In Other Words

Tea & Read: The Lady of Bolton Hill

noreply@blogger.com (Terri J. Haynes) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:39:00 +0000

Title: The Lady of Bolton Hill

Author: Elizabeth Camden

Rating: Glad I got it from the library

This is my first review of a book by Elizabeth Camden. New authors always excite me. This book had an added claim on my attention. It’s set in Baltimore, and as a native Baltimorean, I was intrigued. I wish I could say that this book lived up to my excitement.

Blurb

Female journalists are rare in 1879, but American-born Clara Endicott has finally made a name for herself with her provocative articles championing London's poor. When the backlash from her work forces a return home to Baltimore, Clara finds herself face-to-face with a childhood sweetheart who is no longer the impoverished factory worker she once knew. In her absence, Daniel Tremain has become a powerful industry giant and Clara finds him as enigmatic as ever. However, Daniel's success is fueled by resentment from past wounds and Clara's deeply-held beliefs about God's grace force Daniel to confront his own motives. When Clara's very life is endangered by one of Daniel's adversaries, they must face a reckoning neither of them ever could have foreseen.

This book started off wrong for me. Camden jumps right into the story, something I really don’t like. I know starting in the middle of the action is a mantra much repeated in writing, but it is possible to start too far in the action. I felt like I got to the inciting incident, the thing that sets Daniel and Clara off on their journey, before I got to know them enough to care. Since I really didn’t know them, I didn’t completely understand the significance of some of the subsequent events until much later in the book. But by then, I was forcing myself to continue and skimming large sections.

As for the characters, since I didn’t have a chance to connect with them at the beginning, it was hard to find good things about them. Clara seemed too impulsive at times and too timid at others and I struggled to see her as a "lady". Daniel seemed angry beyond the point of redemption and I had a hard time following his character arc. Even with Clara’s actions to defend the underprivileged and the injustice Daniel suffered, I struggled to like them. Also, the villain was completely unexpected, but not in a good way. I felt his development was far too unrealistic.

As for the plot, I felt like it would have been a good plot if it only had different characters. This gave the story a very disjointed feeling. Also, I’m not sure I felt like I was in 1867. The book had a very contemporary feel to it, like I was reading about modern day times. And this may be a little biased, but I didn’t fell like I was reading a story set in Bolton Hill in Baltimore. I know the area well and thought the story was missing some important landmarks that made Baltimore the Charm City.

I won’t say I wouldn’t read another one of Camden’s books. I hopeful that Camden will improve in time.

The Next Step: The Journey Begins

noreply@blogger.com (Terri J. Haynes) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 22:08:00 +0000

At the end of last year, God began speaking to me about the next step for my writing career. I had been praying for months for God to give me some direction. Last year, I found my writing at a standstill. I’d gone to the ACFW conference last year and got some interest in my manuscript. Unfortunately, I got rejections from most of the proposals I sent out. Nice rejections. The “You’re a great, funny, creative (add your own positive adjective) writer but this is not the direction we want to go with our fiction.”

It seemed like all doors were closed and I was feeling like they would ever be opened. I know all writers come to this stage, but it seems like I’d been camped out there a few years. Actually, I have been stuck for a few years. I decided to seriously peruse publishing in 2005, so that makes seven years.

I’ve completed two manuscripts and a third that is within 10,000 words of being finished. I’ve had multiple non-fiction pieces published and earned a spot as a regular columnist on an online magazine. I’d been to four writers conferences and was even a finalist in Genesis in 2010. Despite all that, I felt like I’d come to the end of my rope and running out of options of seeing my writings in print.

And then God started talking. (Isn’t it interesting that He started talking when I came to the end of myself?) He started taking about…wait for it…self-publishing. And what a conversation it was! Please forgive this non-linear thinkers attempt at chronicling how that conversation went, but I’ll do my best.

First, it started with knitting. I’m a graphic designer and wondered if that skill could translate into knitting patterns. For months, I’ve been dreaming about designing my own patterns. Once it is perfected, I will sell it on a website for knitters called Raverly, basically self-publishing it.

That was the first hint and there were many more to follow. That’s how God talks to me about me. He speaks in repeating circumstances. The next repeating circumstance was a deluge of articles on self-publishing. As an author who wants someday to be published, I try to keep abreast of all that’s going on in the industry. I read several agent blogs, Publisher’s Weekly, and Writer’s Digest (online and in print) and the Yahoo! entertainment page for books. And for a span of two weeks, seems like all of them were discussing self-publishing, some of it positive and some of it negative.

And then there were successful self-published artists. Notice I said artists. They weren’t just writers. A friend of mine released her first indie CD and a well-known Christian rock group left their label and solicited donations to fund their new project. And who can forget Amanda Hocking. Everywhere I looked, there she was.

After all of this kept swirling in my mind, it finally dawned on me that God might be trying to talk to me. That He might be telling me to self-publish. Of course, the revelation brought me distress. Even with all the successes, self-publishing still hasn’t lost its negative stigmatism. Some people feel that self-published books aren’t as good as traditionally published books, other feel that it’s a cop-out, a way to avoid going through the rigors of traditional publishing. I actually thought some of the same thoughts before now. Needless to say, God had to work on me.

And that He did through the next set of recurring circumstances. My pastor began a series during our New Year’s Eve service. It was entitled, A Year of Expectation. He preached about Moses. He preached about God spoke to Moses, told him to do something totally uncomfortable and how Moses argued with God about his perceived shortcoming. In short, the point of the sermon was to do what God told me to do and stop worrying about whether or not it’s going to succeed. Ouch.

So after all this, I am going to self-publish some of my writings. Some is the operative word in that statement. I have so many partial manuscripts on my hard drive and several notebooks full of story ideas. Most of them, sadly, don’t fit into CBA. I do have some manuscripts that will fit, but my self-publishing will focus on the ones I don’t think will.

And that’s another thing about God’s instructions. I have no plans to abandon getting published by a traditional publisher. For me, it isn’t either/or. It’s both. I have put as much prayer and consideration into my traditional career as I have my self-publishing career.

One more thing about God’s instructions. He told me to chronicle my entire journey on my blog. This will become a new feature on my blog called The Next Step (I’ll explain the name in subsequent posts).

So this is the first step of my big adventure. And most adventures are better when shared. Won’t you join in my journey with me? You can start by praying for me as I set out. Also, you can follow my journey by following my blog (in the right sidebar). I thank you in advance for your support and may God bless you on your journey this year.

