As the Eagle, Flies the King by Wendy McNeice

Forced to be queen to an absent and evil king, Chaim, with her friend and servant, dress as scribes and escape the loneliness of a confined life, to begin a journey to Jerusalem to fulfill her father’s dying wish. The words of the prophet Daniel grip her consciousness just prior to her escape. The two are followed by an elite Mede soldier, working undercover for Persian King Cyrus. Chaim initially detests Mohganees, thinking he is a Persian conqueror who may one day entrap her enslaved people. Mohganees the Mede throws a talisman into her boat as she escapes and she kicks it into the Euphrates, thinking it an evil spell. The mystery of the talisman will weave its way into the book. During the famous battle in Opis, the place the Euphrates will be diverted, Mohganees twice saves Chaim and her friend Ettu from captivity. Mohganees commandeers a boat they are traveling in as he follows the king’s orders to map the Euphrates to re-channel its flow. He is believed drowned when the Arab trader’s boat they were traveling in is overturned by thieves.

The girls are taken into the camp of some highwaymen intent on enslaving them and Mohganees also becomes a (disguised) captive of the highwaymen. Believing Mohganees to be dead, Chaim professes a new found love for him and Chaim and Ettu assist Mohganees’ escape, unaware who he is. When Mohganees returns to find the talisman, Chaim and Ettu attempt to rescue an orphaned temple slave, the one who tells them the news that will make their decision clear. Sheera has overheard that Cyrus is on the march to Babylon. In a remarkable twist, Chaim comes to realize she must return to Babylon, as she understands that to follow the call of God unconditionally, she must trust in the Lord, which means that “He will direct thy paths.” In so doing, Chaim discovers the purpose of her mission was quite different from her expectations.

In the mean time, Mohganees makes a bid for peace to the soldiers manning the bulwarks at Babylon and helps open the way for a peaceful takeover of the city by Cyrus, the ‘annointed one’ of Isaiah. The mystery of the ‘talisman’ is revealed and after the final climax, joining the Persian army to release the Jews from Babylon, Chaim and Mohganees have professed their desire to marry and now have one more hurdle to face. Mohganees is not a Jew, and another twist will leave the reader with a pent up sigh of relief. And Ettu, Chaim’s former servant and long-time companion, becomes one of the ‘singers of renown’ at the request of the new king.

Sacrifice of the Sage Hen by Susie Schade-Brewer

1859: Pre-Civil War Independence, Missouri. The people are restless - the effects of prejudice and hate. Blood has already been spilled by some from over the border, and there is talk of war.

To add to the unrest from the border skirmishes, a devastating drought has fallen over the entire Northern region of Missouri.

Full of spirit and restless rebellion, Charlotte Mary West, called Charlie by her friends, is concerned, but what captures her most frequent thought is finding relief from her own boring and uneventful life. Grant, her husband of an arranged marriage, owns a general store in the embarkation town of Independence, Missouri. His only ambition is to make fistfuls of money selling supplies to the pioneers of the wagon trains leaving down the Oregon and California Trails. But waiting on customers and stocking shelves in a general store has never been Charlie’s idea of adventure. She feels life is going on without her.

And now her father and her best friend are joining a wagon train to go west, leaving her behind with her husband. Already chafing at the expectations he places on her to act like a proper lady, Charlie longs to break away and fly to freedom. Somehow, someway, she must convince her husband to forfeit his dream and join the wagon train.

Then tragedy strikes when a fire comes off the dry prairie and ravages half the town. Many buildings including West’s Mercantile burn to the ground. Some are injured – and a few die, including Charlie’s husband. Now at only age 19, she is a widow, no means of support - and quite unexpectedly - a mother to an orphaned mixed-race child.

Dirks Braelen is on the run from his life as a hired gun in Texas. He's ready to hang up his holster and try to find some peace for his soul. He may be ready to leave his old life behind, but the people he knew then may not let him.

He's trying to escape his past. She's trying to escape her present. To find happiness, Charlie and Dirks have to reach back into a story from Charlie's father and find out the true sacrifice of the Sage Hen.


For More Information: www.TheSacrificeOfTheSageHen.com



Interview with Susie Schade-Brewer:

Why did you write this book?

At the time I started writing the book, I was around 50 years old, and although I had done a lot of writing over the years, it had been bits and pieces, mostly because I was busy working, raising my family, and taking care of elderly parents. By the time the kids were raised and gone, my marriage was falling apart. I found writing to be like therapy. One can be as sweet – as angry – as submissive -- or rebellious as they want, and (I hate to admit it) the empowerment was wonderful.
I remembered an idea that had stuck in my head since I was about seven years old. The storyline revolved around one central character, a feisty young woman who was not remiss to speak her mind, and for some odd reason, a sage hen was always there too. I don’t know why that in particular, but who understands the brain anyway, right? I thought, ‘now is the perfect time to indulge this flight of my imagination.’ The manuscript underwent about 20 revisions over a 6-year period, and the end result was exactly what I had always wanted. Plus, the therapeutic value probably saved me a lot of money!

