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18 April 2011

Interview with Laura Frantz, Birthday Girl!!!

HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! DID YOU KNOW

THE FRONTIERSMAN'S DAUGHTER HAD A DIFFERENT NAME AT FIRST?
The hint is in the birthday cake, above!!!


Laura Frantz 

is the author of The Frontiersman’s Daughter 
Courting Morrow Little 




Courting Morrow Little

, and the upcoming The Colonel’s Lady

The Colonel's Lady

I met Laura Frantz a couple of years ago when Rachel Hauck  was teaching an online writers’ class and asked us to find comparables for the books we were writing. I found out that The Frontiersman’s Daughter was ready to release in a few months and got in contact with the very gracious Laura. Was I thrilled to get to write the very first review on Amazon for this wonderful book, still my favorite! I am so glad to have this lovely lady on my blog this week and want to wish her a


VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY ON TUESDAY APRIL 19!!!


Laura, welcome to Overcoming Through Time. Would you share either the most difficult thing in your life you have had to overcome, with God’s help, or the most tragic situation or circumstance one of your character’s has had to get past?

Now that I’ve reached the mid-century mark and can look back at my life, I can see that the loss of my father as a young girl impacted me deeply, though I spent years denying it. Even as an adult I struggle with trusting my Heavenly Father because of that loss. But I will say that God is ever faithful and has been a father to me when my earthly father was absent. In terms of my writing, God healed me in such amazing ways during the writing of The Frontiersman’s Daughter. Growing up in Kentucky and being steeped in the lore of those early settlers, I used to imagine what it would have been like being the daughter of Daniel Boone who was, and still is, my hero. The book took 10 years to write as I put it away for 5 years when my boys were small, but throughout the writing I can see God’s healing hand on every page. I don’t know that I would have become a writer had my father not left our family. Writing became my escape and solace at a young age and continues to be. Not only that, God has given me a husband who is so faithful and steadfast and we are, truly, more in love now than the day we married 17 years ago. This has also brought healing. It’s so moving to see how God redeems difficult situations for those of us who are His.



What is your favorite bible verse and why?

Oh, I will forever love Isaiah 40:11:

He tends His flock like a shepherd. He gathers the lambs in His arms and gently leads those who have young.

The Lord gave this verse to me during a very trying time. We were living in tiny garage with a colicky newborn while Randy was building our house between working full time and completing a 5 year apprenticeship. That winter it had rained 93 days straight and my family was 2500 miles away. That verse became my anchor as I trusted God’s care of me and my baby and my hardworking husband during those long, lonely days.



Are any of your books available in audio format? Are any available as e-books with audio capability? Large print? (Thank you – we offer this information to our readers with difficulty reading books in regular print format.)

The Frontiersman’s Daughter is available in large print through Thorndike. Also, Kentucky’s Talking Books Program was planning to include it on audio in their library. (Not yet listed on their site, however.) Both The Frontiersman’s Daughter and Courting Morrow Little are available as e-books with audio capability.



What has been the most important thing you hope your readers will get from your books and why?

Since the Lord gifts us with writing, He seems to have an agenda for every book. Often I don’t know what that is until I’m finished and write that final page. Sometimes readers tell me what they feel is the message or important truth within, at least for them individually. It’s a bit of a mystery to me. I always pray as I write, asking Him to guide me and keep Him at the fore. My characters often do and say very unexpected things – surprising me but not Him, surely!


As you researched your books, did you learn anything that particularly touched your heart?

In my upcoming release The Colonel’s Lady, I was overwhelmed and awed by the sacrifices men and women made during the American Revolution as I researched. Many of them lost their lives, families, and fortunes and died debtors because of their sacrifices. You only have to read a bit about Valley Forge when men had no shoes and rages for clothes and walked about bloody in the snow, or those who died aboard British prison ships to get a small glimpse of the overwhelmingly painful circumstances. We owe so much to those colonials who risked everything to make our country what it is. God has truly blessed our nation throughout our history and I hope we never lose sight of that.


Thank you Laura Frantz for agreeing to answer these questions. Have a blessed day and keep on writing!!

Love the interview, Carrie! I can tell these questions come from a gifted Christian psychologist;) Thanks so much for hosting me here. You’re a blessing!


In celebration of Laura’s birthday, I will have my first giveaway today. One of my regular blog followers, through Blogger, will be entered to win a copy of The Frontiersman’s Daughter. Do stop by and leave a comment even if you are not a follower as I have different drawings every day! Let the party begin!!!

126 comments:

  1. Carrie, You always tickle me so (in a good way). You are so gracious and always put 200% in everything you do, including posting my interview twice here;) I'm honored to be your friend and to have met you through our mutual love of the colonial period and those first settlers/Americans. I wish I had a million and one Carries! The world would be a far better place! Bless you and those who visit here today!

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  2. Early Happy Birthday, Laura! First things first...you both tickle me (in a good way), and I wish there were a million and one of both of you! Two lovely, generous, gracious ladies!

