Regina Jennings's "Caught in the Middle" Reviewed by Carrie Fancett Pagels

Caught in the Middle

Caught in the Middle by Regina Jennings

Book 3 of the Ladies of Caldwell County

Bethany House Publishers

My OWG blog angels introduced me to Regina Jennings books two years ago, but I didn't get a chance to read her work until recently.  I began with the novel that the Angels raved about: Sixty Acres and a Bride.

In the month of March, while recovering from foot surgery, I made up for lost time and read all three of her books on my Kindle!

Anne Tillerton is the abused wife from Sixty Acres and a Bride. SPOILER: She had ended up killing her husband when he tried to assault Rosa. The story starts out with a literal bang when Anne rescues a train being robbed and she shoots the toe off one of the bandits! She'd intervened when Hero Nicholas Lovelace (the antagonist's brother from book one) was trying to protect one of the young ladies. He would have been attacked if Anne had not acted. 

In Regina's latest book we finally get to understand what had happened to Anne. She'd been brought up by an unloving father and then been lured into intimate relations with her teacher, who becomes her husband.  After marriage this pedophile also becomes physically abusive. Is it any wonder that Anne has no desire to remarry? She's been hanging out with a bunch of buffalo hunters and is still a crack shot.  Nick is now living where Anne has ventured off to while searching for her old friend to bring back to a nearby town to serve as a cook. But her "friend," who has had an illegitimate child, is living is what we soon discover is a bawdy house. And the woman departs with a new consort leaving behind her infant son!

Anne takes the child to  Nick's office, since he offered his assistance, if she needed it, after the train robbery   Nick meanwhile is running for a political office and Anne wants to return to her group of buffalo hunters. But the baby grows on both of them as they begin to love the little boy and grow in their relationship with each other.

You will find yourself rooting for this unlikely couple all the way through! Strong story and character arcs.  Well done, Regina!

Bibliotherapy elements: Abandonment, abuse, adoption, trust, and learning to love again!

You can purchase this and other books by Regina at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and CBD and other bookstores.

Giveaway: We're giving away two books this week. One is an autographed copy of Caught in the Middle and the other is winner's choice of any of Regina's books, choice of format.

Noela Nancarrow's Testimony

SALVATION & THE FAMILY TREE

The raised voices became roars. The arguing, like an aggravating itch. Suddenly, I had an urge to escape from it. It wasn't like my dad’s raging temper, physical abuse, or the loud family disagreements were uncommon. It was almost a daily occurrence. I loathed that middle kitchen cupboard where my dad kept a belt strap sitting atop a pile of newspapers, there for his easy access. I hated the big red welts that would still be there on my legs for school the next day. And I detested the fear my siblings and I lived in due to his temper. This particular evening however, I found myself retreating to my bedroom seeking calm, quietness, and blessed solitude. But I wasn't expecting this overwhelming shroud of peace to saturate me as soon as I stepped inside my room. I left the light off, not willing to disturb this incredible, palpable peace. Then as I lay down on my bed, not understanding but soaking it up nevertheless, the noise seemed to all but disappear from outside my room. Glancing toward the foot of my bed I then saw a man appear, completely in white, and as He stood there looking at me, I knew without a shadow of a doubt it was Jesus. My family and I weren’t Christians and the only religious experience I had had was limited Sunday-School when I was very young. At the time of this vision, I was 13. A barely-there teenager with a very ungodly world ahead of me. But the Prince of Peace had visited me that night, and He was keeping a close eye on me. And you know what? He is there, near to us all. We just have to reach out to Him and allow Him in.

~~~

God gave each of us a free will however, and as the years went by with no godly influences in my life, I listened to what the ‘world’ said was ‘normal’ and supposedly ‘right’. I remember feeling like there was something wrong with me if I didn’t hurry up and sleep with a guy or that you couldn’t have fun without drinking plenty of alcohol. I know now, they were all lies. How different and worse off my life could have been, but for God’s grace. He finally snared my attention through showing me what love was like in a family that knew Him. This family laughed and hugged and laughed some more, and one beautiful woman that’s now rejoicing in Heaven, played her guitar and sang with the voice of an angel. And just in case that wasn’t enough, when the television was later turned on, a documentary visualizing people’s after-life experiences of hell happened to be on. The part I saw stunned me, causing me to realize ‘there really IS a hell’. When this beautiful friend drove me home that night, she shared with me the Bible verses of Romans 10:9,10: ‘because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For man believes with his heart and so is justified, and he confesses with his lips and so is saved.’ All of a sudden, I couldn’t wait to arrive home and as soon as I entered my room, my knees found the floor. I have never looked back. And why would I? To know God is to love Him. To love Him is abundant life, love, and happiness like you’ve never known. 