My Life in Stitches: My Life in Stitches 2011 Review

noreply@blogger.com (Terri J. Haynes) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 23:57:00 +0000

I had an interesting fiber year in 2011. When my husband left to serve his one-year deployment, I thought sure I would read a ton of books, but that wasn’t the case. It seems that most of my leisure time went to into knitting. At the beginning of 2011, I only had four completed projects on my Ravelry page. I started and completed 29 projects in 2011. Yay, me.

Here is my official My Year in Stitches review, the good, the bad and the ugly style.

The Good

Most Helpful Technique Learned: LIFELINES!!!!!

Hindsight is twenty-twenty. One of my knitting friends, Jill, told me about lifelines at the beginning of the year. The technique is when you run dental floss through a row of your stitches as you knit it. It’s helpful because if you make a mistake, you can rip the work back to the lifeline and all the stiches are on the floss and easier to pick up. Jill told me, but I must admit I was a little slow in putting it into practice. Like several projects slow. But when the above-mentioned Milky Way started kicking my butt, I did a lifeline…and kicked myself for not trying it earlier. Would have saved me a lot of heartache.

Favorite Project: [Three-way tie] Milky Way (Sheryl Thies, Nature's Wrapture), Daybreak (Stephen West) and Fetching (Cheryl Niamath, Knitty, Summer 2006)

Milky Way

This is my favorite project to wear. The color makes it versatile to wear with multiple outfits. And the fiber, (cotton, rayon and silk) is the perfect balance of dressy and casual. And it’s uber warm!

I love Daybreak for two reasons, the colors and that it’s a simple pattern with dramatic results. I made two Daybreaks this year and loved them both.

Daybreak #2

Fetching makes my favorites list because it was instant gratification. I started one day while I was sick in bed. It barely took me 12 hours to finish it. And again, it’s one of those projects that’s really easy but produces dramatic results.

The Bad

Most Frustrating Project: Milky Way Scarf (Sheryl Thies, Nature's Wrapture)

I thought I was going to lose my mind on this one. This is not a social knitting project! I had a complete meltdown at a knitting group meeting because the twisted stitches in this pattern. It wasn’t a hard stitch, it was just one I had to pay attention to…which often I wasn’t and had to go back a rip out huge chunks at a time. The pattern is so defined that it wasn’t one you could fudge you way through your mistakes. This project drove me to the brink of sanity.

Project with the Biggest Design Feature (aka mistake): Ginkgo Shoulderette Shawl (Southern Selkie)

It’s a good sign that something has gone wrong with a project when you have an entire skein of yarn left over when you’re done… and you weren’t supposed to have it. I bought the yarn for this shawl while in Indianapolis during the ACFW annual writers conference. I loved the color and it was on clearance. Win-win, right? I’d added the Ginkgo pattern to my favorites before I left, so it was a match made in heaven…

Until I finished the shawl and couldn’t figure out why I hadn’t used the amount of yarn the pattern called for. It was a big problem with a simple solution: READ! I was supposed to go up two needle sizes when I got to the lace section of the shawl! Of course, the shawl turned out way smaller than it was supposed to and I hardly ever wear it because it’s so small. I kept threatening to rip it out and redo the lace on the correct size needles. Maybe that will be on my 2012 knitting year in review.

The Ugly

Project with the Worse Fit: (Two-way Tie): Swirl (Andrea Weinrick) and Ellen's Knit Hat (Ellen Harpin).

Swirl was my first pair of socks ever. I made them for myself so my feet wouldn’t get cold while I was praying. I was very proud of myself for conquering my fear of socks. I started before my husband came home before for R&R in July. I was so excited to show it to him, but I didn’t bank on his reaction. He didn’t say anything at first, but his face (my husband has very telling facial expressions) told me that he didn’t like the sock. After a few minutes of examining the sock, he asked, “Is this for a reindeer?”

The sock on the right is for the reindeer.

Needless to say, my feelings were hurt, but I pressed on and finished the second sock. But in finishing the second one correctly, I realized how bad the first one was. All I could do was laugh. The only way to save it is to rip it out and do it over. Maybe I’ll only rip out the first reindeer sock.

As for the Ellen’s Knit Hat, my husband was the victim of the bad fit. I was knitting hats for my church’s clothes closet and my husband told me he wanted a black hat with a green stripe. Of course, I decided that I would give him the hat for Christmas.

I put a very generous green stripe on it. Unfortunately, the top of the hat was about four inches longer than the top of his head. Thankfully, it will be easier to repair than the socks.

Tea & Read: Wolfsbane

noreply@blogger.com (Terri J. Haynes) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Title: Wolfsbane

Author: Ronie Kendig

Rating: Spend the Day Sleepy

What a way to start off a new year of book reviews! Wolfsbane is definitely a book worth spending the day sleepy but it will not put you to sleep. Wolfsbane is the third book in the Discarded Heroes series.

Blurb:

Demolitions expert Danielle Roark has been left behind in hostile territory during a mission with Nightshade. Former Green Beret and medic Canyon Metcalfe, beset with memories of another mission gone bad, vows to rescue her, sacrificing everything. As secrets unravel, will Canyon and Dani find healing, closure, and each other?

Kendig pulls no punches in this one. As a matter of fact, the story began so intense that I didn’t think I could finish it. But since Kendig’s stories end with hope and redemption, I pressed on knowing the plot would get better… and it did. The intensity didn’t die down. It kept me clicking the next page button on my Kindle to the end.

The characters, one of Kendig’s strong points, were very engaging. Even though they had extraordinary jobs and heartbreaking experiences, I found myself relating to Dani and Canyon. Kendig makes them realistic enough that when they face a challenge, one not often faced in Christian fiction, it is an interesting, almost pleasant surprise, but not unbelievable. Yes, this is a little cryptic, but I don’t want to spoil the plot.

As with her other books, Wolfsbane sails through the plot. No skimming at all. I found myself wishing I could read faster! Kendig’s military research is spot on and she creates a world that a girl can get lost in.

This is a great book and I expect great things from Kendig in the furture.

Tea & Read: Fear No Evil

noreply@blogger.com (Terri J. Haynes) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 11:00:00 +0000

Title: Fear No Evil

Author: Robin Caroll

Rating: One Cup of Tea

This book introduced me to Robin Caroll books, even though she has authored more than twelve books. Fear No Evil is the second book in Caroll’s Evil series.

Synopsis:

With his father in a nursing home and his mother needing support, former Great Smoky Mountains park ranger Lincoln Vailes moves to the bayou town of Eternal Springs, Louisiana, to become a police officer. Recent college graduate and eager social worker Jade Laurent has also moved there to try and right the wrongs of an abusive past. But someone is running her car off the road and pointing guns in her direction. As Lincoln investigates her case, he uncovers ties to big-city gang warfare up north that appears to be making its evil way down south.