    I loved The Frontiersman's Daughter so much that I sent a handwritten letter to Laura (computer had died completely). I had never, ever done that before...but I just had to tell her how I felt about this book, one of my favorite books ever! I never thought she would write back, but she did and we've shared a wonderful friendship ever since! An encouraging, gracious, Godly lady,(whose books got me through a dark time after the death of my mom), that's who Laura Frantz is. What a God-given writing talent she has and if you have never read any of her books you are in for a delightful treat.

    Hope this birthday week is as special as you are, dear friend!! I hope I didn't embarrass you too much, but I believe in giving people roses while they're living.:-)

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  3. LOL about the 200% Laura. Our mutual friend, Carla, emailed me and let me know so hopefully it is fixed. Sure wish I knew how to do hotlinks - will have to get Beth Vogt, one of our editor at Voices, Mybooktherapy.com, to help me! Thanks again for the interview. Thanks, Diana for joining the Laura birthday-fest!!

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  4. First of all, dear Laura, wishing you the very best birthday blessings ever!

    Carrie, another thoughtful interview. I appreciate the great questions and the equally thoughtful answers that Laura provided. It is wonderful to see what a ministry fiction can be as it reaches into the hearts of readers.

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  5. Carrie, Don't laugh but you're way ahead of me - I only learned to cut and paste the last few months! I wouldn't know a hotlink if it bit me!

    Diana,
    It's wonderful to revisit how we met again. I think you and Carrie and Carla were the very first readers that reached out to me. I was such a newbie (still am, I guess) and I've been so blessed by your friendship and encouragement again and again. God is so good to bring us all together in such a way though Carla is up east and you and Carrie are down south. Bless you for your very gracious comments. I will come back and reread them again.

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  6. Thanks so much for the birthday wishes, Carla. I can't believe I'm as old as I am! Funny to think that if I'd lived in the colonial period I'd likely have been deceased!

    Bless you for your friendship and encouragement as we take this writing road together. You are a true inspiration to me in so many ways. I can't wait to hold your first book in my hands!!

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  7. Gosh, Laura, that was morose. Glad we are celebrating your birthday and not the other. I'm glad you write about colonials and weren't one! LOL

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  8. lol, Diana! I am, too! Some of those colonial customs like not bathing and dying young aren't something I'd like to emulate. I'd be considered an oddity back then as I'm a true clean freak;) And the lack of books back then! I'm truly living in the right century though I love those patriots dearly...

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  9. Obviously this is a book I must read. If it's Carrie's all time favorite book and all time favorite writer. And a very happy birthday to Laura Frantz.

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  10. Happy birthday, Laura!! Lovely review, and all three of your books look great!

    Carrie, I would love to be entered to win The Frontersman's Daughter! I've heard such wonderful things about Laura's writing - I would love to experience her books myself!! :-)

    ~ Katy
    agirlslegacy(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  11. Christine, So happy to see you here! I'm a bit amazed that Carrie is such a devoted reader even after 2 years and feel so blessed by it! Thanks for the birthday wishes:) I'm dreaming of going to Starbucks tomorrow and getting some of their miniature desserts. Guess I won't worry about the old waistline tomorrow;) Bless you bunches!

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  12. Katy, Happy you're here! I sure hope you and Christine here get to read Lael's story - and Morrow's too at some point:) I know they're at quite a few libraries though it means a lot that you would like your own copy. That's the way it is for me. Some books just belong on your shelf for keeps. Believe it or not, I ran out of my own copies not long ago and had to order more for myself! Crazy author, huh?

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  13. What a great interview. Thanks for sharing Laura, and going into some deep waters. Makes me appreciate you all the more, my friend. God is so faithful to use those dark struggling times for good down the road. No surprise there. He's the Good Shepherd! I'm already thinking Happy Birthday wishes to you. I hope your guys spoil you good. :)

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  14. Lori, thanks so much for coming by! Yes, he is certainly our Good Shepherd. Of all the things He does and is, the shepherd image is my favorite. Mom and I are going to brunch tomorrow with my MIL, SIL, and future SIL. Then I think I'll sneak into Starbucks and come home with some of their desserts for the boys. And their momma, of course;)

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  15. I was actually looking through the blogs on Laura's page and saw this post. Happy early birthday Laura! And great interview, very inspiring.

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  16. Oh, I just put my boy to bed and ordered something very special to be delivered to the birthday girl tomorrow! It is a surprise till then! Who wants tea and who wants coffee? Lemonade? Oh let me go make sure the pot on the hearth is hot enough. One of my followers is going to be happy she stopped by early. I go to bed before midnight, the curfew for my last guest for today's party favor drawing but will announce it in the morning! Enjoy your last night of being in your twenties, Laura!!

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  17. Happy Birthday Laura! What a great review!

    Carrie, I would love to be entered to win The Frontersman's Daughter! I've would love to read some of Laura's books! Thanks for a chance to win.

    kcmelone/at/yahoo/dot/com

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  18. •*¨♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♫♪¸¸.•*¨♫•*¨*•¸♫♪¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪¨*• Happy birthday, dear Laura, happy birthday to you! •*¨♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♫♪¸¸.•*¨♫•*¨*•¸♫♪¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪¨*•

    Hope you are having a wonderful birthday Laura!