~~~

My dad is no longer with us, and I miss him so much. Forgiveness came easy to me for him. I was able to understand that he was a little slow of mind, and that he didn't have God or the ability in himself to even try to change his behavior.  My parents didn't drink alcohol thankfully, or things might have been much worse, and for that I am very grateful. But my dysfunctional childhood had without my realization, left an imprint on my character. After getting married when I was 20, I had my first child at 23 and completed our little family with 3 children by the time I was 32. I had begun changing the course of generations past by becoming a Christian and raising my children in a Christ-centered home. Having the wisdom of God available, which by the way is far superior to any man no matter how esteemed he is, I could only grow in wisdom and knowledge. It’s a journey that goes on for our lifetime, with our coach running alongside of us. Along the way God showed me I didn't need to yell at my children, I didn't need to be so angry, and I didn't need to worry so much. And so with me, and my husband, we broke the chains of our family’s legacies with God's help. We’re not perfect, but we’ve made a change for the better. Best of all, we’ve given our children the opportunity to know the Lord. And that is the most priceless gift you could ever give. I jotted down something my son wrote when he was 12 that I imagine every parent would love to hear. He said, “I feel like Peter Pan, because I don’t want to grow up. I’ve had a really happy childhood.” I couldn’t say that as a child, but I can rejoice now that Christ has brought new life to our family tree. If you have had or have a dysfunctional family, allow Jesus to restore all that’s broken and bring new life to your family tree also. God bless!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Carrie Fancett Pagels Interviews Carla Stewart

Carla Stewart is the author of Chasing Lilacs, Broken Wings, and Stardust, just released in May, 2012.  

I met Carla through some online groups, including My Book Therapy, ACFW, and our mutual friend, Marian Baay.  

Carla, welcome to Overcoming Through Time – With God’s Help.  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?

I'm not sure I've had a single life experience to overcome, but I have always struggled with trying to fix others - I'm a first-born, choleric with a soft spot for hurting people. I became a nurse. What I've had to learn in my personal life is surrendering control in tough situations - my oldest son's depression/drug and alcohol use/dropping out of school at age 16 (a six-year saga - thankfully with a happy outcome). My mother's battle with cancer and attending her the last two months of her life. My mother-in-law's Alzheimer's. My writing career. All are areas where I've had to surrender myself and those I love to God and his plans. And I've drawn from my life experiences in my writing as I've strived to bring messages of hope to those who are hurting or dealt a tough hand.

What is your favorite bible verse and why?

Micah 6:8.

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
   And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
   and to walk humbly with your God.

I love that God has given us all of scripture, but this verse sums it up for me. What a blueprint for life!  I stand in awe every day at God’s mercy bestowed on me.

Disability friendliness:

Is this latest release available in audio format or do you have any other works available on audio?

 All of my books are (or will be) available in e-formats – Kindle and others. Both Chasing Lilacs and Broken Wings are available in large print with a hardback library binding. Broken Wings is available as an unabridged audio book both as a download or on CDs.

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

The first thing I hope readers will find is a cast of characters they will come to care about. I love the nostalgic eras and try to recapture those days for readers. This is especially true in Chasing Lilacs and my next book, Stardust, but Broken Wings has a historical thread, also, that parallels the story. In all of my books, I deliver hope for the future. My hope is that readers will sigh in satisfaction when the last page is read. Although I tie up most threads, I also like to leave enough mystery so that readers will wonder how the characters are doing. Sort of the same way we do with good friends.

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

I already had a folder of material on Alzheimer’s so I reviewed it, researched current articles, and relied on my past experience as a nurse to bring the character to life. The Alzheimer’s research became very personal when my mother-in-law was diagnosed with mid-stage Alzheimer’s less than a month after Broken Wings was contracted. She’s a beautiful lady, and it’s been sad to see her spiral deeper into the tangles of this dreadful disease.

But the most challenging part of the research was learning about abuse which, thankfully, didn’t come from such a personal connection. I studied the personality types of victims and abusers and read a lot of personal stories and case studies.

