But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died.
For since death came through a human being, the resurrection of the dead has also come through a human being;
for as all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:20-22
This is a struggle I’ve been having since January 2nd of this year when a kid rammed into the back of my car while I was stopped at a traffic signal. That’s not my car, but you get the picture. This kid received a traffic ticket and I received a disability.
Even though I was wearing my seat belt, the right side of my body was thrown forward and then I was slammed back into the head rest. Think immediate whopper of a headache, mild confusion and pain – almost total body pain by the next day. Now I know what a whiplash injury feels like – pain from neck down to lower back and then some. I had some really nasty x-rays, but no fractures.
I thought if I did everything my doctor said to do and didn’t miss any treatments or physical therapy, I’d be back 100% and working in no time. That didn’t happen. I will have enough of a permanent disability that I will no longer be able to work any more nursing shifts.
This took me weeks to accept and even longer before I could go over to the mainland and turn in my resignation. So now I’m learning how to do the ordinary day to day living that I took for granted a few short months ago.
I’m learning to space standing activities and sitting down stuff. On days that I’m feeling really well, I have a tendency to forget that and over do. That sets me back for a few days, but I’m learning not to blow the next several days by pretending I can do everything on those good days.
I’ve found a very good way to explain to others just what my days are like. It’s called The Spoon Theory, and I found it here. It was written by a lady with lupus, and explains life from the viewpoint of someone with a chronic health condition.
As The Seed Awaits the Spring Sunshine, Harriet Kirk Hopes for A Brighter Tomorrow.
“Miss Kirk! Miss Kirk! Come look!” cried Eva…”They sprouted. Six of them.” She reached for Harriet’s hand and tugged. “Come look!”
Author Amanda Cabot takes readers back to Ladreville, Texas for the conclusion of the Texas Dreams series. Tomorrow’s Garden (ISBN: 978-0-8007-3326-1, April 2011 $14.99) is set in the 1850’s with authentic Texas essence and romance. Read as part of the series or as a stand alone title, readers will enjoy this story about Harriet Kirk and her love for family and dedication to their survival.
Leaving the past behind, Harriett Kirk moves her family to the Texas hill country for a new beginning. Becoming Ladreville’s new schoolteacher is just what Harriet needs–a chance to put the past behind her and give her younger siblings a brighter tomorrow. What she didn’t count on was meeting the handsome former Texas Ranger Lawrence Wood–or the way he slowly but surely claims her fragile heart. But can Harriet and Lawrence ever truly put the past behind them in order to find happiness?
Tomorrow’s Garden is a love story of overcoming powerful odds and grabbing hold of happiness. Readers will experience the Texas countryside come to life from the beautiful picturesque writing of Cabot in Tomorrow’s Garden.
ISLAND BREEZES
Harriet is constantly dealing with unruly children, both at home, and at school as she teaches. The new school teacher in Ladreville is trying to put her past behind her, and in doing so, has a way of upsetting others, especially the mayor/sheriff.
It’s quite a struggle for these two to get beyond their pasts and deal with a possible future. Neither one of them makes it easy.
Even though this is book three in the Texas Dreams series, it is a good stand alone book. I enjoyed watching as Harriet and Lawrence worked this relationship and the children became more manageable.
***Review copy provided by Donna Hausler.***
Amanda Cabot is an accomplished author under various pen names and a popular speaker. The author of Paper Roses and Scattered Petals, she is also a charter member of Romance Writers of America, the co-founder of its New Jersey chapter, a member of the ACFW, and an avid traveler. She lives in Wyoming.
Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, offers practical books that bring the Christian faith to everyday life.? They publish resources from a variety of well-known brands and authors, including their partnership with MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) and Hungry Planet.
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For more information, visit www.RevellBooks.com.Available April 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old…or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!
You never know when I might play a wild card on you!
and Illustrated by
and the book:
David C. Cook (April 1, 2011)
***Special thanks to Audra Jennings, Senior Media Specialist, The B&B Media Group for sending me a review copy.***
Dan and Ali Morrow are parents of two wonderful daughters. When they’re not writing children’s books, they like to go on adventures around their Colorado home. They are the authors of That’s Where God Is (2010), their first children’s release.
Visit the authors’ website.
Cory Godbey illustrates, animates, and writes for Portland Studios, a creative firm dedicated to telling great stories and pursuing excellence in art.