    Lots of love from Marian Baay

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  19. And the goody bag was taken home by Christine! Email me your snail mail address, Christine and I will include some of the virtual British tea we served yesterday! And today is the real deal for Ms. Laura. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

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  20. Hi Ladies,

    Just stopped by to say happy birthday to Laura :) I already own Courting Morrow Little and really enjoyed it. But Carrie can feel free to enter me for something else later in the festivities if she wants. Have a great week partying.

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  21. HAPPY BIRTHDAY LAURA! Wow did we have similar experiences. I had 4 children two of them under 2 when we built this house. My husband was finishing his degree, working sixty hours a week, building a house and driving 30 minutes to get to it. It was only done through God's grace. Hope you have a blessed day.

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  22. Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you... How did Marian do that? Well, I'm singing it to you right now...like my little grandson always says to me, "Let's pretend, ok?" Hope your day is filled with every good thing...you deserve it! I think Carrie is having as much fun as you are!

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  23. Waving across the water, Dina! DL, tornadoes hit anywhere near you? So glad you gals came by. I am still getting the cake ready :)

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  24. Happy Birthday, Laura!

    It's so uplifting to see how God can take something negative, like the loss of a father, and turn it into something good.

    I loved Frontiersman's Daughter, and could really see your love for the setting and history come through on the written page. I just wish I didn't have to wait until fall to read The Colonel's Lady.

    Sigh . . . Maybe one of these days I'll learn patience.

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  25. Adrienne, So glad you came over via the old blog list:) I'm so thankful for your faithfulness and delight in you showing up when least expected!! Carrie asks such interesting questions in these interviews. Hope today is a blessed spring day for you!

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  26. Carrie, You spoil me! Almost makes being 50 worth it;) I can't wait!

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  27. Courtney, So happy to meet you here and know you'd like to read my books:) Thanks for your kind words and for entering the drawing! Bless you bunches!

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  28. Dina, Hello there fellow author:) And editor and all! I am still thinking of your beautiful, whimsical book cover...
    Thanks so much for taking time for Morrow's story. I'm thrilled to have you for a reader!

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  29. Marian, You are always so delightful when you appear! And I really don't know how you do that!! But it's so thoughtful and I love it! Thank you for being a wonderful friend!!

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  30. DebbieLynne, So happy to meet you here! LOL but I forgot to mention my husband was also driving 30 minutes to work, too! Seems like we had the same start only you had double the children:) I truly admire that! Thanks for taking time here. You're a blessing!

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  31. Naomi, Don't fret;) Patience improves with age! Thanks for your comments about TFD. I'm glad my love of history and detail came through, etc. I think that first book will always be the book of my heart. Lael is really another name for Laura! Praying for you in your writing. I know it's going well!!

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  32. Diana,
    Fun to have the party continue for 2 days!! I really feel like we are celebrating together! And that's a wonderful thing!! Your friendship means so much. Looking forward to more birthdays together, Lord willing!

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  33. Carrie, lol - you can skip the candles. We'd burn the house down lighting them!

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  34. I think Laura knows that my hubby does not allow me to have candles (under normal conditions) but will allow birthday candles. As long as a bucket of water is nearby. Guess that might have been sand in the old days!

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  35. Thank you for the virtual tea. Nothing I like better than a tea party. And I will be getting my hands on Laura's book. I know I will really LOVE it. Hugs to all. I see a lot of good friends on here today.

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  36. LAURA!!! Happy birthday, girl -- SOOO glad you were born, although as "twins separated at birth," I'm still a little ticked that I have to be the older one ... uh, by a decade or more!!

    I hope your birthday is as WONDERFUL as I think you are, my friend, and I thank God that He allowed our paths to cross.

    Carrie -- great interview!! Thanks for giving us a chance to wish Laura a happy birthday.

    Hugs,
    Julie

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  37. What an awesome interview. And the book covers on those books are beautiful. Happy Birthday Laura! angelmom1165(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  38. HaPpY BiRtHdAy Laura!!!

    May the lord bless you today and always!

    Have a GRAND day!

    Great interview!!
    Please enter me in the drawing.
    Thank you for the chance.

    wdesirees[at]yahoo[dot]com

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  39. Whew!!! Just got the cake. Sorry everyone. Refill on the coffee? Cream? Good to see you here Wendy, Terri, and Julie!! Welcome back to day two, Christine, and you get served cake right after Laura picks the piece she wants!

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  40. Happy Birthday, Laura! And Carrie, great party! I'll take some cake, Carri, but no coffee for me. :)

    I hope today is only the beginning of a wonderfully blessed year for you, my friend. I feel so blessed to have you as part of my life.

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  41. Ok. I woke up this morning knowing something was truly great about today. Celebrating someone as dear as you is truly something great! I will set out my favorite Botanic Garden china in your honor. Just knowing you is an inspiration.

    May you know God's satisfaction in creating YOU today. May you sense His hand on you. May you know how much I love and admire you. Happy Birthday!