I came to the writing knowing it would be a struggle, but I also knew that, for me, abuse is intolerable. What I didn’t expect, though, was learning that abuse is much more common than I ever imagined. Often there are warning signs that begin before actual abuse takes center stage—irrational behavior, disdain for authorities, getting hot tempered over trivial things, blaming others for their behavior, wanting to be in control of the relationship. The most alarming statistic that I read was that 40% of teens age 14-17 had either been abused or knew someone who had while in a dating relationship. If anything, I hope Broken Wings gives courage to women who are in abusive relationships, that they will realize that it’s not their fault nor their responsibility to stay with an abuser because he “needs” her. Victims, too, have a choice. Help is available.  

Readers, we are posting a Saturday recap.  Carla includes resources at the end of the book, which is wonderful!  As outlined above, she has a great many topics useful for bibliotherapy, or therapeutic influence through reading her books.

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

Thank you. It’s been a pleasure. Blessings to you and your readers here! 


Carla Stewart's books can be purchased through CBD, Amazon, and other book stores.

GIVEAWAY:  A copy of one of Carla's books!

Marian Baay Reviews The Master's Wall by Sandi Rog

The Master's Wall 
by Sandi Rog
(DeWard Publishing, 2010)


Reviewed by Marian Baay
 
4 stars ****


Sandi Rog writes an interesting and original story set in the first century. The two main characters are energetic young people who become close friends – one the master’s granddaughter, the other the master’s slave.


 Young David was sold as a slave at the age of 10. He’s the son of Hebrews who believed in Yahshua and because of their faith they were killed. In the first century Christians were awfully persecuted. David kept the faith of his parents and starts telling other slaves about his God and a church was planted between the master’s wall.


On David’s first day at the master’s villa he meets the master’s granddaughter. Alethea is 7 years old and just saw her father get killed by the hand of her grandfather, because her father was a Christian.


Alethea is a feisty little girl. She reminds David of his little sister. He decides then that he will protect her. A sweet friendships grows in the years that follow. They love to escape in the woods and have a secret place on top of the master’s wall.


David lives a hard life. He is trained to be a juggler and warrior. He learns that his master is a hard man. He gets undeserved whippings, because of the lies of the master’s family members. There are several opportunities for David to escape, but Alethea is the reason that he never runs away. She needs him to protect her from her selfish family.


At the age of 11 Alethea was betrothed to a man she didn’t love and didn’t desire to marry. She wants to marry David, but a marriage between a master’s granddaughter and a slave is impossible. She prays to David’s God for a way to marry David.
Is there a way then? Will God answer such a prayer?


The Master’s Wall is full of action and has plenty of twists and turns. I also learned a lot of historical facts. I didn’t like so much to read about the whippings and beatings, but those things really happened back then. It only added to the reliability. The more I read of this story the more I liked it. I’m looking forward to read more of Sandi’s books!


Bibliotherapy: death of parents, graphic whippings and beatings.


The Master's Wall is available through Amazon and other book stores.

GIVEAWAY:  Leave a comment and your email to be entered in this week’s contest.  Drawing will be late Saturday.  Your choice of Sandi’s books, choice of format.

Bibliotherapy Review of A Heart Revealed by Julie Lessman

A Heart Revealed

by Julie Lessman

Winds of Change Series, Book Three
(Revell, 2011)

Review by Carrie Fancett Pagels

5 Stars *****

Emma Malloy is a survivor. She wears her wedding ring like a talisman to protect her against men, having been abused by the man who put the ring there. He even scarred her face during a drunken rage.  She doesn’t trust a man who can’t control his temper. But her deep shame has finally caught up with her when her young friend falls in love with a man as bad as Rory Malloy had been. Emma is a deeply spiritual woman who has compartmentalized her marriage as a way of coping with her intense distress over the reality of the relationship.

(SPOILER ALERTS)

Sean has demons of his own. He loves Emma, but she keeps him at arm’s length. And another young woman, his boss’s daughter, won’t leave him alone.  When she corners him in his office, he ends up losing his job.

A son in the O’Connor family, Sean is guilty over failing to protect his sister from their uncle’s abuse when they were young. A veteran of WWI, he lost a love and a child. He doesn’t want to be hurt again. But God’s plan is different than Sean’s.


Julie's tagline is "Passion with a Purpose" and this story is no exception.  She's not afraid to include multiple character's storylines and we get an update, in this book, on the characters from the earlier two books in this series.

Bibliotherapy: This book rivals Jennifer Hudson Taylor’s latest release for bibliotherapy elements. 

We have: results of physical abuse, sexual abuse (back story - implied, not on the page), commitment to vows, shame, alcoholism, trauma, scarring, ability to control anger, overcoming the past, and even mental instability brought on by repression of the truth. 

