COTT Features: "Until the Harvest" by Sarah Loudin Thomas

This follow-up story will delight readers of Thomas’ previous novel, but, 

it reads perfectly as a standalone as well.

 – RT Book Reviews Top Pick – 4.5 stars

 

 About the book:

 When a family tragedy derails Henry Phillips’s college studies, he’s left unmoored and feeling abandoned. Although Henry tries to find escape in bad company, the only things that can tamp down his anger and grief are the family farm, his fiddle, and sweet but unusual pre-teen Mayfair Hoffman.

Unfortunately, Mayfair’s older sister, Margaret, with the freckles and cute, turned-up nose, has the opposite effect. Worse, she’s his grandmother’s housekeeper and helper, so she’s always around and ready to push his buttons. At first he thinks she doesn’t care about his loss, before beginning to understand she’s facing her own struggles. Mayfair’s health and unique gift sit at the heart of those worries, and Henry and Margaret soon find themselves relying on each other as both Henry’s future and Mayfair’s life are put at risk.

 Until the Harvest

 PURCHASE

 Amazon

Barnes and Noble

A note from the author:

 Good Books and Great Food

Eating and telling stories are two of my favorite things so it’s only natural that food turns up in my writing over and over again. The second book in the Appalachian Blessings series—Until the Harvest—opens with the hero, Henry Phillips, enjoying one of his favorite dishes–venison steak. And a little later he partakes of . . . fried squirrel.

Now, before you turn up your nose, understand that in my growing up years we ate quite a bit of game including squirrel. Plenty of folks still enjoy it. And my mother made the best squirrel gravy. If you tried some on a biscuit, I bet you’d think so, too.

My books aren’t about food, but food plays an important role in each one. Life on the farm—in West Virginia or anywhere else—centers on raising and harvesting food. Readers often comment that my books make them hungry, so today I thought I’d share a couple of recipes with you. One for Emily Phillips’ fried squirrel (courtesy of my mom, Nancy Loudin) and one for Margaret Hoffman’s egg salad (courtesy of WV chef Dale Hawkins).

Hope you enjoy the book AND a good meal!

 What COTT voter had to say:

 --I have enjoyed "getting to know" Sarah Loudin Thomas via social media and eagerly look forward to reading both of her novels.
--I absolutely loved Until The Harvest, by Sarah Loudin Thomas!
--I love Sarah Loudin Thomas's books! She is a favorite of mine!!
--Absolutely LOVED Until the Harvest by Sarah Loudin Thomas. UTH has it all--life lessons, "get real" God moments, and the sweet stirring of love--all set amidst the beautiful backdrop of Appalachia country. No ten dollar words here--just great storytelling at its absolute finest!
--Sarah Loudin Thomas, I have loved both of your books! Keep 'em comin'!
--Sarah Loudin Thomas: keep up the good work and allowing God to reach people through your writing!
--Sarah Loudin Thomas is one of my favorite authors. I love the way she tells a story! I can always feel what the characters are feeling.

Fried Squirrel with Gravy

Makes 4 servings

2 large squirrels
1 cup flour
Salt and pepper
Oil or lard for frying
Milk and water

Soak the cleaned squirrels in a pan of water in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. Cut into pieces, place in a large pot, and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until the meat is tender, but not falling off the bones. Drain. Season the meat with salt and pepper and roll in the flour. Heat oil or lard to shimmering in a cast-iron skillet and add the pieces without crowding. Fry until golden brown on both sides. Remove to drain on a brown paper bag. Leave about two tablespoons of oil in the skillet and add two tablespoons of the flour left over from dredging the squirrel. Stir the flour until it’s lightly browned. Add milk and water alternately, stirring constantly, until your gravy is as thick as you like it. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with hot biscuits.

Egg Salad

8 eggs
½ cup mayonnaise
1 tsp. prepared yellow mustard
¼ cup chopped green onion
¼ tsp. paprika
Salt and pepper to taste

Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring water to a boil and immediately remove from heat. Cover and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool. Peel and grate on a box grater. Place the eggs in a bowl and stir in the mayonnaise, mustard, and green onion. Season with salt, pepper, and paprika. Stir and serve.

About the author:

Sarah Loudin Thomas grew up on a 100-acre farm in French Creek, WV, the seventh generation to live there. Her Christian fiction is set in West Virginia and celebrates the people, the land, and the heritage of Appalachia. Her first novel, Miracle in a Dry Season, released August 2014 through Bethany House and won the 2015 Selah Award and an INSPY Award for debut fiction. Book #2, Until the Harvest, released May 2015.