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  42. Now that's the kind of cake I like, no calories! The Kentucky Flower? I'm trying to guess the first name of the book. LOL

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  43. The Kentucky Wildflower? What was it, Carrie, now I'm curious?

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  44. The dogwood trees are blooming so beautifully today, matching our lovely calorieless cake! Kim and Lorna, pull up a seat and I'll get some lemonade and ice cream to go with that lovely cake! Welcome!

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  45. That is one gorgeous cake. I'll have a slice. Yum. Coffee, double yum. This is fun, Carrie. Thanks for hosting Laura's party. :)

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY LAURA!!!! I'm so glad you wrote TFD. I'm so glad I read it. I'm so glad we met.

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  46. Happy birthday, Laura! A truly fabulous cake--where can I get a piece of that?? =) Laura, I'm really looking forward to reading your books! It's been great getting to know you on the Colonial list. Fabulous party, Carrie!

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  47. A beautiful choice for a cake, Carrie--the dogwood flower also represents the Lord's passion on the cross!
    And Laura--you're God's birthday gift to us through your writing talents-- may the Lord continue to richly bless you both!

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  48. Hi colonial ladies, so glad you got here Rosanna, and Lori, and Pat. Love your new frocks! I have something to go with one of those bodices, a party favor for some lovely colonial lady tomorrow. I am unmolding some delicious vanilla ice right now and have some Virginia ham biscuits. Care for some?

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  49. Oh my! A great end to a whirlwind day! Thank you all so much for stopping by - that means so much. And Carrie, the cake is to die for! And you remembered the original name of the novel:) That sure makes me smile! I wish I could hug and thank each of you in person. Such a pleasure and honor knowing you all. Thanks for the kind words...

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  50. I feel so ashamed for not recognizing the dogwood blossoms on the cake...I only have a Dogwood tree in my front yard (sheesh). Hope your day was fabulous, Laura! What was that title anyway?;-)

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  51. Happy Birthday Laura! The cake looks great. Hope you had a wonderful day!

    Tori

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  52. Good morning! Our guests will be served hot chocolate this morning from Charlton's in Williamsburg, made with melted dark chocolate and delicately spiced. So glad the ship came in to York Towne dock with some fresh supplies. This is colonial ladies day. Looking forward to our guests! Scones out shortly!

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  53. Bring on the chocolate! (I have a fabulous recipe for that, by the way . . . )

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  54. Happy birthday, Laura. I will get to reading one of your books eventually. I really want to, belive me. May they sell gazillions as a special birthday gift.

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  55. Roseanna, I hope you enjoyed your cake last night and your GOODY BAG with Courting Morrow Little in it! Glad you are up and lets compare Charlton's chocolate with your recipe. Laurie Alice IT IS SO GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE!! I love your birthday wish. I am letting Nick out back to play a little. Wish you all were here so we could go to Charlton's together.

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  56. Okay, my guess for what the original title was based on the picture of the cake is . . .

    Dogwoods on Green Fondant

    Obviously, I see why marketing elected to change.

    Happy Birthday, Laura!!!!

    gina(at)gabcrush(dot)com

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  57. Laurie Alice, Thanks for even wanting to read as I know your time is as limited as mine. It means a lot that you would stop by here and have tea and cake! I think we should plan a "Carrie finishing that synopsis" celebration!!

    Roseanna, Oh, chocolate is my favorite! I had chocolate cake with coconut ice cream from BR. Sounds crazy maybe but was quite good:)

    Diana, The original title was Dogwood Winter. But my publisher thought it was too sad sounding so off it went. I think TFD is a better title:) Thanks for asking!

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  58. Well Laura and Diana... let's just say I know how to copy and paste :-)
    •*¨♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♫♪¸¸.•*¨♫•*¨*•¸♫♪¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪¨*•

    I think I need to make an account. Anonymous is so anonymous.

    Love,
    Marian

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  59. Happy Birthday to a very talented lady. May the years ahead be filled with more fabulous novels and tremendous success!

    God bless,
    Rita Gerlach
    http://ritagerlach.blogspot.com/

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  60. I wish Marian would come back and translate Happy Birthday into Dutch for us! Rita, so good to have you come by. Would you ladies like some Sally Lunn cake, it is very moist, and I have some fresh whipped cream to serve with it. A pot of black tea is almost ready and I still have some honey left from the beehive last summer. Our young birthday gal is looking lovely!

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  61. I cannot get the picture to show up, but I have a lovely silver clockcase CW necklace that will be going home with one of the colonial ladies today in honor of Laura's birthday!

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  62. This has been a great celebration for Laura's birthday. She has blessed us all so much with her beautiful prose and sweet spirit. The cake is so pretty with the Dogwood. A nice nod to her original title of TFD.

    Carrie, I really enjoy this blog with your wonderful interviews. Blessings to you, too!

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  63. Scone talk elsewhere puts me in mind to share this "receipt" for Iced Cherry Scones. I'm told by an English acquaintance that these are NOT true scones, but I say tra-la-la because whatever they are, they're off-the-charts wonderful. This recipe comes from a B&B that used to be in operation nearby, in Oregon.