I can think of MANY people who would benefit from this wonderful and deep story about God’s restorative power in the hearts of two traumatized individuals who love and respect one another, a bottom line basis for every marriage.
This is a great example of how compartmentalization as a coping mechanism cannot hold up under scrutiny when the Holy Spirit convicts a believer. 


I really loved this story and Julie is such a master of charactization and story that I almost feel as though these characters are real people!  Bravo, Julie!!!

Julie Lessman's books can be purchased at CBD, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other bookstores.

GIVEAWAY:  Leave a comment and your email to be entered in this week’s contest.  Drawing will be late Saturday.  Your choice of this author’s books, choice of format.

Diana's Corner - Book Review of The Measure of Katie Calloway

The Measure of Katie Calloway 

by Serena Miller





Revell 2011

5 stars~ *****






Review by Diana L. Flowers

A "TREE''MENDOUS READ!

In The Measure of Katie Calloway, Serena Miller takes us on an arduous journey beginning in post civil war-ravaged Georgia to a lumber camp in Bay City, Michigan. Katie falls in love with and marries the handsome and charming, Harlan Calloway, a graduate from West Point, the sole heir of Fallen Oaks Plantation in Georgia. 


As Sherman and his Union troops burn down everything in their pathway, Fallen Oaks is destroyed, leaving only a small cabin for Katie, her little brother, Ned, and Harlan, to inhabit. After the war, Harlan, turns to alcohol, and beats Katie severely, until one day fearful for her very life, she runs away, taking Ned and a small bag of coins with her, determined to get as far away as the money will take her. 


She ends up in the beauful logging country of Michigan, and meets Robert Foster, owner of a lumber camp and desperately in need of a cook for his men. 

Robert Foster is a kind and fair man; good to his "shanty boys" as the loggers were called, but a man who carries a deep burden of guilt for not being with his wife when she died giving birth. He, too, was on the battlefield, and saw tremendous atrocities such as couldn't be uttered, and he carries a secret that no one knows. Does Katie find out what it is by reading an old journal she finds of Robert's? And what about the secret she is keeping from him - the fact that she is not a widow, but a married woman.

Katie's work is backbreaking, and she must get up at two in the morning to begin feeding the shanty boys. Gruff on the outside, but with hearts of gold, they all grow to love Katie, and of course, her wonderful cooking! Robert Foster is falling in love with her as well, but Katie fights their growing attraction, as she is still married, and fearful of Harlan finding her. 


Add a terrible forest fire that could destroy the whole 680 acre camp, a starving Indian woman with her baby, and a once runaway slave, to the budding, but forbidden romance, and you have one more exciting tale!

Serena Miller's novel is laced with humor (I laughed outright at some of the episodes), but she covers some pretty heavy issues; slavery, spousal abuse, and post traumatic stress disorder, to name a few. Her extensive research into the lumber business taught me alot, and her realistic setting had me actually smelling the scent of spruce and freshly sawed white pine trees. I loved her secondary characters, and still miss the rough spoken and malodorous, but protective and loving shanty boys.

*One word of warning-Do not read this book while hungry, because Ms. Miller's many descriptions of the delectable, mouth watering meals that Katie concocts, will have you craving food and running to the kitchen..mmm.:)  Wonderful novel, Serena Miller, and I am wholeheartedly looking forward to the next one! 


Giveaway:  Leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of this book in either Kindle or paperback version, your choice!  

Interview with Serena Miller

Serena Miller is the author of The Measure Of Katie Calloway, and Love Finds You In Sugarcreek, Ohio. She also has five more novels coming out in the next three years.

I met Serena through an article she wrote for Christian Writer’s Online Magazine, about writing through family illness.

Welcome to Overcoming Through Time, Serena.  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?

For me, as I wrote about in the Wellness column in the on-line magazine you mentioned above, the most difficult thing I ever had to get through was finding out that my husband had a rare form of bone cancer. He was found to have 11 spinal fractures, only one month after I had signed my first contract for a full-length inspirational novel. The cancer was so rare, it took eleven months for the doctors to accurately diagnose it—during which time my husband suffered incredible pain and needed my around-the-clock care. My husband (who had always been my emotional and spiritual rock) was half out of his head from heavy pain meds much of the time, and I was terrified of what the future might hold. By the grace and mercy of our God, I still managed to write two novels during that time.

God gave us a miracle in the form of a brilliant doctor who accurately diagnosed the cancer and began to prescribe appropriate meds for my husband. We spent three weeks this past Christmas in a research cancer hospital, as a stem cell/bone marrow transplant was administered. My husband is now in full remission, out of pain, and able to minister to our congregation full-time again. The transplant doctor says that based on his body’s excellent response, my husband has at least another ten to twenty good years ahead of him. We are incredibly grateful for the prognosis.