A graduate of Coastal Carolina University in Conway, SC, Sarah once dreamed of being a marine scientist. But her love for words won out and she has spent much of her career in public relations and marketing. She currently oversees fundraising and communications for a Christian children’s home in Black Mountain, NC.

Sarah and her husband Jim live in the mountains of Western North Carolina with Thistle–the canine equivalent to a personal trainer pushing them to hike, run, and play tug-o-war. Sarah is active in her local church and enjoys cooking and–you guessed it–reading.

Crossing Values by Carrie Daws ~ GIVEAWAY

About Book 

For years, Amber traipsed around the Northwest avoiding the skeletons in her closet. Job-hopping every few weeks, she refused to let anyone get close to her as she slowly made her way east. As winter plants itself firmly across the Rockies, she decides to take a chance on a job at a logging company with a family different from any she’s ever known before. Watching the family interact creates more questions than answers for Amber. Feeling like she’s entered the happily-ever-after written at the end of a fairytale, she watches for cracks in the facade. Surely as the days pass, the play-acting will cease and the real family will emerge. Or could she be wrong? Could they truly be genuine? Could Faye understand the trauma from her past or Peter think of her as more than just the winter office help? Could this family really hold the key to what she’s seeking?

A 7-day Devotional for Crossing Values here.

Read Excerpt: Chapter One, Chapter Two

Where to Buy: Amazon, Barnes & Noble

About Carrie

 Over the years, God rewrote Carrie’s dreams to include being a stay-at-home mom and a writer. She started by writing weekly devotions online before a mentor at the Christian Writer’s Guild encouraged her to try fiction.

After almost ten years in the military, Carrie’s husband medically retired and they now live in central North Carolina with their three children. Besides writing fiction novels, she stays busy with homeschooling, working part time, and volunteering within two military ministries.

More than anything, Carrie strives to write clean fiction, happily-ever-after romance stories that gently demonstrate practical Christianity. She says, “I didn’t want to be embarrassed for my young daughter to pick up any of my books. But I also wanted to do some exploration. Imagine what your life would look like if you stood up to your greatest fear. Or if you had a support system that strengthened your weak spots. Or someone close to you deeply believed you were made for more! That’s what I want to write about.”

Carrie's Website: http://carriedaws.com/

GIVEAWAY

Win a Paperback Copy of 

CROSSING VALUES by Carrie Daws

 1 Winner

Just leave a comment with your email.

(I need your email to contact you if you are the winner)

Ends Sunday, January 6th, 2013

Winner announced on Monday, Jan. 7th, 2013

My Thoughts

Amber has been running from her past for years. She never stays in one place. It is as if something or someone is chasing. 

When she hits the Rockies right in the middle of winter she decides to find a job and wait out old man winter.  She is offered not only job but room and board working for a logging company. She will be helping out the owner wife in the office. It was much more than she had ever expected. This family was a merry bunch and it was very evident that God was the center of their lives. The couple had several grown children  with one of their sons living at home. Amber at first just sat back and watched and learned as much as she could about the family. She thought they were just too good to be real. She was waiting for them to show their real selves. But the more time she lived and worked with them they were the real thing. A happy family. 

The son, Peter that lived at home saw something sad and tragic in Amber that made him want to reach out and give her comfort.  He talked to her about anything to get her to open up. 

What was Amber hiding? Was she in some kind of danger? Do you believe in Angels?

The author has written a heart wrenching story of loss, fear and reconciliation. This story made me cry, laugh and search my heart for my own fears. So many people for some reason or another may have pulled away from their families.  Reading this story will make you reconsidered your actions. 

I am looking forward to reading Ryan's Crossing, book 2 in this series. 

I highly recommend this book.

I rated this book a 5 out of 5.

Disclosure

I received a free copy of this book from Ambassador-Emerald International for review. I was in no way compensated for this review. It is my own opinion.

If you found this review helpful vote yes or no here.

After The Snow Falls by Carey Jane Clark

About Book

In the middle of a soccer drill, in an awful, awkward moment, Celia Bennett’s eight-year-old son Caleb lands on his face and chest in the grass. The diagnosis blindsides her, bringing her face-to-face with every parent’s worst nightmare.