He has contributed to projects such as Zune Arts, Flight graphic novel anthologies, and has worked with many major publishers.
Recently, Cory was accepted in the acclaimed Society of Illustrators Annual.
Cory seeks to tell stories with his work.
He also likes drawing monsters.
Visit the illustrator’swebsite.
Targeted to children four to eight, That’s When I Talk to God mirrors the day of the typical child, creating an opportunity for readers to put the practices in the story to use in their own lives. Through beautiful illustrations and an engaging, familiar character, readers can relate to That’s When I Talk to God. Children will learn to go to God with their fears, their joys, their questions, and their desires. They will also learn the hows, whens, and whys of praying to the Lord in a way they can easily apply to their own experiences. And adults will be reminded to communicate the benefit, simplicity, and beauty of prayer.
Product Details:
List Price: $12.99
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 36 pages
Publisher: David C. Cook (April 1, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1434700186
ISBN-13: 978-1434700186
ISLAND BREEZES
I talk to God all the time. Maybe that’s why I never even considered that children might think prayer was only for mealtime or bedtime.
This book uses a day in the life of a child to teach that we can talk to God in many situations. It also teaches three ways God talks to us.
All I can say is, is I wish I had this book to share with my children when they were young.
AND NOW…THE FIRST FEW PAGES (Click on the pictures to enlarge them!):
I just read an interesting article on Frugal Cafe Blog Zone about Larry Elders’ interview with Bill Ayers. Here is a video with Sean Hannity and Mr. Elders.
You can listen to the full radio interview here.
The next day the great crowd that had come to the festival heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem.
So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, shouting,
“Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord – the King of Israel!”
Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it; as it is written:
“Do not be afraid, daughter of Zion.
Look, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt!”
John 12:12-15
It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old…or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!
You never know when I might play a wild card on you!
and the book:
The Journey (Kentucky Brothers)
Barbour Books (April 5, 2011)
***Special thanks to Sharon Farnell, Director, Faith Division, Planned Television Arts for sending me a review copy.***
Wanda E. Brunstetter is a bestselling author who enjoys writing Amish-themed, as well as historical novels. Descended from Anabaptists herself, Wanda became deeply interested in the Plain People when she married her husband, Richard who grew up in a Mennonite church in Pennsylvania. Wanda and her husband live in Washington State, but take every opportunity to visit their Amish friends in various communities across the country, gathering further information about the Amish way of life.
Visit the author’s website.
This is the first book of the new Kentucky Brothers Series by
Wanda Brunstetter. Discover along with Titus Fisher how life can begin anew in Christian County, Kentucky. Moving from Pennsylvania, finding rewarding work, and leaving a broken romance behind is the best decision Titus ever made. But is he ready to consider love again when he meets two women: one who seems perfectly suited for any Amish man and one who challenges long held ideas of the woman’s role. Who will Titus chose, and will it be the right choice?
Product Details:
List Price: $14.99
Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Barbour Books (April 5, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1602606811
ISBN-13: 978-1602606814
ISLAND BREEZES
And what a journey it was. This was a journey across the miles to a place where another journey began – a journey out of confusion to self-confidence and deeper faith in our Lord.
It wasn’t easy for Titus to achieve this. He ended up fighting off cats, dogs and thieves. He also got caught in a triangle and had to decide which lady truly belonged in his life. Definitely not an easy decision for him.
I’m looking forward to the second book in the Kentucky Brothers series. I’m thinking I just might know which brother it showcases. But maybe not. That brother doesn’t live in Kentucky. Read this book and tell me who you think will be the next brother.
There’s also a yummy bonus recipe at the end. Just saying.
AND NOW…THE FIRST CHAPTER:
Titus Fisher liked horses, dogs, and shoofly pie. What he didn’t like was a cat that scratched, and a woman he couldn’t trust. Today he’d dealt with both.
Gritting his teeth, he grabbed his horse’s bridle and led him into the barn, wishing he hadn’t gotten out of bed that morning. The day had started on a sour note when Titus had come to the barn to feed the horses and accidentally stepped on one of Mom’s cats. Five of the irksome critters lived in the barn, and every one of them liked to bite and scratch. Whiskers, the smallest of the five, was the most aggressive. The crazy cat had been so miffed when Titus stepped on her tail that she’d clawed her way right up his leg, hissing and yowling as she went. When Titus had tried to push Whiskers off, she’d let him have it—leaving a nasty scratch on his leg.