I look at those two books now, and the kind reviews they’ve received, and I give God all praise. Without Him holding my hand through that dark time, not only would I not have been able to write, I would have probably lost my mind. Now—I write my books with a song of praise in my heart, and a greater appreciation for each pain-free normal day the Father gives us.

What is your favorite bible verse and why?
Job 13:15 KJV “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him.”

That became a sort of rallying cry for us during that dark time of my husband’s illness. We could not fathom the reason behind the pain, or the multiple misdiagnoses. It would have been tempting to blame God for allowing such pain—but Job’s cry during his time of suffering became our own.

Human suffering has caused so many to abandon their faith, and turn their backs on God. The reasons behind what happened to my husband was incomprehensible to us—especially since he had devoted his entire life to serving the Lord. We had a choice to make—would we laud the Father only during pleasant times and curse him when things got bad? Or would we continue to trust him, even when we didn’t understand? We chose to cling to Him—and it made all the difference. 

(Serena, that was my verse during a time I was extremely ill 2009-2010 and wondered if I was going home to heaven.  It is a verse to cling to.  So glad your husband survived this terrible ordeal. God still has plans for him!)

Disability friendliness:

Is this latest release available in audio format or do you have any other works available on audio? At this moment, all I know for sure is that Doubleday has brought Love Finds You In Sugarcreek out in large print. Both books are available as e-books. I don’t know about the audio yet.

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

I heard an author once say that she wasn’t trying to save the world with her stories, she was simply trying to brighten someone’s weekend. That is my goal, too. I try to create a safe place into which a reader can retreat, with a sigh of relief. As I write, I always mentally write for a weary nurse walking around with my paperback in her pocket, looking forward to the respite of losing herself in a different world for a few minutes during her hurried lunch. I hope the book will take her on an adventure that will end in an uplifting of her spirits, a greater appreciation of our Lord, and hope for the future.

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

As I researched the Amish, I was invited into a grandmother’s daadi-haus. It was a small, fully functional home that was attached by a short walkway to her daughter and son-in-law’s farmhouse. This is the norm for Amish families. The grandfather and grandmother eventually sell their larger home to a son or daughter, and move into the attached daadi-haus. The grandparents get an income from the sale of their home. They get to continue to be a part of their family’s life. They spend time teaching the wisdom they’ve gained to their grandchildren. The grandfather continues to help out around the farm as long as he is able, and the grandmother helps with canning and gardening as long as she is able. This is their beautiful answer to a retirement home. I was touched and impressed with the contentment and happiness I saw in their eyes because of it. 

   

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

In the book, my heroine's southern-born husband comes home from the Civil War a defeated, bitter man. His hatred for the north is so great that he turns his anger upon his northern-born wife, Katie, and begins to routinely abuse both her and her orphaned little brother. Katie keeps hoping he'll change, but finally realizing that if they don't get away he'll kill them--Katie and her little brother run for their lives. Even though she has no idea where to go or how to support herself when she gets there.

I have known too many women who endured physical abuse--both to themselves and their children--because they were more afraid of walking into the unknown than they were of their abusive husbands and boyfriends. I wanted to portray a woman who gathers her courage to save herself and the child she loves.   

I used to work as a court reporter in Detroit, Michigan. There was one wise, woman judge I greatly admired. I heard her once admonish a woman who had been allowing her husband to abuse her and her two children. She said she was too afraid to leave. The judge said, "You are a mother. Your job is to protect your children. You don't have the luxury of fear. You don't wait around hoping that man won't pound on you again. You put one child under one arm, the other child under the other arm. And you don't walk, you RUN out that door."  

Therefore, my favorite line in the entire book is at the end of the first chapter when Katie climbs upon that good, fast horse and says, "Let's ride, little brother!" 

Katie takes what little faith and courage she can muster, walks into an unknown future, and begins to grow both physically and emotionally as she allows God to create a new path for her and her little brother.   

(CFP: Sounds like this book is about second chances, new beginnings, and the chance for God to put things aright, too.) 

Thank you Serena for sharing with our readers. I remember praying for you during that difficult time and when I read your story I had been so touched it brought tears to my eyes. God bless and keep you and your dear husband!

Thanks for having me! 


Giveaway: Leave a comment and your email address for a chance to win a Serena Miller book, your choice and in your preferred format.