    Iced Cherry Scones

    Blend:
    2 cups flour
    3 Tbs brown sugar
    2 tsp baking powder
    1/2 tsp baking soda
    1/2 tsp salt

    Mix into dry ingredients:
    1 c. dried cherries, chopped the size of raisins
    zest of 1/2 orange rind

    Mix together and add in:
    1 egg yoke
    1 cup sour cream

    Mix with large wooden spoon. Turn out on floured surface. Work dough gently until incorporated. Pat into a 7 inch circle. Cut into 8-12 wedges. Place wedges on a non-greased cookie sheet, like cookies. Bake in a 400 degree oven, 10-12 minutes, until lightly browned.

    Icing:
    1 cup powdered sugar
    1/2 tsp vanilla
    orange juice
    Mix in a bowl with a fork until drizzling consistency. (I make it thicker and brush it onto the just-out-of-the-oven scones with a basting brush)

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  64. Laura, hope you get a chance to try these scones. I think you'll love them. Happy Birthday to you!

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  65. The Cherry Scones sounds wonderful along with a Turtle Mocha. :)

    Wendy
    wdesirees[at]yahoo[dot]com

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  66. Carrie, You throw the best colonial parties ever! Make that best party ever:) It's so fun to come over here and see whose dropped in, what's one the menu, and who's saying what! What a time we'd have in CW together!! Many thanks to Rita for stoppin by! And there's Julie up there! Bless you bunches, dear friend!! And Tori and Pat and Lori and Diana and Marian! Turning OLD isn't nearly so bad with you youngsters around me:) I'll have a scone please!

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  67. Oh my, while I was commenting, Carla appeared:) And Lori, the scone recipe is amazing! I love dried cherries and recently found them at Wal-Mart of all places though our health food store carries them, too. Bless you for taking time to post this!!

    A warm welcome to Wendy:)

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  68. A very happy birthday, Laura, and may you have many more. Louise

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  69. Carrie,
    Happy Birthday = Fijne verjaardag

    Ik wens jullie een fijne avond verder. Ik ga nu slapen.
    Welterusten.

    Haha!

    Marian

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  70. gina@gabcrush.com writes:

    I will eat old recipe scones.
    I will eat new recipe scones.
    I will eat them in a house.
    I will eat them with a (rubber) mouse.
    I will eat them here and there.
    I will eat them anywhere.
    Yes, I like scrambled eggs and scones.
    Yes, I like them, Mrs.Pagelones.

    Gina Welborn
    ~*~
    be light. be love. believe.
    www.ginawelborn.blogspot.com
    www.inkwellinspirations.blogspot.com
    HIGHLAND CROSSINGS ~ January 2012 ~ Barbour Publishing

    LOL Gina!

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  71. Marian, that just looks and sounds (per my pitiful attempt to say it) cool! Louise, so great to see you here and I am loving your recent book!

    Lori, those were so easy to make! Thanks for the recipe. I am virtually done. Would you like some tea, cooled with dry ice from the river, kept in sawdust. Don't worry, I did not stir it into the tea, just set the tea pitcher down in the cooling house for a while, atop the ice.
    Wendy, I wish scout Clark could have escorted you down from Fort Detroit, had you been able to travel that far to meet him. Alas, he has been detained. But come outside, for William is playing a lively jig on his violin! And the pink dogwood is in full bloom!

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  72. Ahhhhh!!! Snowed in at Fort Mackinac! Sippin on some tea and honey! Dreamin of sunshine, flowers and rainbows. :)
    Enjoying all of this wonderful company. :)

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  73. Louise, Bless you so much! I just won your new book and am thrilled. Now have the complete collection:)

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  74. Oh my, craetivity flagging. Must have...TEA:) And chase those chocolate Easter eggs I ate down. What a nice ending to a blessed day!

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  75. I just invited my DD, Cassandra (got her name from a fiction book I read as a young teen - not from the tragedy!) to come over to say hello. And to bring chocolate! I ate the dark chocolate bunny, sigh.... Should have melted it and used it in the hot chocolate we had earlier. Hey, where is that recipe, Roseanna?

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  76. Wendy, brrrr..... Is it snowing up there? (Me whispering: "The British still occupy Fort Michilimackinac and Mackinac but I feel we will soon evict them. Via bayonet. I am sure they believe God is with them just as we do, though. Should be careful, we have a number of Tory sympathizers here at the party.") Tomorrow morning I will divulge whose fair neck will be wrapped with a silver chain, a sterling pendant dangling, like most of my participles!

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  77. Chocolate? Did someone say CHOCOLATE? Chocolate goes good with tea... :)
    Is there any Cadbury Caramels? hmmm??? :)

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  78. Sorry to say we still have snow falling... :( Need CHOCOLATE!!! HOT CHOCOLATE!! hehehe
    Must be the cold gettin to me.. :)

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  79. Just wanted to say Belated Happy Birthday!! I love Laura's books and her writing is so wonderful! Can't wait to read The Captain's Lady!

    esterried[at]yahoo[dot]com

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  80. Wendy, I agree - chocolate, in whatever form is available:)

    Charity, So good to see you here!! Thanks for the thumbs up on those books:) That makes my day! Bless you bunches!

