The Prayer Box By Lisa Wingate Reviewed By Teresa Mathews

The Prayer Box by Lisa Wingate

Tyndale House Publishers, 2014

Reviewed by Teresa S. Mathews

5 Stars*****

Tandi Jo Reese made the decision to come to Hatteras Island to get away from a past that holds horrible memories; she has come back to the one place that holds the few precious memories from her abusive childhood. Now she needs to find a job so she can buy food and pay the rent on the little cottage that her landlady, Iola Anne Poole, owns.

Tandi and her kids had been living in the cottage for six weeks when she decided to check on Iola. Tandi knew the moment she stepped on the porch that the one thing most everyone fears had come and taken the ninety one year old away. Finding the door unlocked Tandi hesitantly enters hoping beyond hope to find the tiny lady well, but it wasn't to be. When the minister of music from Fairhope Fellowship Church drops by and offers Tandi the job of cleaning out Iola's house in exchange for the rent on the cottage, she agrees never dreaming the treasures she would discover inside that beautiful old Victorian House.

Having heard a few vicious rumors about Iola, Tandi is anxious to learn more about her and she wishes she had taken the time to get to know her before she passed. When Tandi arrives to clean the house it seems as though something is drawing her back to the room where she found Iola, lying peacefully on the antique wedding quilt. What Tandi finds is a lifetime of memories enclosed in beautifully decorated boxes. There she is introduced to a little girl, who like herself had a troublesome childhood and there Tandi will find the love of a Father who has been waiting for her to come home.

What an enjoyable read this was; Tandi was a character with a lot of flaws but also one that tugged at your heart. It was so rewarding to see the turn her life took after realizing who Iola's true Father was. The winding path this book leads you on to the satisfying conclusion was quite surprising. This is the first book I have read by Lisa and I know it won't be the last; in fact I liked this one so much I look forward to reading it again. 

You may purchase this and many other of Lisa's outstanding books at Amazon, CBD and Barnes and Noble and your local bookstore. 

GIVEAWAY: This week we are giving away winner's choice of any of Lisa's books and choice of format, International winner ebook only. Lisa has graciously added a signed copy of her paperback Firefly Island (USA winner only) to our giveaway this week. 

***PLEASE REMEMBER TO LEAVE YOUR

EMAIL ADDRESS SHOULD YOU BE OUR WINNER!*** 

Diana Flowers' Review Of 'Wildwood Creek' By Lisa Wingate



Wildwood Creek by Lisa Wingate

Bethany House Publishers, 2014

Reviewed by Diana Flowers
5 stars*****

A Totally Intriguing Read!

Award winning author, Lisa Wingate, takes the reader on a haunting, mesmerizing journey that vacillates between historical Wildwood Creek to present day, and of two women who bear a striking resemblance to one another and whose lives intertwine although centuries apart.

Allie Kirkland has landed the dream job of a lifetime…to portray Bonnie Rose, a young school teacher in 1861 Wildwood, in a reenactment of the legendary frontier settlement which is shrouded in secrets and mystery. When Allie sees a tintype of Bonnie Rose she is shocked to discover they could pass as twins and becomes obsessed in finding out all she can about this lovely, young woman and the inhabitants of Wildwood Creek, all of whom seemed to meet up with a tragic ending. On the film set in Wildwood, everyone seems to be hiding secrets—even the handsome Blake Fulton who has more than just a passing interest in Allie. But can she even be able to trust him as unsettling events begin to take place that could possibly cause history to repeat itself in Wildwood? And what was the fate of the mystifying Bonnie Rose…

I can certainly see why Lisa Wingate wins so many awards! This fascinating storyline written with such brilliance, expertise, and realistic characterization, has left me duly impressed! Being the historical fiction lover that I am, traveling to and fro from Bonnie Rose's point of view to Allie's, was especially enjoyable to me! Wildwood Creek is a totally suspenseful, unpredictable read with lots of twists, turns, and a surprise ending; guaranteed to mesmerize the reader! Nicely done, Lisa Wingate!

This book may be purchased through Amazon, CBD, Barnes & Noble, and your local bookstore.

Giveaway: This week we'll be giving away winner's choice of any of Lisa's books, including her new releases (choice of format, international winners--ebook only.) Lisa has graciously added a signed copy of her paperback Firefly Island (USA only) to our giveaway this week!! 