Books like this are hard to review. It was neither great nor horrible. It had equal parts of things I like and things I didn’t. I liked Lincoln and Jade’s characters. Even thought Lincoln was a little bit stereotypical with is good cop demeanor and his view on God, I have a big soft spot in my heart for law enforcement. I also enjoyed Jade’s quirky habits. I also loved the effect she had on the other characters in the book.

The biggest problem I had with this book was the plot. With the characters as likable as they were, they didn’t seem to fit the storyline. Like something else should be happening to them. At a few places I had to will myself to suspend my disbelief and accept them in their setting. I had a difficult time keeping myself engaged in the events of the plot. There were a couple of places of interesting head-hopping (POV changes) that left me confused.

Another issue I had with this book is the antagonist. I had figured out who it was before I’d read half of the book. Once I figured out who the villain was, all the suspense was gone. Certain points of the plot were very predictable and at times cliché, which was a shame because I liked the characters.

I would read another one of Caroll’s books (I’m not sure but I think I already own Deliver Us From Evil). Fear No Evil wasn’t bad enough to keep my from reading another one of her books.

WIP-itis, Part Deux and Personal Best

noreply@blogger.com (Terri J. Haynes) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 15:50:00 +0000

Sometimes you’re words come back to haunt you.

So I’m participating in NaNoWriMo this year. I participated in 2007-2009 and took 2010 off. I plotted my novel last month and started writing first thing in the morning on November 1^st. But by the 10^th, my drive had fizzled. The story wasn’t interesting to me, and knew that was a big problem. If my novel doesn’t interest me, then I know it won’t interest anyone else.

I knew the story was dragging, but I didn’t want to give up on it. I’d put a month’s worth of research into this thing. My heart, however, wasn’t in it. There were days were I didn’t write at all. My novel was the Titanic and going down.

Then something happened. I got an idea just as I was falling asleep one night. It was just a flash of a scene. It was not an idea to fix my current novel, but a fresh new idea. Now, every writer knows that new ideas will come while you’re working on your current WIP, but you’re supposed to take notes on it and finish the one you’re working on.

But I couldn’t. I couldn’t let the new idea go. And each day, more and more of the pieces fell into place. The lead character was so intriguing and funny to me that I couldn’t stop thinking about him. I still wasn’t willing to start all over.

Then one day I was talking to my friend Linda about my dilemma. Linda is my ideal “audience” and has been reading and editing my work for years. She is the exact target demographic for my writing. I told her about the new story idea and lamented that I didn’t love the one I was working. I told her that I didn’t know what to do.

She said, “I think you already have your answer. WIP-itis.”

Talk about a sucker punch.

You see my “target audience” Linda reads my blog. And she read my previous blog post about the cure for WIP-itis in my knitting. The cure is to love the project I’m working on. She used my words against me…but that so like Linda. So I chucked the previous novel and started over. Well, not completely over. I used the same setting and time period as the previous one, so at least all my research wasn’t a waste.

I started over. I spent several hours pouring out the scenes that already filled my head. And guess what? I hit a personal best record for number of words in one day. I wrote 10,364 words! I could have written more by my shoulder and thumb started to ache and I had to quit.

So I can testify that the cure to WIP-itis is love. I love the new storyline and hope to put down another 5,000 words today (I got them in my head. I just have to write them down). And it doesn’t even matter if anybody else ever reads this story. I am enjoying writing it.

My Life in Stitches: The Cure to WIP-itis

noreply@blogger.com (Terri J. Haynes) — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 18:45:00 +0000

I try not to have more than one knitting project going at once. There are times that I have two projects going at once, but it’s for a good cause (see previous post) but not often. I also don’t have hibernating projects. If I don’t like them, I rip them out. But I think I figured out why. I think I’ve discovered the cure for WIP-itis.

First, let me give you some more information about WIP-itis (Work-in-Progress-itis). It’s a debilitating condition that causes you to have more than three knitting projects going at once. These projects sit for months, and sometimes years, untouched. It occupies spare needles everywhere and causes great distress when unfinished project are spotted around the house. It afflicts both new and seasoned knitters all over the world.

My current love affair. Jared Flood's
Daybreak made with Spud and Chloe,
color 7803 (brown) and Sweet
Georgia's Autumn Flame.

Now that you know what it is, are you ready for the remedy?

The cure to WIP-itis is love.

The Bible says that love covers a multitude of sins, but it also cures WIP-itis. When you love your WIP and everything about it, you won’t start another one. It’s the same principal with marriage. No other man can catch my eye because I’m completely in love with my husband. And for me, I am completely in love with each of my knitting projects, and if I'm not, I rip it out and make something I love.

And you have to love everything about the WIP, the yarn, the pattern, and the needles. I don’t buy yarn unless I love it. If I just like it, then it will just sit in the bin. But if I love it, it will hold my attention through the entire project. And I love the patterns I make. If I just like them and then I come across something I love, I ditch finish the first one. And I'm not talking about infatuation. I talking about full-blown-puppy-eyed-I-am-comitted-to-you-for-the-rest-of-project-till-blocking-do-us-part love.

Now I realize that this cure might only work for people like me, but it’s worth a try. Love your WIPs.

*Love cures writing WIP-itis. If you don't love your novel, you won't finish it.

Favorite Writing Getaways

noreply@blogger.com (Terri J. Haynes) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 13:00:00 +0000

Writing spaces are a big deal among authors. Even though it’s a big deal, some writing spaces aren’t as glamorous or romantic as non-writers may think. For some, it’s the end of a kitchen table, a corner in a laundry room or a chair in a bedroom (my current writing space). For other’s it’s a dedicated home office. These places are important because they can greatly determine how productive an author is.

But no matter how wonderful the space, a writer may have a back-up writing space, aka somewhere other than home. This can be as equally important as a home writing space. Sometimes, you just have to get away from the piles of laundry and children and phone calls. You need a place to escape it all…or at least most of it.

With this in mind, I decided to compile a list of my favorite writing getaways.

3. The public library. This is a last resort for me. There never seems to be enough outlets available when I go there. Also, their hours don’t always work for my schedule. But I must admit, I love being among books when I’m writing. It’s inspires me. My two favorite writing libraries are the Joint Base Andrews and the Prince George’s County Public Library Accokeek branch. The Joint Base Andrews library is very quiet and normally I have my pick of outlets. The Accokeek Branch has a wall of windows where the tables are which provide a wonderful view of outside.