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  81. I want some of Lori's scones, but since the kids are all out of the house, no baking much for me anymore. I'll eat it all.:( The closest thing I have to scones are strawberry and blueberry toaster strudels. Don't laugh, those things are good! Carrie, I see now why you are a writer and not I, the imagination part of your brain is waaay larger than mine! Loving the celebration here!

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  82. The tinker just left, thank goodness! I tire of their interruptions. Thankfully, most of our houseguests are still sleeping. Ah, but I see Ms. Eakes has departed, and so I will have to mail her goodie bag - with the beautiful silver necklace from Williamsburg! She is crossing through the Blue Ridge and far into the country of the French, even to Spanish holdings! But, she left behind a copy of Lady in the Mist, which utilized a great many quills to write, which along with a copy of Courting Morrow Little, will be going to one of our guests today. Those are my favourites for this year and for last!

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  83. Oh and I have a charm from those darling silversmiths in Williamsburg, a teapot, that was for Miss Gina that was finally delivered, just in time for her to take home. So enjoyed your outing with me to Charlton's last month and so glad you could come back for the party, Gina! I wonder if Richmond might not be a more central location for Virginia's government? Perhaps someday!

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  84. This is the fantastic Carrie Pagels DD Cassandra, Go mom with your blog and happy birthday Laura Frantz!! Good luck to you both with your books!

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  85. Oh, sweetie, so glad you could stop by, and all the way from Charlottesville. Do give our wishes to Mr. Jefferson!

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  86. I wish I was crossing the Blue Ridge today with Laurie. I just sent a couple of characters across so that's fresh in my mind. I've done it myself a number of times, but it's still hard to write this early American fiction being 2500 miles away (Laura, I'm sure, understands). And it is snowing just up the road from me too, up in the foothills, while sun is peeking through in the valley where I live. No drought this year for S. OR.

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  87. Oh, finally able to meet Cassandra! What a lovely dress she's wearing...or is that denim;) Thanks so much for coming by. I understand you're counting down till graduation! I just have to say that I used the male form of your name for my upcoming hero, Cassius, but I call him Cass. You might get that quite a bit, too.

    Think I'm in need of some hot tea today as it's so cold here like Lori B. says:( Fresh snow in the mountains. And I'm getting a cold so promise not to sneeze on anyone here! Need some of Lael's remedies.

    I really envy you Virginia ladies so much. Even Diana's beautiful SC will do. Wish Lori and I could fly back to CW together. Maybe we can do that in future...

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  88. Carrie, A HUGE thank you for hosting this and for your amazing generosity in giving away such wonderful gifts to fellow readers and friends here! I'm hoping we put these commnts over 100:) The more the merrier.

    Am pretending I'm at Charlton's for hot cocoa. Only I don't think they let women in...

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  89. I read The Frontiersman's Daughter this year and LOVED it! I recommended it on my blog and my mom even borrowed it and enjoyed it, too! : ) I would love to read more if I'm still able to enter the giveaway! A verse that has inspired me through many different transitions in my life is Jer. 29:11: For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a hope and a future. That may not be exact wording, but it's close ; ). I love His promises...He is always faithful!
    Stacey
    travelingstacey(at)bellsouth(dot)net

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  90. Stacey, So wonderful to meet you here! It's such a blessing to hear you've read Lael's story and was blessed by it. Thanks so much for taking the time to share that. I'm sure you're still on for the giveaway:) I hope when you read, you enjoy Morrow's story just as much.

    Your beautiful verse is one I've claimed many times and memorized. I have trouble memorizing Scripture these days, maybe because there are too many words floating through my head, but I have retained this one. You are so right - HE is always faithful and we can rest in that.

    Here's another I'm commiting to memory yesterday and today - Zechariah 4:6
    "Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit," says the Lord Almighty.

    Bless you, Stacey, and may you have a wonderful Easter!

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  91. Welcome Stacey! Me TOO!!!! And that is my FAVORITE VERSE!!! It ministered to me through so many hard times. My FIL had a pacemaker put in today in the 21st century so I am hoping to return to 18th century shortly, so let me put on my time traveler's suit. Thankfully he is doing very well. Unable to travel with me to the party, but I know he would be wishing you well on your birthday, Laura!

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  92. Anybody wonder what that silver pineapple is doing on top of the blog now? That is a lovely sterling pin from Colonial Williamsburg. Afraid I did not wrap it for our birthday girl. And she gets to do a random.org generated number to pick someone who will also get a pin like it. Once we get to 100 comments, twice this lovely young lady's age, she will do the honours. Hope you like it, Laura!

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  93. Wow, I can't believe I won. That's so amazing. Glad Lady is a gift for someone. I can throw in another book, too, just for Carrie. The Glasssblower or The Heiress or The Newcomer to help celebrate Laura's birthday.

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  94. We are closing in on 100!! Double fifty. 200% Laurie, it has curlicues in the silver. Oh, and Laura's pineapple pine is cool, and it is pretty substantial in size. Love the top on it that fluffs out. Pineapple being the symbol of hospitality, it is very appropriate for Laura and I hope she will like it!