What was your favorite part?

I think the easiest parts to write, because they just flowed out of me, were the more intimate thoughts and feelings of the main character, Charlie West. She is 19, and stuck in a loveless marriage. Because she is living a life that others had arranged for her, she is unable to pursue her own dreams -- all of which seemed apropos for me (except the 19 year old part – but I was once). And although she wishes to be good and dutiful and obedient, there is a certain defiance at having lost control of her life.

What was the hardest to write?

The parts about the fire and the dying and having to describe to the reader how bad it hurts and make them really feel it. Also the parts about the criminal acts of the villains, because he killed and mutilated animals.

What do you hope your readers will get from your book?

This story is about life – and love – and making choices, which all humans must do. And making our dreams as much a priority to us as others’. I guess it’s about understanding our self-worth, the importance of not allowing anyone to take that from you. It is my hope that the reader will take that key message away with them.

What’s next for you?

I am working on the sequel to The Sacrifice of the Sage Hen. In this first book, much of the story takes place in Independence, Missouri, which in the 19th century was what they called ‘the jumping off’ place for those who wanted to travel over the Oregon or Santa Fe Trails. Charlie’s life is as a storekeeper’s wife.
The next book, which most of my readers have said they really want to read about, will be when they actually get on the trail and deal with the day-to-day challenges and dangers of trail life. At that time, those who were brave enough to pack up their families and all their worldly goods into a 4’ x 10’ wagon knew that 1 in 5 of them would die before reaching their destination. The trail to Oregon was wild and 2,000 miles long, would take them 4 to 6 months to get there, and was fraught with many hidden dangers.

So, this is what I’m currently working on, plus working at my other business, a professional writing service called TPW Writing Services, doing copywriting and resumes. Both projects are very time-consuming. I’ve thought about petitioning my Congressman to pass some kind of bill to avail more hours in the day, but I didn’t think it would do much good.

If anyone wants to visit my book’s website, it is www.TheSacrificeOfTheSageHen.com. Please also visit my blog, www.OneWritersView.blogspot.com, and leave a comment on a subject written there, or start a new one. I like discussing anything having to do with western lore or the writing life. Thanks, Karina, for the interview. All the best to you.

Hitler and Mars Bar by Diane Ascroft

‘Hitler and Mars Bars’, winner of Trafford Publishing’s 2004 Book Deal Contest, is the moving story of a remarkable child and era. It’s the story of a German boy's journey to manhood through loss, loneliness, fear, uncertainty, love and hope in war-torn Germany and post-war rural Ireland.

Erich's first home is Goldschmidthaus, a Children's Home near Essen. He lives for visits with his beloved mother and longs for the day he will live with her. He is distraught when, after a heavy bombing raid, her visits abruptly cease.

After the war he finds himself, with hundreds of other German children, transported across Europe to escape the appalling conditions in their homeland. Operation Shamrock brings Erich and his brother, Hans, to a new life in Ireland but with different families.

During the next few years Erich experiences the best and worst of Irish life. Living in a string of foster families, he finds love and acceptance in some and indifference and brutality in others. At Daddy Davy's he finds a loving home and is re-united with his brother. But his brief taste of happiness is dashed by circumstances he cannot control.

This is the story of a German boy growing up alone in Ireland. He dreams of finding his mother. He yearns for a family who will love and keep him forever. He learns his brother is his ally not his rival. Plucky and resilient he surmounts the challenges his ever changing world presents.

Set in Germany's industrialised Ruhr Valley during the Second World War and post-war rural Ireland this book evokes a little known episode in German and Irish history. It is a moving tale of a German child caught in war's vicelike grip and flung into a new land to grow and forge a new life.

REVIEW EXCERPTS:

"It's a riveting story...As a novel it is extraordinarily well researched.... Beautifully written with a strong human story running through it..."
Brian D'Arcy, BBC broadcaster, Sunday World columnist, author, journalist

"An endearing story...Ascroft is superb in telling the story from Erich's point of view...The story is both vivid and moving..."
News Letter (Belfast) 21 June 2008


AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY:

Ascroft is a Canadian writer, living in Britain. She has been freelance writing since 2002. Most of her writing focuses on history, arts/music and human interest stories. Her articles have been printed in Canadian and Irish newspapers and magazines including the Toronto Star, Mississauga News, Derry Journal, Banbridge Leader and Ireland’s Own magazine. ‘Hitler and Mars Bars’ is her first novel.

