Changes are in God's Hands -- and Reflect His Plans

Cameo Courtships from Barbour Publishing June 2019

You might be wondering what this cover form Cameo Courtships, by Susanne Dietze, Debra E. Marvin, Jennifer Uhlarik, and Kathleen Y'Barbo has to do with my topic of change. You see, this collection was originally pitched in a proposal that included me and several other authors. Barbour Publishing had been putting out amazing, and great value, collections with seven to nine novellas in each one. I've been in some of those collections, myself, and was blessed by it. You can imagine how expensive it must be to print those large (over 400 good-sized pages) with the beautiful deckle edges they had on them. Then things were changed up and the new collections were determined to have only four authors in them. So the leads for each proposal had to make adjustments. In this case, lovely Susie Dietze had to figure out how to go forward. This was not the only proposal that I was part of where the lead had to make corrections. I volunteered out of another, which will be published later this year. And I had one of my own (Lessons on Love) which will be published in October with three other authors including the fabulous Rita-finalist Susanne Dietze, who was the lead on the Cameo Courtship collection.

Change in life is inevitable, isn't it? Right now one of my author friends and I are working with four different possible proposals, multiple authors. We've already had two authors opt out of one of the collection ideas and another author join us. One thing that hasn't changed is that all of the authors serve God and all write for His glory. And that's what matters. Change will happen, but it's all in God's hands. We don't always like the changes that life brings, but when we trust God's provision, we'll be headed in the right direction.

Giveaway: I'm giving away a copy of this beautiful new release -- Cameo Courtship. Answer this question to enter: Are you surprised by changes or are you more likely to keep rolling on?

Debra E. Marvin -- Heroine Susannah Kimbell & Giveaway!

Miss Susannah Kimball’s story, "A Heart So Tender", in The Backcountry Brides collection is story set in July, 1764 at Fort Niagara. This great historical landmark lies at the mouth of the Niagara River where it flows into Lake Ontario. While Susannah lives a rather unusual frontier life as the daughter of the music and literature teacher at Sir William Johnson’s Mohawk School, she is not prepared for the cultural tensions rising at what Sir William, Indian Agent for the Crown, is calling “The Great Gathering”.

Blockhouse at Fort Niagara

Susannah lives in the settlement of Johnstown (NY). There, Sir William has built a community of white settlers and Mohawk families. And he’s succeeding. Johnson is unusually accepting of people of all colors and faiths and has great hopes for peace along the frontier.

Susannah has the same hope.

French Castle at Fort Niagara

It is her dream to open her own school for girls, primarily native girls, but it’s not entirely unselfish. Her adopted brother Benjamin, an Iroquois orphan, straddles two worlds. Teaching would give him a place of respect that he might not otherwise find in the white world, nor among the Haudenosaunee. To celebrate and promote what Susannah believes in, she sings duets with her brother. The Mohawk call her Yonterennothiyo, (She who sings beautifully) or “Songbird”, and in my story, Sir William uses this gift to his advantage as well.

But Susannah has another reason to desire a life of service as a single teacher, a secret she can’t share and one that requires she never fall in love.

I hope you find yourself reading The Backcountry Brides Collection and enjoy my novella, A Heart So Tender for more of Susannah’s story!

CFP: Thanks for visiting with us, Deb!  Readers, you can purchase a copy of Backcountry Brides at:

Christian Book Distributors  

Walmart 

Barnes & Noble  

Amazon 

Check at your local Christian bookstores, e.g., Lifeway, to see if they have copies, too! 

GIVEAWAY:  Tell Deb what Native American history is found in your area for a chance to win a paperback copy!

Backcountry Brides -- More Reviews by Regina Fujitani

The Backcountry Brides Collection (Barbour Publishing, May 2018)
More Reviews by Regina Fujitani

"Hearts of Nantahala" by Jennifer Hudson Taylor
Mabel owns a successful lumber mill. Every man wants to marry her so they can inherit all she has. Except for Joe, he comes with business proposal that’s too hard to resist. Its a delight to be reading Jennifer’s books again! Another talented and gifted writer.

"A Heart So Tender" by Debra E. Marvin
A delightful tale between Arch and Susannah. Arch is a Lt. and is a soldier through and through. He was talked into watching over the Kimball family. That’s when he meets the lovely Susannah. A great story by Debra!

"A Worthy Groom" by Angela K. Couch
Marcus and Lorinda have a lot to learn as married couple. Lorinda has every right to fear men. Marcus has to win her heart and show her his not like the other Cowden men. Things start happening around the farm...who can it be? A wonderful story of strength in trials and forgiveness. Importantly loving those who are around you.