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  95. Carrie, So thankful to hear about your FIL. Will continue prayers for his recovery.

    So thoughtful of Laurie Alice to add another book! I will be glad to giveaway a copy of The Colonel's Lady to one guest here. Of course I won't have the copy till July but would so love to have a winner, if anyone would like to do that. I'll be sure to add a pretty bookplate and also bookmarks with that book. And BTW, our hostess here is in my book;)

    OH MY! The pineapple pin is so pretty!! The symbol of colonial hospitality:) I'm thrilled but don't want to overstep on these gifts, Carrie! It's so beautiful and I will wear it with pleasure. YOU are the gift that keeps on giving, Carrie!! Bless you, bless you, bless you...

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  96. Thanks for your prayers. My father-in-law is doing well other than a headache. Is sitting up. No venison that I am about to serve up - none for him. The Rousch brothers sent that from colonial Shenandoah Valley. Our faithful visitors must be starving here as all we've had is leftover cake, scones, Sally Lunn cake, but the roast should be out soon along with some greens that I cooked and I made up a batch of hot fruit from the last of the dried apples mixed with a sugar syrup. They are nice and tender now, just need a dash of cinnamon.

    I see someone gave your colonel a promotion by accident. Mrs. Gouge's lovely tome perhaps confused with your upcoming release. I am going to post one of my favorite scriptures in a little bit. Oh, and you are more than welcome, Miss Laura!

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  97. Romans 8:37-39 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors (overcomers) through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers niether height nor depth, nor anthing else in all creation, will be able to seperate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

    That is a hanging onto passage. No matter what. No matter the birthday. No matter whether one knows that another birthday is unlikely. What he did on that Friday long ago he did for you and for me. As we go into Good Friday and winding down our celebration, we can know that we are more than overcomers, because of what he did for us. Amen!

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  98. Amen, indeed:) A wonderful benediction to a wonderful party, Carrie. Can't wait to see our winners tomorrow!

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  99. Unable to stay do to the bug.
    But wanted to let you know that I have enjoyed this party. :)
    Happy Birthday and Bless You and Yours.
    Would love to win a book... :)
    Willing to wait too.. lol
    Love and Peace to you all.

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  100. Amen Carrie. Beautifully said.
    I really enjoyed visiting this party.

    Marian

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  101. Praying for you Wendy. It is so drafty in those forts up north, and being under British occupation is so hard. Or are you taking shelter with the locals? Marian, thanks so much for making that long journey and for translating Laura's books into Dutch! You are our 100th post and it should be interesting to see what comes across the pond to you. Its a secret right now, but a quill was required! When Miss Laura wakes up she will be picking someone, too, for the goody bag, time traveling to the web to random.org. Have a blessed Good Friday!

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  102. Hello all! Happy Good Friday! I am off to do some Easter shopping at market but will return soon to see about those winners. Hubby is growing impatient with me as he is my driver today;) Back soon!

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  103. A wonderful birthday celebration week for Laura!

    Extra blessings for you both ...

    The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing. Zeph. 3:17

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  104. Oh, I love that Carla, and I feel blessed!

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  105. May the Lord God bless and keep you in the year ahead, Laura! We will have to send messages by post, I believe, for those who have goodies yet coming!

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  106. Miss Lori Benton has a silver teapot charm from CW in her treat bag! I did that drawing myself using random.org. I hope you will like it, Lori. Oh, I need to put mine on my charm bracelet and hope it chases away my migraine, too. Praying you feel better!

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  107. Oh, we have winners! Carrie, I just emailed you! How neat that random.org does the pick. So much for my prehistoric drawing names out of a hat:)

    Back from market. Here's our colonial Easter menu...wild turkey with gravy, roasted potatoes, greens with bacon and vinegar, apple tansy, cornbread, and more...

    Off to help DH plant an azalea and rosebush or two. Back later for tea! This has been such a splendid week. I am thinking an over the hill birthday not quite so bad;)

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  108. So happy to read that something is coming across the wide oceans to me in this little far away country. And so very exciting to not know what it is! I love surprises! Thank you so much.
    Wishing you a blessed Good Friday!

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  109. I'm thrilled to win the pineapple pin, it's absolutely wonderful! Thank you so much!

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  110. So happy Lori, Marian, and Carla are our winners:) Well, I knew they were but now they reawlly are! I am a little sad the party is coming to an end. Carrie, you are the most hospitable hostess ever and no pineapple pin would be big enough for your gracious heart!! Thank you from the bottom of mine. Happy Easter to you all!

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  111. It will take a week for Laura to recuperate from all this partying...at least no hangover involved from tea and cyber-partying! Laura, thank you for all the joyous moments you've given each one of us through your books, and encouraging words. The scripture that most reminds me of you, dear Laura, is in Matthew 7:12 "Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them." I'm sure that all would agree you seek to live your life that way every day. I hope that this has been your best b'day ever and that The Colonel's Lady will get rave reviews!!