2. Borders. WAAAAAAA! I’m so sad that Borders closed. I used to go and pick a spot near the café and write for four hours easy. I loved the fact that I could have a cup of tea and a scone, something I can’t do in the library. And going always provided opportunity to browse for new books. The free WiFi was an added bonus. I don’t know if I’ll ever find somewhere to replace Borders. Heartbroken.

Drum roll please…

My number one writing spot: a church’s sanctuary. Okay, I know that this seems like an odd number one, but I discovered this gem of a place a few years ago. I was working at a church and my children attended the church’s academy across the street. The children had to be at school by 8:25am but I didn’t have to be at my desk until 9:00am. So I would sit in the back of the sanctuary, put on my headphones and write. That short thirty-minute or so of writing was more productive than a two-hour stint at Borders.

No, I couldn’t have a cup of tea in there, there was no WiFi and the only books around were Bibles left from Sunday service, but that didn’t matter. There was something about being in a hallowed place that made me feel connected to the One who gave me the gift of writing.

What are your favorite writing getaways?

My Life in Stitches: Christmas Knitting

noreply@blogger.com (Terri J. Haynes) — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 13:16:00 +0000

This year I’m doing something that I haven’t done before: Christmas knitting. I’ve never given knitted projects for Christmas gifts before. Not that I’m doing that much. Right now it’s looking like I’ll only be making one or two projects.

Christmas is such a hectic season for me that I rarely have time for knitting, much less knitting Christmas gifts. This year, however, is a little different. My husband’s deployment had really shifted my thinking about Christmas. Actually it’s shifted my thinking about just about everything. It has taught me to plan ahead, which got me thinking about Christmas earlier than I normally do.

Fetching Fingerless Gloves

I’m almost finished my first Christmas gift, which I can’t say because the recipient might read this blog. All I can say is I love the yarn I’m working on and the project is perfect for the person I’m making it for. I was thinking about knitting some Christmas stockings for the house, but that means I would have to buy more yarn…maybe.

My next batch of holiday knitting is for my church. The women’s ministry is sponsoring a silent auction. I really enjoy knitting for causes. When I heard about the silent auction, I immediately started planning my projects. Besides, the ladies at the church are constantly commenting on the scarves I’ve knitting for myself. Now they’ll have a chance to own something themselves

Pinkerton Shawl

The first contribution to the silent auction is Fetching, a pair of fingerless gloves. It’s a pattern from Knitty that several of the ladies in my knitting group have made. They are extra cute and shouldn’t take me long to make. I’ll be making them out of Stonehedge Fiber Mill’s Shepard’s Wool. I don’t anticipate it taking me more than a weekend to finish them. My second contribution to the silent auction will be a Pinkerton Shawl from Interweave Knits Spring 2011. I’ll be using Lorna’s Laces Shepard Sock Multi (Gold Hill). I’ll try to remember to post pictures of my progress. Depending on how fast these projects go, I may throw a cowl into the mix.

What are you holiday plans? Do they include any crafting?

Tea & Read: At the Captain's Command

noreply@blogger.com (Terri J. Haynes) — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 13:00:00 +0000

Title: At the Captain’s Command

Author: Louis M. Gouge

Rating: Two cups of Tea (four stars)

Sometimes good things come in small packages. That is the case with Louise M. Gouge’s latest book, The Captain’s Command. Gouge takes us back to East Florida, this time with the story of Captain Thomas Moberly and Dinah Templeton.

As with her other novels, Gouge writing is great. The pacing was great. No skimming here. Also, Gouge’s description of East Florida isn’t overdone but employs great imagery. I almost expected to smell the flowers and sweat from the humidity.

Gouge does an excellent job of depicting not only the struggle between the newly formed US colonies, but the struggled between class and rank. Also, the relationships between the characters and Dinah’s domestic problems draw you into the story. Also, Dinah’s struggle with her loyalty to her brother also creates a good depth of character.

Who doesn’t love a man in uniform? Captain Moberly is dashing and brave like a captain should be, but he also has a good bit of vulnerability. His relationship with his brother, Freddy, also added a very realistic ring to the story. Also the inspirational element of the story seemed organic and not preachy, a bonus.

This is a great little book, and series, for a quick read. I’m looking forward to more books by Gouge.

My NaNoWriMo Conundrum

noreply@blogger.com (Terri J. Haynes) — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 13:00:00 +0000

I have not participated in NaNoWriMo since 2009. For those who aren’t familiar with it, it’s a month-long quest into insanity. The goal is to write 50,000 words in the month of November. That’s about 1667 words a day. For me, it’s 1923 words a day since I try not to write on Sundays. It’s crazy, but it’s a good opportunity to ramp up your word count.

The NaNoWriMo site is pretty awesome, too. It’s like Facebook for crazy, crack-head writers. You can add friends, assign yourself to regions and compete in word count competitions. You can even find others in your area sponsoring write-ins. So if it’s so wonderful, why haven’t I participated in two years?

First I have to give you a little history in my participation in the contest. I did my first in 2007. I discovered NaNoWriMO close to November 1^st, so I had little time to prep for it. I finished that year, and in 2008, but I did it seat-of-the pants. No plot, not outline. Just writing.

For 2009, I decided to do a preemptive strike. I chose to outline my novel that October. Since I’d just converted to outlining/plotting, I started light with some character sketches. Before I knew, I had much of the plot laid out and was ready to write. But it wasn’t November yet. I ended up jumping the gun, starting the story in October, but not participating NaNoWriMo

And thus the conundrum. You see, you have to start NaNoWriMo with 0 words. Yes, I could cheat because no one really checks, but that wouldn’t be honest and it doesn’t matter if this isn’t a real contest. By October 2009, the story was fresh in my mind and I was ready to get started…so I did.

I am the type of writer who has to write while the idea is hot. My words normally come out in one big rush, which is why NaNoWriMo works for me. I can just feverishly write and ignore the internal editor.

So here I am preparing for NaNoWriMo again. I started plotting this month. And once again, I’m ready to write now. I had a great brainstorming session with a friend. I still have some kinks to work out, but I think they’ll come out when I start writing, which I am very ready to do right now.

I don’t know if I can wait until November. What to do…

My Life in Stitches: Fingerless Mitts, Square Needles and Breaking Rules

noreply@blogger.com (Terri J. Haynes) — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 13:00:00 +0000

Fingerless Mitt #1 and Cubics Needles

I’m all grown up and knitting fingerless mitts.