Titus pulled up his pant leg and stared at the wound, still red and swollen. It reminded him of the time when he and his twin brother, Timothy, were six years old and had found a wild cat in the woodpile behind their barn. !e mangy critter had bitten Titus’s hand, and when the bite became infected, he’d started running a fever. Mom had taken him to the doctor’s, where he’d been given a tetanus shot and an antibiotic. Ever since then, he’d had an aversion to cats.
“In my opinion, except for catching mice, cats are pretty much worthless,” Titus mumbled as he guided his horse into one of the stalls. When he patted the horse’s ebony-colored flanks, the gelding whinnied and flipped his head around to nuzzle Titus’s hand. “Not like you, Lightning. You’re worth every dollar I paid for you. You’re dependable and trustworthy.” He grimaced. “Wish I could say the same for Phoebe Stoltzfus.”
Titus poured some oats into a bucket, and as his horse ate, he replayed the conversation he’d had with Phoebe on his way home from work that afternoon. . . .
“I’m not ready to join the church yet, and I’m too young to get married.” Phoebe flipped the strings of her head covering over her shoulders and blinked her blue eyes. “Why do you have to put so much pressure on me, Titus?”
“I–I’m not,” he stammered, “but I’ve been waiting a long time for you, and I’d thought that when I joined the church two years ago, you’d join, too.”
“I wasn’t ready then. I was only sixteen and had other things on my mind.”
“How well I know that. You were too busy runnin’ around with your friends and tryin’ out all sorts of worldly things.” Titus groaned. “Figured you’d have all that out of your system by now and would be ready to settle down.”
She shook her head. “Maybe in a few years I’ll be ready.”
“You said that two years ago.”
“Things have changed.” She placed her hand gently on his arm. “My friend Darlene Mast is planning a trip to Los Angeles, and she’s leaving in a few days, so—”
He held up his hand. “Please don’t tell me you want to go with her.”
“I think it would be fun, and I’ve always wanted to see the Pacific Ocean.” She looked up at him and smiled. “You’re full of adventure and like to try new things. Wouldn’t you like to see California?”
He shrugged. “Maybe someday, but not right now. What I want is for you to join the church this fall so we can get married.”
She shook her head. “I just told you—I’m not ready for that.”
“Will you ever be ready?”
“I don’t know.” She pushed a wisp of soft, auburn hair under her white organdy head covering and turned her gaze away from him. “I—I might not join the church. I might decide to go English.”
“Are you kidding?”
“No, I’m not. I don’t know if I want to be Amish.”
Titus’s jaw tightened as the reality of the situation set in. If Phoebe went to California, she might never come back. If she didn’t join the church, they couldn’t get married. Titus had been in love with Phoebe since he was seventeen years old, but she’d been four years younger than him, and their parents had disapproved. He’d waited patiently until Phoebe turned sixteen. Even then, his folks had been opposed to him courting her because she seemed so unsettled and ran with a wild bunch of kids.
Now Titus, at the age of twenty-two, still wasn’t sure he and Phoebe would ever get married. If she did go English, the only way they could marry would be if he broke his vow to the Amish church, which he did not want to do.
“Can we talk about this later?” he asked. “After you’ve had a chance to think about this some more?”
“There’s nothing to think about. I’m going to California.” She tipped her head and stared up at him. “If you don’t want to come, then I guess it’s over between us.”
“You can’t do this, Phoebe. Are you just going to give up on us like this?”
She shrugged.
“Don’t you love me anymore?”
“I–I’m not sure. Maybe we’re not meant to be together.”
Titus flinched. He felt like he’d been kicked in the stomach by one of his dad’s stubborn mules. He had a sinking feeling that once Phoebe left home she’d never come back. All his years of waiting for her had been for nothing.
Titus’s horse whinnied and nudged his hand, pulling his thoughts back to the present.
“Stop it, Lightning. I’m not in the mood.” Titus kicked at a bale of straw and winced when Lightning whipped his head around and bumped his sore leg.
Lightning whinnied again and stomped his hoof. Then he moved to the other end of his stall and turned his backside toward Titus.
“It’s all right, boy. I’m not mad at you.” Titus stepped up to the horse and reached out his hand. “I’m upset with Phoebe, that’s all.”
As though accepting his apology, Lightning nuzzled Titus’s neck.
