Interview and Giveaway! Naomi Rawlings ~ Author of Sanctuary for a Lady!!

Welcome to Christian Bookshelf Reviews, Naomi!! Will you tell us a little about yourself?

I’m a mother of two young boys, and I spend my days picking up, cleaning, playing and, of course, writing. My husband pastors a small church in Michigan’s rugged Upper Peninsula, where my family shares its ten wooded acres with black bears, wolves, coyotes, deer and bald eagles. We live only three miles from Lake Superior, where the scenery is beautiful and they average 200 inches of snow per winter. I write bold, dramatic stories containing passionate words and powerful journeys. Sanctuary for a Lady is my first published novel, and it released April 1, 2012 from Love Inspired Historical.

What is Sanctuary for a Lady about?

Running to freedom, she found love . . .

The injured young woman Michel Belanger finds in the woods is certainly an aristocrat. And in the midst of France's bloody revolution, sheltering nobility merits a trip to the guillotine. Yet despite the risk, Michel knows he must bring the wounded girl to his cottage to heal.

Attacked by soldiers and left for dead, Isabelle de La Rouchecauld has lost everything. A duke's daughter cannot hope for mercy in France, so escaping to England is her best chance of survival. The only thing more dangerous than staying would be falling in love with this gruff yet tender man of the land. Even if she sees, for the first time, how truly noble a heart can be….

What is something the average reader wouldn't know about you? 

I play the harp. Yep, for real. And as I already mentioned in my introduction, the area where I live gets around 200 inches of lake effect snow each year. As you can well imagine, snow blowers are an essential part of life!

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

After my first son was born, I had a miscarriage. Since I’d planned to do the “mom thing” for a while and have a slew of kids, I was taken aback when I found myself wanting to wait before I attempted another pregnancy. My toddler took long naps in the afternoon and went to bed early, so I had a lot of spare time. That spare time soon turned into writing time.

What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?

I get up at 5:00 am to write with a quite house. I know the hour is crazy early, but I so relish the peace.

  

Where do you like to write?

Well, I dream of having a desk, maybe even an office for writing one day. But right now I use the kitchen table. Rather boring, I know. But it’s worked for nearly four years, now.

What is the best and/or worst part about being a writer? 

The best part is getting to come up with stories in my head and put them down on paper. I truly love writing new scenes, especially ones with high tension and where my hero and heroine get to have a little spat.

What do you like to do when you're not writing?

Read. Besides writing and reading, I really don’t have any spare time. I fill the majority of my days mothering. Writing and reading are my breaks.

Is there a place you’d like to visit, but haven’t yet?

Well sure. I’d love to tour northwestern France, where my novel is set, but there’s no research trip on the horizon. I’ll need to make a lot more money at writing before that’s even a possibility.

Do you have a favorite song and/or movie?

I don’t know about a song, but as for movie, how about Princess Bride? Or Man from Snowy River? Or Pride and Prejudice. Oh goodness, does that list tell you I love romance, or what?

What is your favorite dessert?

Tiramisu. It’s European with coffee and chocolate. How could it NOT be anyone’s favorite dessert?

Do you have a favorite Bible verse? 

Isaiah 26:3-4 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the Lord forever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength.

Here are a few this-or-that questions:

Snowstorms or Thunderstorms?

Well goodness, I like both, but living where I do, I’d have too pick the snow storms. They’re so peaceful! (Um, minus all the wind, that is).

Tea or Coffee?

Coffee. It’s an essential for a writer. Especially a writer who gets up at 5:00 am.

Call or Text?

Call.

Early-bird or Night-owl?

Early bird!

Cats or Dogs?

Dogs. I’m allergic to cats, so that’s not even an option for me. But if I wasn’t allergic, I’d still pick dogs. They’re so playful and friendly. What’s not to love?

Are you currently working on any new novels? If so, could you give us a hint?

Actually, I have a completed novel with my publisher right now, and I’m waiting to hear back from my editor about acquiring it. Then I have a proposal for a sequel to Sanctuary for a Lady ready to be sent to my editor. I’m really excited about this sequel. It will feature the villain of Sanctuary for a Lady (who turns good at the end). I’ve got some smuggling, a spy, and a widow with five kids thrown into the mix. It should be fun!

Thanks so much for being here! Is there anything else you’d like to tell readers and where can we find you on the web? 

I enjoyed being here, and thanks for inviting me, Melanie! If you’re interested in more information about me and my novels, you can find me at on my website, at www.naomirawlings.com or at my blog http://makinghomeworkblog.blogspot.com Thanks again!

Book Giveaway!!

Enter to win a copy of Sanctuary for a Lady!! Open Internationally!