I casted on Susie’s Reading Mitts last week after deciding to frog a cowl I was working on. Besides, I got some new needles, Knitter's Pride Cubics Double Point. I was planning to buy their Dreamz needles, but the concept of square needles fascinated me. Once I read that the yarn doesn’t slide off the square needles like it does with round one (a problem I was having), I was hooked.

I must admit it took me a minute to adjust to the square needles. They feel like I’m knitting with small pencils. But, as promised, my yarn didn’t roll off my needles. I’m seriously considering getting another set, maybe 6”.

The pattern for Susie’s Reading Mitts are pretty simple, much like knitting a big sock. If I would do anything different, I would have used smaller needles. The first glove is kinda big. The person I’m making them for is shorter than me but has bigger hands than I do, so it may work out.

Also, I seemed to have broken out of my one-project-at-time rule. Last week, I had three…count them…three different projects on my needles. Fortunately, one of them was a hat, which I finished quickly and one of the other’s was a hibernating Marigold Ishbel. It may not be a bad idea to relax my one-project-at-time rule, but only for a really good reason.

I broke my rule last week because my church is having a coat drive for a men’s homeless shelter. Since I don’t have any coats to contribute, it seemed like a good idea to knit some hats to donate. I’ve done three so far and I just found another skein of yarn I can use to make another. It’s a good cause, worth breaking my rules.

Tea & Read: In Every Heartbeat

noreply@blogger.com (Terri J. Haynes) — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 13:00:00 +0000

Title: In Every Heartbeat

Author: Kim Vogel Sawyer

Rating: Half a cup of tea (two stars out of five)

This was the first book by Kim Vogel Sawyer that I've read. The premise of the story drew me in, three orphans, Libby, Pete and Bennett, going off to college to pursue their dreams. Books with the premise of starting a new life always appeal to me.

Unfortunately, this book didn’t hold my attention very long. First, I struggled to connect with the characters. Their motivation behind their actions seemed unrealistic. Libby, Pete and Bennett often reacted to their plot twists with more consternation than necessary. I can’t say that I could relate to their emotions.

Second, the pacing was slow. I found myself skimming pages and it took me a long time to finish the book. The writing was good, one of the reasons I didn’t give this book a lower rating. Maybe this book is for a different sort of reader than me, someone who enjoys books that are a stroll. And despite the low rating, I would give Sawyer another shot (I actually am currently reading another one of her books. Stay tuned for my review).

Personalized Sheol

noreply@blogger.com (Terri J. Haynes) — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 16:01:00 +0000

As a writer, sometimes when my imagination gets the best of me…okay, my imagination gets the best of me often. And it doesn’t take much to spark it.

For instance, last week, I made had my normal snack, peanut butter on wheat bread and a cup of tea. Well, the piece of bread I used (I don’t make a two-slice sandwich. One piece of bread folded in half with no jelly) was at the end of the loaf. I made the sandwich and then realized that the bread was a little stale.

Let me tell you, there is nothing worse than CHUNKY peanut butter on stale bread. I thought, if Sheol is personalized, I would have to eat stale bread and chunky peanut butter for all eternity. And that simple thing, peanut butter on stale bread, got my brain wondering what a Hell would be like if it was personalized.

So here is a picture of my personalized Hell. First I want to give a few disclaimers. First, I have no intention of going to Hell. I read Revelations. Beasts and chains and plagues and wars…yeah, I’m good. Don’t need to see that. Second, the worst part about Hell is being separated from God, which is the greatest tragedy anyone can face, in this life or the next.

But if Hell was personalized, this is what mine would look like:
• I would have to eat stale peanut butter sandwiches with nothing to drink
• I would have to give everyone in Hell a pedicure. I really don’t like feet.
• I would have to knit Fair Isle sweaters with mohair… or worse angora!
• I would only be able to travel by airplane and there would always be turbulence.
• There would be a library but no books, only computers for people to get on the internet.
• I would be on hold for tech support for all eternity.

What does your personal Sheol look like?

Question of the Day

noreply@blogger.com (Terri J. Haynes) — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 13:04:00 +0000

Are you satisfied/content?

That is the question my pastor posed last night in Bible study. He is known for hitting with powerful thought-provoking questions, but this one nearly floored me. Am I satisfied and content with my life? I think for most people, the answer would be no, and that might not be a bad thing. Sometimes our discontentment is the drive to improve some areas of our lives that have fallen into disrepair. Nothing wrong with a little “holy” discontent.

But when that question was presented, I didn’t feel holy discontent. It was whinny, ugly, soul-degrading discontent. It was the bad kind of dissatisfaction, which got me thinking about my life. Which, by the way, I think the whole point of the exercise. God was using ALL things, whether it be holy discontent or not, for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. And I definitely fall into that category.

The question was still ringing in my ears this morning as I walked my son to the bus stop. The morning was crisp but not cold, as the Northeast is on fall’s doorstep. The sun was shining and the tops of the trees, just starting to transform into their autumn color, swayed slightly. As I walked, another question popped into my mind.

What’s really wrong with my life?

Yes, I have ten tons of complaints about my life, but really, is it so bad? I have a husband who adores me, and even though he’s had to adore me from Afghanistan for the past nine months, the separation has made our relationship stronger. I have great kids despite the fact that they drive me bananas every now and then (but what children don’t drive their parents crazy every now and then). I don’t have a job, but I have everything I need. And God has blessed me with a life that I can pursue my dreams of publication. Most of all, I have a relationship with God, which far outweighs all that I think I want or need.

That’s the funny thing about discontentment. It blinds you from the things that you do have, the blessings God has already given you. It makes you feel incomplete, when you actually have more than you could every want or need.

Now did I get completely delivered from all my discontent this morning? No, but I have gained a new perspective on my life and that perspective has lessened my discontent considerably. I have a good life and I think if you look close enough, you’ll realize you have a good life, too. A good, satisfying life.

My Life in Stitches: Wool Leaves...the project that will never end!

noreply@blogger.com (Terri J. Haynes) — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 22:29:00 +0000

I am sooo ready for this Wool Leaves to be done. I think this is the longest it has ever taken me to finish a project. I don’t really know what is taking me so long to finish it…other than not working on it. I’ve decided to finish it this weekend while I’m recovering from my surgery. I’m stuck in bed anyways, might as well do something productive.

Last week I went to a writer’s conference St. Louis and of course, I had to visit a yarn shop while I was there (big thanks to Alisha for driving me and the rental car man for giving her an upgrade). I went to Knitorious on Watson Road. It’s a wonderful shop and the staff was friendly and helpful. Of course, I broke my no-yarn-buying-until-2012 rule. I bought a wonderful skein of Malabrigo in Stonechat and a skein of Elle Rae Merino Lace in a pink-purple (color #127). Both are gorgeous. I also bought some yarn to make Alisha a cowl for her trouble.