Horses and dogs—that’s about all that ever held my interest until Phoebe came along, Titus thought. If there was only some way to get her out of my system. If I could just tell myself that I don’t care anymore.
Pembroke, Kentucky
As Suzanne Yoder stared out the living room window, a sense of discontentment welled in her soul. She enjoyed living in Christian County, especially in the spring when the flowers and trees began to bloom.
I wish I could be outside right now, tilling the garden or even mowing the lawn, she thought with regret. It was too nice to be stuck indoors, yet she knew she needed to work on the quilt she’d started several months ago for her friend Esther Beiler’s twenty-fourth birthday, which was less than a month away.
Suzanne’s gaze shifted from the garden to the woodshop, where her grandfather and twenty-year-old brother, Nelson, worked. Due to painful arthritis, Grandpa’s fingers didn’t work well anymore, so he’d recently decided to look for someone else to help Nelson in the shop. Someone younger and more able-bodied. Someone who knew the woodworking trade.
Grandpa wasn’t one to sit around or take life easy while others did all the work, but Mom had convinced him that he could still have a hand in the business by ordering supplies, waiting on customers, and keeping the books. Grandpa wasn’t happy about it, but at least he wouldn’t be sitting on the porch in his rocking chair all day, wishing he could be in the shop.
“I thought you were supposed to be working on Esther’s birthday present,” Mom said when she joined Suzanne in the living room.
“I was, but my eyes needed a break. I was thinking about going out to the woodshop to see if there’s anything I can do to help out.”
Mom’s dark eyebrows furrowed as she slowly shook her head. “You’ll never get that quilt done if you keep procrastinating, and there’s no need for you to run out to the woodshop, because I’m sure you and Nelson would only end up in a disagreement. You know how he feels about you hanging around the shop.”
Suzanne frowned. No one in the family understood her desire to be in the woodshop, where she could enjoy the distinctive odors of wood being cut, sanded, or stained. It was a shame nobody took her interest in woodworking seriously. Not long ago, Suzanne had borrowed some of Grandpa’s tools so she could make a few birdhouses and feeders to put in their yard. She’d never gotten any encouragement in making them, though. She guessed compared to the cabinets, doors, and storage sheds Grandpa and Nelson made, the birdhouses and feeders were insignificant.
Mom touched Suzanne’s shoulder. “I’m going to plant some peas and lettuce this afternoon, so if you think you’ve worked long enough on the quilt today, I could use your help.”
Suzanne didn’t have to be asked twice. Any chore she could do outdoors would be better than being inside, where it was warm and stuffy. “I’ll meet you outside as soon as I put away my quilting supplies,” she said.
“That’ll be fine.” Mom gave Suzanne’s arm a light tap and disappeared into the kitchen.
Suzanne glanced out the window once more and sighed as her gaze came to rest on the woodshop. “Guess I won’t make it out there today—except to take the men their lunch.”
Paradise, Pennsylvania
Titus left the barn and was about to head for the house, when a dark blue pickup rumbled up the driveway. He didn’t recognize the vehicle or the young English man with dark curly hair who opened the cab door and stepped out.
“Is this where Zach Fisher lives?” the man asked as he approached Titus.
“Sort of. My dad owns this place, and Zach and his family live in the house behind ours.” Titus pointed in that direction.
“Oh, I see. Is Zach at home?”
“Nope, not yet. He’s up in Blue Ball, painting the outside of the bowling alley. Probably won’t be home till sometime after six.”
The man extended his hand. “I’m Allen Walters. I knew Zach when he lived in Puyallup, Washington.”
“That was when he thought his name was Jimmy Scott, huh?”
“That’s right.”
“Zach’s my half brother. My twin brother, Timothy, and I were born during the time Zach was missing. He was about six or seven then, I think.”
“My mother and the woman Zach thought was his mother became good friends, so Zach and I kind of grew up together.”
“Zach’s mentioned that,” Titus said. “Sure is somethin’ the way he was kidnapped when he was a baby and never located his real family until he was twenty-one.”
“I really missed Zach after he left Washington, but I’m glad he found his way home.” Allen folded his arms and leaned against the side of his truck. “The last time I saw Zach was before he got married, and that was seven years ago. We’ve kept in touch through letters and phone calls, though.”
“Did Zach know you were coming?”
Allen shook his head. “He doesn’t know I’ve moved from Washington State to Kentucky either.”
“You’re welcome to hang around here until he gets home, because I’m sure he’ll be pleased to see you.”