"Love's Undoing" by Gabrielle Meyer
Home is truly where the heart is. Abi has to discover this sentiment all too well. All is not fresh roses in Montreal. Henry discovers more to his life and who is a worthy bride.

Giveaway: We're giving away a paperback copy of The Backcountry Brides Collection this week. Leave a comment on this post and on Shannon McNear's Character Interview for up to two entries for the prize! 

Review & Giveaway - Starlight Serenade by Debra E. Marvin

Starlight Serenade by Debra E. Marvin

Part of the "Get Your Kiss on Route 66" collection from Forget Me Not Press!

"Clean Read - A Perfect Voice for this 1930's Story!"

Review by Carrie Fancett Pagels

I read Debra E. Marvin's delightful new novella while sick in bed. What a wonderful diversion. I will tell readers that this is a "clean read" rather than a Christian fiction. I checked with Debra on that and she confirmed it. While there are subtle references to faith and to church, there is not a spiritual arc in this story nor it is a story of faith. However, it is a clean read and enjoyable, especially if you enjoy this unusual time period -- 1930's. Debra E. Marvin has a perfect voice for this novella and for the heroine. She includes great details of the time period. I loved how she went into depth with the details of the Lowell observatory and the cute quotes at the beginning of each chapter, that had to do with stars! 

One cool thing was that Debra included a younger 19-year-old brother who is an autistic musical savant.  She did a good job of how she developed this special character.   

Blurb: The Englishman would look back one day and blame it all on Jazz…

Flagstaff, Arizona 1930. Full-time Astronomer, and part-time sharp dresser Julian Dyson didn’t discover Pluto but he does discover a nasty case of self-righteousness when a former Ziegfeld Girl’s folly threatens his good name.

Broadway understudy Clara Longworth and her peculiar younger brother are on their way to a new life in Hollywood when they are stranded along Route 66. Clara is asked to fill in as nightclub entertainment, but her good intentions set her up as accomplice in the blackmailing of a government man who makes the real thugs look classy.

Until Julian and Clara put their heads together for more than dancing the Black Bottom, their big-as-the-night-sky dreams are on target to fail. Maybe they need a telescope to see what’s right in front of their starry eyes.

GIVEAWAY: An ebook copy of Starlight Serenade to one commenter! Answer the question -- what is the last 1930's era fiction you have read?

Alarmingly Charmed by Debra E. Marvin's Novella - Reviewed by Carrie Fancett Pagels

Alarmingly Charming by Debra E. Marvin is a novella in the Austen in Austin Collection. The novella is available in ebook. The complete collection is available in ebook and in paperback from WhiteFire Publishing ( 2016).

This fourth Austen in Austin novella is based on Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey. 

Blurb: As travel companion to her condescending cousin, Philadelphian Kathryn Morton dreamily anticipates a week in the Wild West as the best cure for meekness. After a long rail journey and a steady diet of gothic dime novels, she shivers, despite the Texas heat, at the ghastly tales of the Austin Axe Murderer. Kathryn has little time to fret, given the competing attentions of quiet rancher Harmon Gray and elegant gentleman Jonathan Wellington. With her new-found confidence and her boundless imagination, she sets out to solve the mystery of Hyde Park Cemetery before another student flees Austen Abbey. Only then can she return home to her English-born parents as an independent American woman. A woman in love. But on the stormiest of nights, Kathryn learns that solving the mystery may destroy a future with the man she’s fallen for in a big Texas way. 

Austen in Austin (WhiteFire, 2016)

Review by Carrie Fancett Pagels

Absolutely Loved -- Was "Alarmingly Charmed!!!"*

Five Stars *****

(Beautiful covers are from WhiteFire's Roseanna White, the publisher.)

*I don't want to confuse anyone as to the title but I had fun with my title for this review. Deb Marvin's novella is called "Alarming Charming" and I thought I would be cute and entitle my review with tongue-in-cheek that I was "Alarmingly Charmed" but I don't mean to cause any confusion!

This is a novella you can read in one night AND you will want to, unless you can force yourself to simply SAVOR!!!

I loved Kathryn and Harmon right away! Debra E. Marvin does a fabulous job of making both the hero and heroine so sympathetic (not at all wimpy, though, don't get that idea!) as well as strong and unique. That is a tough job for an author especially in a novella and she pulls it off fantastically.

This novella has a full-bodied feel and leaves you satisfied as if you have read a full-length novel. With the uniqueness of the story and the adorable suspenseful twists, I was completely wrapped up in this read and can't wait to dive into Deb's novella Desert Duet (I don't care that it is a Christmas novella, I want to read more of her writing!)

Giveaway: We're giving away an ebook copy of Debra E. Marvin's novella. Answer this question: Which Jane Austen book is your favorite?