I made a new knitting friend at the conference, Allie Pleiter. She’s a writer and knitter and she blessed me with a skein Forisode by Noro. It’s really soft. Nothing creates an instant bond like gifting yarn. I love Allie. Check out her blog, http://www.destiKNITions.blogspot.com/.

Noro

I guess they should be motivation to get this Wool Leaves done. I need to move on. I have lots of gorgeous yarn to get to. Plus the season is changing. I have scarves and hats to make. Sigh. I love knitting.

On another random knitting note, I saw the new Brooklyn Tweed book. It’s called BT Fall 11 and I’m getting it as soon as I can. It passes my three-patterns rule (a book has to have at least three patterns that I LOVE in it before I buy it. I have a lot of rules, don’t I?) I should be adding that to my collection soon. Take a look and tell me if it’s not wonderful. http://issuu.com/brooklyntweed/docs/bt_11_fall__issuu_/40

New friend

Making a Difference in the World

noreply@blogger.com (Terri J. Haynes) — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 13:32:00 +0000

I’ve had an odd turn of events this week. On Wednesday, a strange man showed up at my door asking for money. He claimed to homeless and sleeping in his car, but he smelled to good. And not that I-covered-the-stench-with-cologne good. I’m mean clean good. I told him to try the church on the corner, but instead, he kept going door-to-door. It was just before the elementary school students would be home, so I called the police. The man left before they arrived. As a precaution, I drove to the bus stop to pick up my son.

I put the event out of my mind, but when I arrived home that night from Bible study, the police were patrolling my neighborhood with a spotlight. I live in a fairly quiet neighborhood and the police normally don’t come when we call, so I figured it must have been something serious.

Things were quiet yesterday. No police and no strange man, so I went back to walking to the bus stop. But when the bus came, two little girls got off the bus. I’d never seen them on the bus stop before but my son knew who they were. One of them was in the kindergarten and the other in first grade. They were both adorable little girls.

As my son and I turned to go home, my son turned to me and asked, “Who’s going to walk them home?” Then he asked them if their mom or dad was coming to pick them up. The girls didn’t know where their parents were. It was a no-brainer. My son and I walked them home, especially after the strange man incident.

Apparently, my son knew where they lived from riding his bike in the neighborhood. It was past our house, but not too far. And they were so cute, their backpacks bigger than they were, that the walk was enjoyable. Their grandfather arrived at the house just as we did. My Good Samaritan duties done, I went home.

Well, this morning while my son and I were waiting for the bus, a car pulled up beside me. It was the father of the little girls. He repeatedly thanked me for walking the girls home. He was relieved that the girls got home safely. Apparently, he slept through his alarm (I think he works at night). He said, “It’s good to know I have considerate neighbors.” I told him that when you’re a mom, you’re everyone’s mom.

As I walked home, joy filled my heart. I was so happy to have put another parent’s mind to rest. I’ve certainly had my days of running late from picking up my son and been worried out of my mind. As I pondered that, the Holy Spirit spoke to me.

He said that Christian need to broaden their idea on making a difference in the world. He pointed out that there is a lot of emphasis on street evangelism and getting people to accept Christ, but our Christian walk is more than that. It’s making a difference in people lives however we can.

That dad experienced God’s unconditional love through my simple act of concern for his daughters. All my son and I did was care. That’s making a difference, too. I think there’s not enough of that in the world, a sad fact since Christians are the ones who should be leading the way.

It is so easy to get sucked up into this worldly selfish attitude where everything is all about us. Where we only help others as long as it doesn’t inconvenience us. But Jesus commands us to love our neighbors as ourselves. That means loving our neighbor’s kids like we love our own. It means supporting our neighbor’s marriages like we would our own. It means meeting someone else’s need and not getting an attitude about it.

I think the misconception is that we have to do something huge or grand to make a difference, like starting a non-profit or doing charity work. I think we go through great pains to change the world out there. And this is true, but sometimes, all you have to do is care. Opportunities to change the world will find you.

My Life in Stitches: No New Yarn!

noreply@blogger.com (Terri J. Haynes) — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 21:12:00 +0000

It’s a bad sign when something that should be fun stresses you out.

Like buying yarn. It’s soft, colorful and so full of possibilities. Like buying yarn when someone blesses you with money to buy the soft, colorful goodness. That should be fun…but it’s that last part, the full of possibilities that sucks all the joy out of yarn buying for me.

My Tuscany

Yesterday, I went to my local yarn shop to pick up some Skeins yarn. Someone I know is making a Travelling Woman in the Tuscany colorway, and I was in love shortly after seeing it. I thought, if I buy any more yarn this year, I’m buying that.

Now let me explain about my yarn buying habits. I only allow myself to buy yarn when I’ve used something else in my stash. I have a tendency to be obsessive with my crafting supplies and buying way more than I need. And I’ve never met a craft I didn’t like. I have boxes and baskets of beads when I went through my jewelry-making phase. Not to mention all the crochet books and needles I own that I don’t use. When I picked knitting up again, I promised that wouldn’t be the case with yarn.

Having said that, I have enough yarn that I could knit for the rest of this year and not run out. And that’s after knocking out quite a few projects since my husband deployed. I vowed that I was NOT buying any more this year unless I already knew what I wanted to do with it or needed to go with something else in my stash. And I promised myself that, if I did break my rule, I would only buy what I really, really wanted.

My Daybreak by Stephen West

So even though I loved the Skeins Tuscany colorway, I didn’t run to my LYS (local yarn shop, for you non-knitters). I behaved. I really, really wanted but it didn’t meet my other yarn-buying criteria. But then a friend gave me money for yarn, so…Tuscany it was. Since I was going, I also realized that I needed some brown fingering yarn to go with some Lorna’s Laces I already in my stash to make a Daybreak for a friend. Two skeins of yarn. That was all I went to get.

The problem came once I got to the counter. My LYS has a punchcard rewards system and after my purchases were rung up, I was really close to getting another punch. All I had to do was pick ONE more thing more than $6...

Just one thing over $6…

Sadly, I was in the store for over 45 minutes. There were so many choices. I saw lots of yarn I liked (more Skiens but in DK, Miss Babs is always a favorite and of course, my baby, Neighborhood Fiber Co) but I had no idea what I was going to do with it. So I couldn’t get it. See rules of yarn buying above. And I’m working on the longest project I’d ever done, a Wool Leaves blanket (I made it bigger than the pattern) and I wasn’t going to be done for a while.