“Thanks, I’ll do that.”
Just then, Titus’s mother stepped out of the house and started across the yard toward them, her slightly plump figure shuffling through the grass.
“This is my mother, Fannie Fisher.” Titus motioned to Allen. “Mom, this is Zach’s old friend, Allen Walters. He used to live in Washington.”
Mom’s brown eyes brightened as she shook Allen’s hand. “It’s nice to finally meet you. Zach’s told us a lot about you and your family.”
“He’s talked to me about his family here, too.”
“I explained to Allen that Zach’s still at work and said he’s welcome to stay here until Zach gets home.”
Mom bobbed her head. “Why don’t you stay for supper? I’ll invite Zach and his family to join us. I think it would be nice for you to meet his wife and children.”
“I’d like that,” Allen said with an enthusiastic nod.
“If you need a place to spend the night, you’re more than welcome to stay here.” Mom smiled. “Since Titus is our only son still living at home, we have more than enough room to accommodate guests.”
“I appreciate the offer, but I’ve already reserved a room at a hotel in Bird-in-Hand.”
“That’s fine, but the offer’s open if you change your mind.” Mom turned toward the house. “I’d better go back inside and get supper going.”
As Mom headed to the house, Titus motioned to a couple of wooden chairs sitting beneath the maple tree on their lawn. “Why don’t we take a seat?” he said to Allen. “I’m real interested in hearing why you moved to Kentucky.”
It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old…or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!
You never know when I might play a wild card on you!
Illustrated by
and the book:
Isaac Publishing, Inc. (December 6, 2010)
***Special thanks to Jenny Lee Sulpizio for sending me a review copy.***
Jenny Lee Sulpizio, M.S., is a mother of three, wife, business owner and author residing in Boise, Idaho. She is actively involved in her church, her children’s school and enjoys tapping into her creative side whenever possible. Mommy Whispers is her first publication in a series to soon follow.
Visit the author’s website.
Peg Lozier is an award winning portrait painter and illustrator whose work is known for color, whimsy, and a sense of fun. Raised in Boulder, Colorado, she now lives with a plethora of pets in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Visit the illustrator’s website.
Mommy Whispers is a children’s keepsake depicting the special relationship between a mother and her daughter throughout each stage of life and ultimately, the power of prayer and faith in God throughout it all.
Product Details:
List Price: $12.95
Paperback: 34 pages
Publisher: Isaac Publishing, Inc. (December 6, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1609200136
ISBN-13: 978-1609200138
ISLAND BREEZES
This is definitely a very special children’s book. The illustrations are lovely, but it’s the whispers that are so special.
I never thought I would need that box of tissues for a children’s book. Maybe it’s because I’m a mother.
AND NOW…
It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old…or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!
You never know when I might play a wild card on you!
and the book:
Thomas Nelson (March 29, 2011)
***Special thanks to Audra Jennings, Senior Media Specialist, The B&B Media Group for sending me a review copy.***
Denise lives in Indiana with her husband Kevin and their three sons. In 1996, Denise began her first book, a Christian romance novel, writing while her children napped. Two years later it was published, and she’s been writing ever since. Her books often contain a strong romantic element, and her husband Kevin says he provides all her romantic material, but Denise insists a good imagination helps too!
Visit the author’s website.
Wade’s ranch home needs a woman’s touch. Abigail’s life needs a cowboy’s touch.
Four years ago, rodeo celebrity Wade Ryan gave up his identity to protect his daughter. Now, settled on a ranch in Big Sky Country, he lives in obscurity, his heart guarded by a high, thick fence.
Abigail Jones isn’t sure how she went from big-city columnist to small-town nanny, but her new charge is growing on her, to say nothing of her ruggedly handsome boss. Love blossoms between Abigail and Wade–despite her better judgment. Will the secrets she brought with her to Moose Creek, Montana separate her from the cowboy who finally captured her heart?
Product Details:
List Price: $14.99
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson (March 29, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1595548017
ISBN-13: 978-1595548016
ISLAND BREEZES
A forced leave of absence for a summer in nowhere Montana babysitting an elderly aunt. Not exactly what a workaholic would look forward to doing.
This is a book of secrets which will keep you awake wondering how or even if Abigail and Wade will ever reveal to the other. It seems as if there’s no way these two will ever get together, especially after the revealing of the secrets.