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  112. Now as we bid adieu to our wonderful guests and birthday girl, I will have to regroup, go to bed, and in the morning announce the last winner of the books Miss Eakes so generously offered. I know Miss Wendy will be getting at least one! May have to have my scouts bring it up the Fort Michilimackinac. Hoping Miss Diana, who gets a goody bag for being my helper on this blog, will come by in the morning for her silver pineapple pin and maybe get me straight on what all I am sending out to our wonderful guests and to our lovely young birthday gal! Oh, and about me being in the Colonel's Lady, I am the character in there by the fire, mending socks, washing laundry, and stirring the cookpot. Funny how some things don't change! Blessings!

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  113. Thank you so much for the pineapple pin, Carrie, I will cherish it! I wrote in detail and very orderly what everyone won to make it easy for you, and when I signed out all of it was lost, and I felt like bawling.:(

    So congrats to CHRISTINE LINDSAY for winning The Frontiersman's Daughter and to ROSEANNA WHITE for winning Courting Morrow Little! Our friend across the ocean, MARIAN BAAY, will be receiving a surprise goody bag!

    Congrats to L.A.EAKES for winning the lovely silver necklace, and to LORI BENTON and GINA WELBORN for winning the pretty silver teapot charm! Congrats to CARLA GADE who will be receiving the sterling pineapple pin, as well as our lovely b'day girl, LAURA FRANTZ! I hope I didn't accidentally leave anyone out.

    I know Laura offered her book, The Colonel's Lady, and Laurie Alice offered some of her books, so I will let you sort that out, Carrie. Nice of me, haha. Hope this helped some! A special thanks to all who came by to celebrate a very special lady's b'day and don't forget to pick up a copy of her two books-The Frontiersman's Daughter and Courting Morrow Little by Laura Frantz (if you haven't already). You are in for a total treat! And now, back to Carrie...

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  114. Congrats to all the winners!
    And thanks to Carrie for organizing the party.

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  115. Congrats to all the winners. :)
    God Bless each and every one of you. :)

    wdesirees[at]yahoo[dot]com

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  116. Will have to start boxing up the party favors. I have been collecting boxes today! Marian, wow, your box will mail farthest, cool, all the way to Europe. Wendy, yours will be just short of my old stomping grounds. Hoping to come that way in August. I have not announced the rest of the party bag recipients so need to do that tonight after I put Mr. Monkey to bed. Blessings!

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  117. Carrie,
    Please let me know when you are this way. I would love to chatt in person.
    Where is your old stompin grounds?
    Bless you and yours.

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  118. Wendy - Newberry in the upper peninsula! I love where you are at - so pretty. Michigan is a great place. Will have to holler when we get ready to go!

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  119. Wendy was to get CML and LITM but has already has LITM, so I am sending Roger Bruner's Lost in Translation. Roger, a Richmond resident, kindly escorted some of the coaches. Don't worry, I did wrap some journey cake up for him!

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  120. Thank you Carrie and ALL .
    Mackinac is actually stompin grounds for me. Grew up in Levering and now live in Petoskey.
    Love the UP and Northern Michigan.
    Looking forward to meeting you in person.
    Bless you and yours.

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  121. I'm just trying to catch up with the blogs I follow, and I must say this interview really touched and blessed me. Thank you, Laura, for sharing from your heart, and Carrie for this wonderful blog!

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  122. Just now found this wonderful interview, but I wanted to add that I loved it. It's such a blessing to get to know you even more, Laura.

    Love,
    Michelle

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  123. Michelle and Joan, glad you came by and I will let Laura know you did!

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  124. Joan and Michelle, It means so much that you both would take time out of your busy schedules to stop and read this interview, etc. I'm so glad it touched you. Your support and encouragement mean more than I can say! Bless you both.

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  125. Laura, I just found this interview (and this blog) through your own blog just now – if I had known about it on your birthday please know I would have been here bright and early!! Wow, but I was blessed by these wonderful questions and your touching, heartfelt responses. Thank you for sharing pieces of your heart with us here. God has had His hand on you all along, my friend, gifting you with talents that shine His love and mercy to perfection! God is so good. It’s so beautiful to know that the Lord works all things, the joys, trials and pain of our lives, together for our good, holding us safely in the palm of His hand through it all. He is ever faithful to give us His beauty for our ashes. Such beautiful testimonies you shared, thank you :) You are an inspiration, my sweet friend, and I’m thanking Him for you!!

    Blessings,
    Amanda

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  126. Amanda, SO thankful you are here!! Those birthday candles are still burning, my dear, as there are so many;) I'm thrilled and thankful you're blessed by reading the interview. Carrie's questions were so thoughtful and heartfelt. Like you said so well, God does work beautifully in our lives, redeeming ALL the hard, ugly things. Love your analogy that He's holding us in the palm of His hand. That's so Biblical and so comforting! Beauty for ashes, yes! I'm living proof.

    Interesting as I was just telling Carrie what a beautiful person you are and how your light for Him just shines through wherever you happen to be. Like here, tonight! I'm off to a Bible study now but feel we've had our own little communion time right here. Bless you for being such a blessing, dear friend!!

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