I even checked my faves on Raverly to see if I could find something I needed yarn for, but by then, my head started to hurt. After wandering around for a long while, I spotted something that I did want. A PATTERN! It was Juneberry Triangle by Jared Flood. I almost screamed with joy!

So a nice trip to the yarn store turned in to 45 minutes of frustration, which only renewed my vow that I wasn’t going to buy any more yarn this year! It’s too stressful.

A Timely Reminder

noreply@blogger.com (Terri J. Haynes) — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 17:25:00 +0000

Today was the first day of my creative writing class. I really love teaching and I don’t do it as much as I should. There’s something invigorating about it. I love the challenge of keeping my students engaged and figuring out the best way to present the information to them. The best is when you see the light bulb go on. I love it. As much as I love sharing with my students, teaching has benefits for the teacher, especially when a writer teaches creative writing.

Introductions are often a part of my first lecture. I let the students say a little about themselves and I talk about myself, often giving them a few of my credentials and any other information that makes me a qualified teacher. As a part of my intro, especially since I teach at a Bible college, I often point out that some of the gifts God gives us are evident from childhood. And that was definitely the case for me.

I told my class how I fell in love with telling stories. My early beginnings in storytelling started at home. I told my sisters stories to help them go to sleep. For some reason, some of the women in my family have a hard time sleeping. I have a horrible time sleeping and so does my daughter. As child, I entertained my sisters and myself by telling them stories at night. Unfortunately, the exercise completely backfired. My sisters would often stay up to hear what happened next.

I made up the characters and most of my stories were serial. Each night I would pick up where I left off the night before. My sisters would often direct the story. They would say, “So what happened with this character?” (amazing what you can remember. Some days I can’t remember where I put my phone but I can remember this). Our bedtimes were filled with stories and sometimes I would talk all night. My mother wasn’t always happy about this.

I have years of storytelling experience. I’m sure my sisters would testify that my skills left something to be desired back then. Prayerfully, I’ve improved over the years. But in my heart, I’m still that little girl, telling stories. I’m still in love with making people happy with the tales I spin.

Teaching this class reminded me that I am a storyteller. That I was one before I even knew what that meant. I think every writer needs what happened to me today. They need a reminder of why they write and the joy of writing…or should I say, the joy of telling stories.

Happy About My Life: Off-times

noreply@blogger.com (Terri J. Haynes) — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 13:00:00 +0000

It is so easy to complain, especially with the world the way it is right now. The tone of the world has turned negative. Generally, most people had hope but now it seems that panic and discontentment rules the day. Few are happy about life. Just in the last few weeks, we’ve seen a rash of murder-suicides, people who thought their lives were so horrible that death, and the death of their families, seemed like a better option. And this negativity is highly contagious.

I think the most dangerous thing is that this negativity is so common. Now it’s weird to have peace and joy, even among believers. I noticed this invasion of negativity in my own life. I found myself thinking how horrible my life was, and honestly, it’s not that bad. I actually have a great life, but the negativity of the world had my mind all skewed. I realized that I had to find a way to combat that negativity, so I decided to start focusing on the things I love about my life. Hopefully, reading my random list will help you feel better about your life.

I love the fact that… I can run errands during off-times.

The other day, I went in to the doctor because I was suffering with some sinus issues. The doctor put in for me to have a CT scan of my sinuses to see if there was an underlying problem. I had to have blood work to make sure my liver could handle the imaging dye. This was a Friday at around 4:30pm. Since I was already in the hospital, I went to the lab.

Not.

It was packed. Every seat was filled and there was a line to check-in. I took one look at the line and left.

Fast forward three days to Monday. I went to the lab at 4:30pm to get my blood work done and guess what? There was no one in the lab but the tech. It took me less than ten minutes to get the blood work done. Not many people can do that. I went to the commissary after that and there was more than one cashier with no customers.

That may not seem like a big deal, but when I listen to others complain about how long they have to wait for simple things like post office trips and doctor’s appointments, I’m very thankful that’s not my reality.

Tea & Read: Blue Skies Tomorrow

noreply@blogger.com (Terri J. Haynes) — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 13:00:00 +0000

Title: Blue Skies Tomorrow

Author: Sarah Sundin

Rating: Spend the Day Sleepy

There are a lot of new Christian fiction authors on the bookshelves right now. I guess that’s a good thing, but sometimes, it’s a little daunting. As a reviewer, I’m always looking for a new author, but it’s hard to figure out who’s worth the $12.99-$14.99 on the cover. A new author is a risk, and in the midst of so many “risks,” it’s good to have some good, dependable writers that delivers a great story every time. Sarah Sundin is one of those writers for me.

Sarah was a new author to me when I picked up her first book, A Distant Melody. And I was hooked. Blue Skies Tomorrow is the third book in the Wings of Glory series. Just like the other books in the series, this one gets my top rating.

Summary:

In a time of peril, can they find the courage to confront their fears and embrace a love that lasts?

When her husband becomes a casualty of the war in the Pacific, Helen Carlisle throws herself into volunteering for the war effort to conceal her feelings. But keeping up appearances as the grieving widow of a hometown hero is taking its toll. Soon something is going to give.

Lt. Raymond Novak prefers the pulpit to the cockpit. His stateside job training B-17 pilots allows him the luxury of a personal life--and a convenient excuse to ignore his deepest fear. When the beautiful Helen catches his eye and captures his heart, he is determined to win her hand.

But when Ray and Helen are called upon to step out in faith and put their reputations and their lives on the line, can they meet the challenges that face them? And can their young love survive until blue skies return?

Filled with drama, daring, and all the romance of the WWII era, Blue Skies Tomorrow is the captivating final book in the popular Wings of Glory series.

I most appreciate the fact that Sundin brings us realistic people. One of my pet peeves about some historicals in Christian fiction is that the protagonists’ issues seem so shallow or cliché. I find myself having to suspend my disbelief often to wrap my brain around some of the internal struggles I come across. But this is not a problem with Sundin’s characters. They have real, heart-wrenching problems. They have to make hard decisions and find themselves in challenging situations.

One would think that with the challenging issues Sundin deals with in her books that these books would be dark and depressing. Not so. Sundin beautifully weaves romance into her stories, each issue tempered with hope.

Blue Skies Tomorrow taps into multiple emotions. From a downright sweet romance between Ray and Helen to anger with the injustices some of the characters suffer to hope, which something I love about Sundin’s. They are soaking with hope even with such challenging issues.

I’m sure by the time Sundin’s new series, Wings of the Nightingale, comes out, there will be even more new Christian fiction authors available for me to read. And I’m sure Sundin’s new series will a wonderful, risk-free buy and I will be happy to add them all to my collection.