Desperate to save her son’s life, Celia pursues a cure through alternative medicine, but her quest ends in frustration and disappointment. As she faces despair, hope walks in on the most unlikely set of legs, when her father returns after a 30-year absence. Can she release pain to embrace hope? Will it make a difference, or is it too late?

• Paperback: 266 pages
• Publisher: Hope Springs (November 22, 2012)
• ISBN-10: 0991688600
• ISBN-13: 978-0991688609

About Author

Carey Jane Clark writes to inspire courage, hope and conviction. She is a homeschool mother by day, writer by night. The writing bug afflicted her early in life. The first two stories she recalls writing were about kidnapped insects and dancing pumpkins. (It has been a few years since those stories were penned.) After the Snow Falls is her first novel.

She shares the adventure of her life with her husband and three children. She and her family are expatriates living in China. 

You can learn more at www.careyjaneclark.com


My Thoughts

As this soccer mom,Celia Bennett, rushes to get out the door and to the soccer field with her eight year old son, Caleb, she becomes overwhelmed with the responsibilities for so many of the activities she has volunteered for. One of the mom's is not answering her phone and Celia is depending on her to be there. When Celia gets to the field very stressed out,Caleb starts complaining of a headache. So her husband tries to help by getting something for his son's headache. Celia wanders around and finally she finds her friend. As Caleb takes off in a run on the soccer field, Celia is sitting in the stands trying to control the anger she feels toward her friend. Then the unexpected happens. As Caleb was running to make a shot he falls face down to the ground, unconscious. He is transported by ambulance to the hospital.

What they find is not good and Celia's whole life changes in a flash. Her only child has a brain tumor and her life becomes hospital stays, tests, chemo and a room at the Ronald McDonald's House with several families in similar situations.

She does not seem to be able to handle this as well as some of the other parents. Mainly because she does not have faith in God or the power of prayer. So she seeks out information about alternation treatments only available in Mexico. But Caleb does have faith in God and the ones he discusses this with are his grandparents. He wants to know if God can really heal him.

This story is an eye opener. We know these things happen but many people want to stick their heads in the sand and don't want see it or hear about IT. IT meaning cancer.

The author must have a very sensitive heart to write such a heartfelt novel.  I find it hard to express my feelings about this book.  It makes my heart ache!

Prayer can ease the sorrow and pain of loved ones. Especially when we have faith in God.

I highly recommend this book.

I rate this book a 5 out of 5.

Disclosure

I was given a free copy of this book by the author for review. I was in no way compensated for this review. It is my own opinion.

Giveaway/Review of Mary's Blessing (McKenna's Daughters series #2) by Lena Nelson Dooley

About Book

Mary's Blessing

By Lena Nelson Dooley

Series: McKenna’s Daughters Series, Book 2

ISBN: 978-1-61638-617-7

Realms/Charisma House
May 2012

When her mother dies, Mary Lenora must grow up quickly to take care of her brothers and sisters. Can love help her to shoulder the burden?

Mary Lenora Murray knows she is adopted. As she was growing up, her mother called her “God’s blessing.” But now that she’s gone, Mary no longer feels like any kind of blessing. Her father, in his grief, has cut himself off from the family, leaving the running of the home entirely in Mary’s hands.

As she nears her eighteenth birthday, Mary can’t see anything in her future but drudgery. Then her childhood friend Daniel begins to court her, promising her a life of riches and ease. But her fairy-tale dreams turn to dust when her family becomes too much for Daniel, and he abandons her in her time of deepest need.

Will Daniel come to grips with God’s plan for him? And if he does return, can Mary trust that this time he will really follow through?

Where to buy:  KOBO, Amazon & Kindle, Barnes&Noble & Nook, Sony Reader Store, IndieBound

About Lena

Age: 68

Gender: Female
Industry: Publishing
Occupation: Author
Location: Hurst : Texas : United States

Award-winning author, Lena Nelson Dooley, has more than 675,000 books in print. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers http://www.acfw.com/ and president of the local chapter, DFW Ready Writers. She’s also a member of Christian Authors Network, CROWN Fiction Marketing, and GatewayChurch in Southlake, Texas.