This tale of city girl meets handsome cowboy keeps the pages turning way past bedtime. It won’t hurt to keep that box of tissues handy, especially towards the end. You’ll need to sop up some of the heartbreak.
AND NOW…THE FIRST CHAPTER:
Beyond the screen’s glow, darkness washed the cubicles. Her computer hummed, and outside the office windows a screech of tires broke the relative stillness ofthe Chicago night.
She shuffled her note cards. The story had been long in coming, but it was finished now, all except the telling. She knew where she wanted to take it next.
Her fingers stirred into motion, dancing across the keys. This was her favorite part, exposingtruth to the world. Well, okay, not the world exactly, not with Viewpoint’s paltry circulation. But now, during the writing, it felt like the world.
Four paragraphs later, the office had shrunk away, and all that existed were the words on the monitor and her memory playing in full color on the screen of her mind.
Something dropped onto her desk with a sudden thud. Abigail’s hand flew to her heart, and her chair darted from her desk. She looked up at her boss’s frowning face, then shared a frown of her own. “You scared me.”
“And you’re scaring me. It’s after midnight, Abigail—what are you doing here?” Marilyn Jones’s hand settled on her hip.
The blast of adrenaline settled into Abigail’s bloodstream, though her heart was still in overdrive. “Being an ambitious staffer?”
“You mean an obsessive workaholic.”
“Something wrong with that?”
“What’s wrong is my twenty-eight-year-old daughter is working all hours on a Saturday night instead of dating an eligible bachelor like all the other single women her age.” Her mom tossed her head, but her short brown hair hardly budged. “You could’ve at least gone out with your sister and me. We had a good time.”
“I’m down to the wire.”
“You’ve been here every night for two weeks.” Her mother rolled up a chair and sank into it. “Your father always thought you’d be a schoolteacher, did I ever tell you that?”
“About a million times.” Abigail settled into the chair, rubbed the ache in her temple. Her heart was still recovering, but she wanted to return to her column. She was just getting to the good part.
“You had a doctor’s appointment yesterday,” Mom said. Abigail sighed hard.
“Whatever happened to doctor-patient confidentiality?”
“Goes out the window when the doctor is your sister. Come on, Abigail, this is your health. Reagan prescribed rest—R-E-S-T—and yet here you are.”
“A couple more days and the story will be put to bed.”
“And then there’ll be another story.”
“That’s what I do, Mother.”
“You’ve had a headache for weeks, and the fact that you made an appointment with your sister is proof you’re not feeling well.”
Abigail pulled her hand from her temple. “I’m fine.”
“That’s what your father said the week before he collapsed.”
Compassion and frustration warred inside Abigail. “He was sixty-two.” And his pork habit hadn’t helped matters. Thin didn’t necessarily mean healthy. She skimmed her own long legs, encased in her favorite jeans . . . exhibit A.
“I’ve been thinking you should go visit your great-aunt.” Abigail already had a story in the works, but maybe her mom had a lead on something else. “New York sounds interesting. What’s the assignment?”
“Rest and relaxation. And I’m not talking about your Aunt Eloise—as if you’d get any rest there—I’m talking about your Aunt Lucy.”
Abigail’s spirits dropped to the basement. “Aunt Lucy lives in Montana.” Where cattle outnumbered people. She felt for the familiar ring on her right hand and began twisting.
“She seems a bit . . . confused lately.”
Abigail recalled the birthday gifts her great-aunt had sent over the years, and her lips twitched. “Aunt Lucy has always been confused.”
“Someone needs to check on her. Her latest letter was full of comments about some girls who live with her, when I know perfectly well she lives alone. I think it may be time for assisted living or a retirement community.”
Abigail’s eyes flashed to the screen. A series of nonsensical letters showed where she’d stopped in alarm at her mother’s appearance. She hit the delete button. “Let’s invite her to Chicago for a few weeks.”
“She needs to be observed in her own surroundings. Besides, that woman hasn’t set foot on a plane since Uncle Murray passed, and I sure wouldn’t trust her to travel across the country alone. You know what happened when she came out for your father’s funeral.”
“Dad always said she had a bad sense of direction.”
“Nevertheless, I don’t have time to hunt her down in Canada again. Now, come on, Abigail, it makes perfect sense for you to go. You need a break, and Aunt Lucy was your father’s favorite relative. It’s our job to look after her now, and if she’s incapable of making coherent decisions, we need to help her.”
