read so many and i don't usually take the time to mention them, but here are 6 i couldn't wait to introduce to my blog readers.

the first two are by my favorite author, Mary Connealy. she writes contemporary Christian and historical Christian romance (all of it under what she calls "Romantic Comedies with Cowboys"). i like to call her historicals "Hysterical Historicals."

Montana Rose and The Husband Tree are part of a three book series called Montana Marriage. they take place in the 1800's, a time of cowboys and cattle drives. both are really great reads and had me laughing most of the time, yet also worked in themes of grace and forgiveness.


an exerpt from the back cover copy:

Left pregnant and widowed in the unforgiving west, Cassie is forced into an unwanted marriage to rancher Red Dawson. No decent man could turn away from Cassie and leave her to the rough men in Divide, Montana.

Red Dawson can't turn his back on the spoiled, snooty, beautiful woman. Now he's got himself a wife he's sure God never intended. And when he informs her there'll be no more silk dresses and she has to do some work around the ranch he's surprised she immediately tries to help with everything. Too bad she's a walking disaster. His ranch may not survive her efforts to pitch in.


Belle Tanner buries her third worthless husband and makes a vow over his shallow grave. She’s learned her lesson. No more men.

Silas Harden just lost his second ranch because of a woman. The first deserted him when times got tough. Now he’s had to quit the whole state of New Mexico to avoid a trumped-up shotgun wedding and the noose of matrimony. He’s learned his lesson. No more women.

you can find the rest of this post in great reads - part 2.