Lena loves James, her children, grandchildren, and great grandson. She loves chocolate, cherries, chocolate-covered cherries, and spending time with friends. Travel is always on her horizon. Cruising, Galveston, the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas,Mexico. One day it will be Hawaii and Australia, but probably not the same year. Helping other authors become published really floats her boat, with fifteen signing their first book contract after her mentoring. Three of her books have been awarded the Carol Award silver pins from American Christian Fiction Writers and she has received the ACFW Mentor of the Year award at their national conference. The high point of her day is receiving feedback from her readers, especially people whose lives have been changed by her books. And she loves chocolate, especially dark chocolate. 

Her latest release is Love Finds You in Golden, New Mexico, from Summerside Press which recently won the Will Rogers Medallion Award for excellence in publishing westernfiction. Lena is currently under two 3-book contracts with Charisma House/Realms. 

In addition to her writing, Lena is a frequent speaker at women’s groups, writers groups, and at both regional and national conferences. She has spoken in six states and internationally.

 Lena has an active web presence on Shoutlife, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, and with her internationally connected blog where she interviews other authors and promotes their books. You can check out her books and find out more about her on her blog by clicking the tabs across the top.

Her interests include:

Reading, knitting, crochet, travel, spending time with family.
She has ecclectic tastes in music: contemporary Christian, jazz, some classical, some pop, some country.

She reads a lot. Some of my favorite authors are Brandilyn Collins, Pamela Griffin, Lisa Harris, Andrea Boeshaar, Martha Rogers, Colleen Coble, Gail Sattler, Tracey Bateman, Susan May Warren, Kathleen Y'Barbo, Janice Hanna Thompson, Tracie Peterson, Cathy Marie Hake, Deeanne Gist, Margaret Daley, Mary Connealy, James Scott Bell, and many, many more. My list could go on for a long time.

To learn even more about Lena on her website go here.

I loved book one, Maggie's Journey

and book two did not disappoint me.

I am looking forward to book three,

Catherine's Pursuit coming in 2013.

My Thoughts

Ever since Mary Lenora Murray was eleven years old she has been sister, stand-in-mother and care taker of her younger sister and  two young brothers. This was after her mother and two older sisters died.  She has not just been the caretaker of the children but of all the household chores that had been taken care by of her  mother's and older sisters.  

Mary's father has disconnected himself from his family as if he no longer was a father other than the care of the farm and she was at least thankful for that.  But it would nice to have someone to confide in and lean on when it came to the children and the house.  

Mary has always none she was adopted but did not know the circumstances of the adoption or her birth parents.  She knew her adoptive parents loved her deeply.  Although her father grieved  much over the death of his wife and two daughters Mary knew he loved her and her young siblings.  She just would like to here some encouraging words from him.  

When would she ever be able to have a life of her own with all she had in her present life?  Her childhood friendship with Daniel seems to be turning into more than friends.  She just did not know how to meld the two lives together. That of a future with Daniel and the life she had now.

Daniel knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Mary and give her all the things she deserved.  He would prove to her he would be a responsible husband and provider.  He would move her away from the farm and hire someone to care for the beautiful house he planned to buy in town.  

This is how the story goes, this is not a fairy tale this is real life.  The author writes a beautiful yet heart wrenching story of tragedy, responsibility, love and faith in God.  God always has a plan and it is not always what we expect.   Sometimes a tragedy can pull us away from God and sometimes it brings us closer.  Life is not a bowl of cherries.  If it were it would get mighty boring.  This book is definitely not boring.  I had to make myself put the book down so I could do what I needed to do.  

Lena did not disappoint me with book two of Mckenna's Daughters. 

I loved book one, Maggie's Journey, book two was just as good.  

Can't wait to read book three, Catherine's Pursuit coming in 2013.

I highly recommend this book/series.

I rated this book a 5 out of 5.

Disclosure
I purchased this book for my personal reading pleasure.  I was in no way compensated for this review.  It is my own opinion.

If you found this review Helpful Vote yes or no here.

 Now for the giveaway 

 one copy of Mary's Blessings

is provided by 

Giveaway will be from 9/6 until 9/13.

USA entry - print copy
International entry - ebook format 

 1+. All you need to do is leave a comment 

about why you would like to win this book.  
Be sure to leave your email address in the comment

 so I can contact you if you are the winner. 

example of email:  johndoe(at)yahoo(dot)com

  I would like to invite you follow me by

 email, GFC, Linky Follower, Facebook or Twitter 

this is not mandatory for giveaway. 

 The winner will be announced on 
Friday, September 14. 

 GOOD LUCK!