Abigail’s conscience tweaked her. She had a soft spot for Aunt Lucy, and her mom knew it. Still, that identity theft story called her name, and she had a reliable source who might or might not be willing to talk in a couple weeks.
“Reagan should do it. I’ll need the full month for my column, and we can’t afford to scrap it. Distribution is down enough as it is. Just last month you were concerned—”
Her mother stood abruptly, the chair reeling backward into the aisle. She walked as far as the next cubicle, then turned. “Hypertension is nothing to mess with, Abigail. You’re so . . . rest- less. You need a break—a chance to find some peace in your life.” She cleared her throat, then her face took on that I’ve-made-up- my-mind look. “Whether you go to your aunt’s or not, I’m insisting you take a leave of absence.”
There was no point arguing once her mother took that tone. She could always do research online—and she wouldn’t mind visiting a part of the country she’d never seen. “Fine. I’ll finish this story, then go out to Montana for a week or so.”
“Finish the story, yes. But your leave of absence will last three months.”
“Three months!”
“It may take that long to make a decision about Aunt Lucy.”
“What about my apartment?”
“Reagan will look after it. You’re hardly there anyway. You need a break, and Moose Creek is the perfect place.”
Moose Creek. “I’ll say. Sounds like nothing more than a traffic signal with a gas pump on the corner.”
“Don’t be silly. Moose Creek has no traffic signal. Abigail, you have become wholly obsessed with—”
“So I’m a hard worker . . .” She lifted her shoulders.
Her mom’s lips compressed into a hard line. “Wholly obsessed with your job. Look, you know I admire hard work, but it feels like you’re always chasing something and never quite catching it. I want you to find some contentment, for your health if nothing else. There’s more to life than investigative reporting.”
“I’m the Truthseeker, Mom. That’s who I am.” Her fist found home over her heart.
Her mother shouldered her purse, then zipped her light sweater, her movements irritatingly slow. She tugged down the ribbed hem and smoothed the material of her pants. “Three months, Abigail. Not a day less.”
Dan Walsh Returns With A Story of Love That Defies the Odds
“I’ve written you a note, inside the pouch,” John yelled. “Don’t read it…unless you hear word that I – that I did not…” Tears poured down his cheeks. He looked away. “John!” she screamed. “I must go back…”
Award-wining author Dan Walsh brings a powerful love story reminiscent of the Titanic to readers. The Deepest Waters (ISBN: 978-0-8007-1980-7, April 2011, $14.99) is a masterpiece of historical fiction set in 1857 when newlyweds John and Laura Foster set sail on the SS Vandervere for their honeymoon. Soon, their fairytale becomes a nightmare when a hurricane causes the ship to sink into the depths of the Atlantic. John and Laura are separated not knowing if they will ever see each other again.
Walsh was inspired to write The Deepest Waters by the true story of the sinking of a paddle-wheel steamship laden with gold from San Francisco, California. The SS Central America, bound for New York City ran into a hurricane which sealed her fate around September 11, 1857.
Walsh takes readers on a journey through troubled waters as they discover the treasure hidden in The Deepest Waters, a story full of action and suspense. Through the Fosters, Walsh creates an amazing love story about what happens when miracles do come true.
ISLAND BREEZES
Oh, man! I really didn’t want this book to end. I totally enjoyed Mr. Walsh’s first two books, but this was something special.
Being a former sea person, I’m always drawn to books related to the sea and sailing. This one definitely did not disappoint me.
You’ll find lots of surprises here – not all of them are pleasant, but most of them are. Be prepared to read this book in one sitting. I had only planned on reading a chapter or two, but got sucked up into the story and just couldn’t put the book down.
I wanted the book to go on and on. I’m very attached to all these people now. Please, Mr. Walsh. Please keep the story going. Please don’t tell me I have to let the Fosters and Micah’s family disappear from my life.
By the way, you all may need to keep that box of tissues handy for this one.
***Thanks to Donna Hausler for providing a review copy.***
Dan Walsh is the award-winning author of The Unfinished Gift, and The Homecoming. A member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Dan served as a pastor for 25 years. He lives with his family in the Daytona Beach area, where he’s busy researching and writing his next novel.
Revell,
a division of Baker Publishing Group, offers practical books that bring the Christian faith to everyday life.? They publish resources from a variety of well-known brands and authors, including their partnership with MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) and Hungry Planet.
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Available April 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