*Please remember to leave email addy for contact purposes should your name be drawn!*





Interview With Lisa Wingate

Lisa Wingate at Book Signing

Lisa, welcome to Overcoming With God.  We appreciate your willingness to share your testimony of overcoming with our readers.  

Well aside from dealing with empty nest -- I'll be the first to admit that it was just plain rude of these boys to grow up and actually want their own lives -- I think I struggle with something many women struggle with. It's hard to separate other peoples' judgement from God's judgement. We're supposed to shrug off the one and base our opinions and our self-evaluations on the other.

In life and in publishing, that's not an easy thing to do.

The publishing process doesn’t end up being only between you and God, and neither does life.  Every worldly concern enters, other people bring in their personalities and opinions, and it can be bruising.  

I struggle with all of that, quite honestly.  I’m a youngest kid in the family, and I had two older brothers picking on me all the time (I wouldn't trade them now, but I would have then).  I bruise easily.  Many writers do—that sensitivity is part of what makes you a writer.  I’ll ignore twenty-five good reviews and be hurt over one bad one.  That’s just human nature, for many of us, especially as women.

On the other hand, I know I’ll never write the perfect story, because everything I write comes from a point of imperfection,  from a vision through the dark glass.  But God is so capable of taking the imperfect things we create and using them in absolutely perfect ways.  A story is an endless possibility.  You never know when your story may hold the hand of someone else through a dark night of the soul.

Would you tell us about one of the most difficult things in your life you have had to overcome, with God’s help? (transparency appreciated!)

I think I've sort of combined Question 1 with Question 2. It's a lifelong struggle, really. I'm always working on it. I don't like it when people are mean -- does anybody? I struggle to let it go and trust God to be work on other people while I work on me.  My snap reaction is more toward wishing they'd get a dose of salmonella in their next hamburger. (Oh, did I say that out loud?)

Which, of course, only means I'm still working on me. It's also a good reminder that I need to put into the world what I want to take out of it. If I want kindness, I need to put in kindness. 

Wildwood Creek by Lisa Wingate

Disability friendliness: Is this latest release available in audio format or do you have any other works available on audio?  Do your e-books have audio capability? Do you have any in large print?  

Yes.  All of my books are available in audio (thought sometimes the audio release is a few months behind the book release) and in large print. We've also given approval for Library For the Blind to offer audio versions.

The Prayer Box by Lisa Wingate

In this latest work, do you have any topics useful for bibliotherapy, or therapeutic influence through reading about a disorder or situation? 

Both The Prayer Box and Wildwood Creek deal with women, children, and families recovering from abuse.   Wildwood Creek is brand new, but The Prayer Box is already being used in bibliotherapy, as is the concept of prayer boxes, themselves. The act of taking time to write prayers on paper, put them in a prayer box, and close the lid is symbolic (and therapeutic) as a means of releasing those things to God.  Prayer boxes can go pretty much anywhere a greeting card can go. They're useful for bereavement, new marriages, and family communication, among other things, and can be life-changing.


Bio:

Lisa Wingate is a journalist, inspirational speaker, reviewer for the New York Journal of Books, and the author of over twenty novels.  Her novels combine elements of history, romance, mystery, and women's fiction with nuggets of Southern culture, from the sublime to the humorous. She is a seven-time American Christian Fiction Writers Carol award nominee, a Christy Award nominee, an Oklahoma Book Award finalist, a Christianity Today Book Award nominee, an Inspy Award nominee, and a two-time Carol Award winner. Her works have been selected for Booklist’s Top Ten List in 2012 and in 2013. Recently, the group Americans for More Civility, a kindness watchdog organization, selected Lisa along with Bill Ford, Camille Cosby, and six others, as recipients of the National Civies Award, which celebrates public figures who work to promote greater kindness and civility in American life.

Links:

My website: www.Lisawingate.com

Twitter:   http://twitter.com/#!/lisawingate

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lisa-Wingate-Readers-Circle/132187520154779

Pinterest:  https://pinterest.com/lisawingatebook/

http://us-mg5.mail.yahoo.com/http://www.youtube.com/lisawingate

Thank you, Lisa, for agreeing to answer these questions! And congrats to Lisa for The Prayer Box being a finalist for ECPA Christian book awards!

Giveaway: This week we'll be giving away winners choice of any of Lisa's books, including her new releases (choice of format, international winners--ebook only.) Lisa has graciously added a signed copy of her paperback Firefly Island (USA only) to our giveaway this week! 

Are you sensitive?  How has God given you grace?

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