Really Terrible Movies I Love

noreply@blogger.com (Terri J. Haynes) — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 13:00:00 +0000

I have been sick the last couple of days last week and pretty much in bed the whole time. Since I was too sick to think straight, read or knit, the TV has been my entertainment. My normal choice of mindless TV programing is some sort of true crime TV. Dateline ID, 48 Hours, FBI Criminal Pursuit and On the Case with Paula Zahn. But after three days of being sick, I couldn’t watch anymore.

I wandered beyond my normal channels and stumbled across one of my favorite movies: Big Trouble in Little China. Okay, not high art in any case, but it’s like watching a car wreck. You just can’t look away. And I managed to catch it right at the beginning. Kurt Russell in rare form.

There are a couple of movies that I love that are really terrible movies. They are so hokey, so corny that they should have never been made. But yet I watch them every time I find them on TV. So here is my R.T.M.I.L list (Really Terrible Movies I Love), in no particular order.

1. Independence Day. “Does anybody have any more missiles?” This movie has so many plot problems I would have to write more than one blog about them. But how can you argue with mass carnage? My favorite scene? When the alien captures the president’s (Bill Paxton) mind. “Release me.”
2. The Fifth Element. Bruce Willis is an okay actor, but he was absolutely terrible in this movie. So was Milla Jovovich but how could you not love the blue opera singer. Or Chris Tucker? “Coby? Coby?”Hilarious.
3. Total Recall. Any Arnold Schwarzenegger movie is a waste of a movie ticket except True Lies. Any movie he’s in is bad. I don’t know how he stayed in Hollywood as long as he did. From all his paltry acting exploits, however, he managed to give the movie world a gem. This movie is so ridiculous that it’s hilarious. “Quaid, open your mind.”
4. League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Sean Connery has the opposite of Arnold Schwarzenegger. Any movie Sean is in is better. How could you not love that accent? The plot in this movie was lacking, but the special effects made up for it. Captain Nemo and the Nautilus are the hotness.
5. Big Trouble in Little China. This movie is so random that it shouldn’t even be shown on cable but it’s so funny! And it’s got the random fake Rayden in it. It’s also good faor some okay fight scenes. “It’s all in the reflexes.”

What are some of your favorite terrible movies?

I Always Have Something to Say

noreply@blogger.com (Terri J. Haynes) — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 23:00:00 +0000

I have severely neglected my blog. Sadly, since my husband deployed, I've neglected many things. My blog has become just the place where I post my book reviews (when I write them). Which is funny because I always have something to say. Those who know me well know this is true.

For some reason, I fell silent. I think it's because I fell into the notion that blogging was another thing on my list of things to do. And when you're the holding down the home front by yourself, you don't want another thing to do. So for the sake of my sanity, I took blogging off my list of things to do.

But I miss blogging. I miss using my blog for the random things of my life...and my life is very random. I miss sharing my unique Terri perspective on life with the WWW dot. I miss chronicling my days and sharing them with others.

So...I'm back. I don't know exactly how I'll do with consistency, but I am going to try to post more than just book reviews. I want to share my life. And trust me when I say, it's never a dull moment.

Tea & Read: Blood Covenant

noreply@blogger.com (Terri J. Haynes) — Thu, 26 May 2011 13:00:00 +0000

Title: Blood Covenant

Author: Lisa Harris

Rating: Spend the day sleepy (five stars out of five)

Last year, I read Lisa Harris’ first novel, Blood Ransom (http://inotherwords.terrijhaynes.com/2010/05/tea-read-blood-ransom.html). Since then, I am more impressed with Harris writings and her life.

This second book picks up where the first left off, an African country in turmoil. It introduces two new characters, Dr. Paige Ryan and Nick Gilbert, humanitarian aid workers. I instantly fell in love with these two characters because their flaws were balanced and credible. No going into depression about a hang nail here. The characters have problems and realistic reasons why they have those problems.

Paige really gripped my attention because of her response to the death and destruction of life she sees. I understand how she feels because I imagine I will feel the same way. She handles the overwhelming nature of the work she is to do much the way many humanitarian workers do, battling hopelessness with hope.

Harris has also done a great job of realistically portraying the life of humanitarian workers. The climate of uncertainty and danger carries through the book, making it a quick read and a page turner. And the writing doesn’t hinder the flow of the story. Harris’ descriptions create a great atmosphere to the novel. They give the perfect picture of the beauty of the untamed jungles and mountain peaks of Africa, but also give a stark picture of the reality of refugee camps and the pain and suffering there.

Beyond Harris’ highlight on the problems with war in improvised countries, the story doesn’t just rely on that to be gripping. Harris’ includes some interesting plot turns that keep the conflict and suspense up to nail-biting levels. She doesn’t use the horrors of the RD as shock value. This story very much about how Nick and Paige respond to the desolation they see.

I mentioned that I wasn’t just impressed with Harris’ writing, but with the author as a person. I recently discovered that Harris’ has begun her own non-profit humanitarian organization at God’s prompting (http://web.me.com/sgharris/TheEchoProject/Welcome.html). Such bravery and courage. I will read as many more of Harris’ books as she writes and am looking forward to the day that I can support her work in reaching out those in need.

Tea & Read: Love on Assigment

noreply@blogger.com (Terri J. Haynes) — Mon, 23 May 2011 13:00:00 +0000

Title: Love on Assignment

Author: Cara Lynn James

Rating: Two cups of tea (four stars out of five)

Sometimes reading the second book in a series can be disastrous. You jump into a serious feeling lost, confused and wishing you’d read the first book. But sometimes, reading the second book first can be a great blessing. When the second book is great, there’s a good chance that the first book was great, too.

I loved the premise of the book, a reporter going undercover as a governess. Actually, I thought there were so many unique elements about this book that captured my attention. I love James’ use of the media, even at its limited capacity in the early 1900. I loved that the author created Daniel to have standards, but still not be high and mighty or preachy. I loved the way Daniel’s flaws were believable and realistic.

Of course, there is an element of deception in Charlotte’s behavior. Lately I’ve read several Christian fiction books that have included lying characters and found that deception in Christian fiction is a fine road to walk. James, however, does a great job to show Charlotte’s discomfort with the charade she’d playing with Daniel.

The writing was great and the pacing was good. The rest of the characters in the book endeared me to them. Even Daniel’s mother, who was a course character, was portrayed well-rounded.

This book has given me hope for James’ other books, Love on Dime and Love by the Book will be as great as her others, no matter what order I read them in.