Enter by filling out the Rafflecopter below (here is a tutorial, if you aren't familiar with Rafflecopter). The mandatory entry is to leave a comment on this blog post - after you do that, the other entries will become available.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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*Beware of Spoilers* ~ Loving by Karen Kingsbury

**Forewarning... there will be spoilers below.**

You've been warned... LOL :)

My rating:

My thoughts - with spoilers:

Let me say, I thought I was going to hate this book or just not like it... that wasn't the case. I ended up really liking the story, but there were some things that annoyed/bothered me.

One thing I've never really liked in Karen Kingsbury's novels is that sometimes it almost seems like God is "talking" to the characters. It's like putting words in God's mouth. In most of her previous books, I overlooked it because I just loved the stories too much to give it anything less than five stars, but this one is really disappointing in many ways.

Originally, I had liked Bailey and thought she and Cody would be perfect for each other, but in Loving (and maybe even Longing) I sometimes found Bailey to be annoying...

I'm glad I read some spoiler reviews before I read Loving, because at least I knew where things were headed. I've always been Team Cody, and still am... but I am really happy that he didn't end up with Bailey.

I loved Cody and Andi's story, although I wish there would have been more of it in Loving. It ended without there being a definite answer, but I am really glad that he and Andi are together. :)

Oh, and I'm super glad that the series is finally over and it's known who Bailey marries - no more of the back-and-forth between Cody and Brandon! I think I cared more about who Cody ended up with than who Bailey did... 

I am disappointed in the series, though, because of how things went. It seems like Karen Kingsbury just changed her mind towards the end of the series about who she wanted Bailey to marry - and diminished Cody and Bailey's old feeling for each other in the process.

Suffice it to say, disappointing, but good - if that makes sense. :|

I got this book from the library and decided to share my thoughts about it. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. 

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Review: Praying for Your Future Husband: Preparing Your Heart for His by Robin Jones Gunn and Tricia Goyer

Praying for Your Future Husband: Preparing Your Heart for His by Robin Jones Gunn and Tricia Goyer

WaterBrook/Multnomah / 2011
ISBN: 9781601423481
Amazon / Goodreads

  About the book:


Have you ever thought about praying for your future husband?
Will it make a difference?
There's only one way to find out…

From when we were small girls, most of us dream of “The One,” our future husband. We think about what it would be like to be a bride. We wonder who that special guy is and when we'll find him. The great news is that what you do now can make a difference in your life and the life of your future husband!

Authors and good friends Robin Jones Gunn (Christy Miller series) and Tricia Goyer (author and former teen mom) believe God answers women's prayers for husbands—even husbands they may not meet for years. They invite young women to pray boldly for their future mate … while also asking God to prepare their own hearts.

In Praying for Your Future Husband, Robin and Tricia share their two vastly different experiences, including the things they did right and the mistakes they made on the path to meeting and marrying their husbands. Each chapter includes helpful Bible verses, prayers, and practical application, along with true stories of women who prayed for a husband and how God answered in remarkable ways.

God has a beautiful romance prepared for you. Prayer is the key to unlocking the love story … with your future husband and with God, the lover of your soul.

My Rating:

My thoughts:


Praying for Your Future Husband was a great non-fiction read! While the book is obviously about praying for your future husband, it's also about what you can do now to become the woman he'll need.

Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord. - Psalm 27:14 

Let me say, I was challenged and affected by a lot in Praying for Your Future Husband. I am not great with patience, sometimes have trouble with being content, etc. Yet those are qualities I would want my future husband to have.

So while I wait for him to come, I need to pray for both of us (my future husband and me) to grow in love, patience, kindness, etc. - and in our relationship with God. Also, I desire marriage, but if I never do get married, I have to trust that God's plan is best - because it is, even if I can't see it now.

He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them. - Psalm 145:19

I really loved the "She Prayed... God Answered" sections in Praying for Your Future Husband and I also liked getting to know Tricia Goyer and Robin Jones Gunn more - I've read some of their fiction books, but this contained some of their very own personal stories.

 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. - Isaiah 1:18

When reading Praying for Your Future Husband, I found many of the things mentioned were things I had thought before - especially regarding trust/worry.

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. - Romans 10:9

Praying for Your Future Husband was also great in the fact that if you're a believer - if you believe in the Gospel - you are new! You've been forgiven for your past, present, and future sins because of Jesus's death, burial, and resurrection!

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. - 2 Corinthians 5:17

Overall, Praying for Your Future Husband was a wonderful read that has challenged me to both pray for my future husband and prepare my heart for his.

I definitely recommend this book!!

*I read my own personal copy and was not required to review it. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.*

Please Rank My Review:

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In My Mailbox 3/14-3/20

 

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren where we share what books we got in the mail the previous week!

Here are some of the books that came in the mail for me recently!




I got a lot more this week than I normally do, so that's why I decided to do this post. :) I'm looking forward to reading these books.

I also got some books that I plan on giving away in the future...

So there you have it, that's mostly what came for me recently. What books did you get in the mail this past week?

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