BOOK EXCERPT:
1

THE GINGERBREAD HOUSE
Bredenscheid, near Hattingen, Germany
March 1945

“Wake up, Erich,” his mother said softly.

Leaning over him, she gently shook his shoulder. Shrugging away from her touch, he turned over in the narrow metal bed. She shook a bit harder and he opened his eyes, squinting at her silhouette in the moonlight.

“Mutti! You’re here!” Erich sat up and threw his arms around her neck.

“Yes. Get up, quickly now.”

“I knew you’d come!” he cried.

“Shh…don’t wake the other children,” she hushed him as she pulled back his thin, woollen blanket.

Shivering in the cold air, he jumped out of bed and scurried the few steps to the fireplace. The embers from the fire, set before bedtime, still glowed and occasionally crackled in the open grate. The waning fire radiated a modest heat and Erich savoured its warmth. The moon was low in the early evening sky, but its light streamed through the partly drawn curtains.

Erich’s mother pulled his white cotton nightshirt over his head and he hunched forward, shivering as cold draughts eddied around him. She quickly threaded his arms into his shirt. Erich squirmed against the prickly fabric which scratched at his back.

“It’s itchy! I don’t want to wear it!”

“You don’t have anything else so you must. Hurry now!” she urged him.

She pulled up his short brown trousers and leaned over to lace his boots. She pushed his arms into his ragged woollen coat, then pulled it firmly around him, noticing how baggy it was.

“You are so thin!” she exclaimed. “You must eat!”

“They don’t give us much. And it’s rotten! It makes me sick. And I’m so tired,” he complained.

The food shortage was severe as the war drew to an end. Everyone struggled to get enough to eat. Malnutrition and the poor quality of available food frequently made the children ill. To conserve energy they went to bed after their evening meal.

She frowned, looking at him. The waist of his trousers was loose and his bony knees seemed large on his thin legs.

Putting her arm around his shoulder, she ushered him out of the dormitory and down the stairs. At the foot of the stairs Erich stopped. “Mutti has come for me, T-T-Tante Gretchen!” he called excitedly to the staff member standing in the downstairs hall. Nodding to the woman as they passed, his mother said, “I will return him by breakfast. Good night.”

As they stepped out of the door the darkness enveloped them; no street lights lit their way. Their eyes adjusted to it as they walked briskly down the country lane. Erich held tightly to his mother’s hand. He pressed against her, almost tripping her in his eagerness to be close to her on this rare visit.

*****
Title: Hitler and Mars Bars
Author: Dianne Ascroft
ISBN: 9781425145910
Format: Paperback, 340pp
Publisher: Trafford Publishing
Price: £11.99/$23.22/E15.86
Publication Date: March 2008
Website: www.geocities.com/dianne_ascroft
The book is available online from www.trafford.com/07-1955, www.amazon.com and other online retailers.

www.bebo.com/hitlermarsbars

CFRB Presents: Come to Me by Laura Davis

Can you imagine what it would be like, to travel back in time to the moment Christ was born, or perhaps witness his childhood? What would you do if you could journey to the cross and watch Jesus die for your sins? Come to Me offers readers the opportunity to experience these events first-hand from the eyes of His mother.

It is eleven years after Jesus’ resurrection and his mother Mary waits for a visit from the Apostle Luke. Intent on hearing a personal account of Jesus’ life, Luke sets about recording Mary’s words. The Apostle Matthew soon joins them and the two men begin to record the foundations of their Gospels. Told in two parts, Mary reveals with humour and warmth what it was like to raise the Savior of the world. Did Jesus perform miracles when He was a child? Did He know He was the Son of God?
In part two, Mary is nearing the end of her life and meeting with Luke once again. Only this time Luke is accompanying her to Ephesus to spend her final days with the Apostle John. Mary begins to share her story once again, this time focusing on the ministry of Jesus, His relationships with His family and friends, and of course His death and resurrection. What were Jesus’ final thoughts as he hung on the cross? What happened to Mary in her final days?

Come to Me explores surrendering to God’s will when circumstances seem impossible. It will provide those who are seeking to know Christ with a better understanding of who He is and for those who know Him already, it will encourage their faith.

Laura Davis is a former singer/songwriter with over 25 years in Contemporary Christian Music. After a surgical mistake caused her to lose her voice, Mrs. Davis began to write. She has since appeared on the Canadian Christian Television program 100 Huntley St., where she shared her story on surrendering to God’s will when your dreams are shattered. She has received positive reviews on her debut novel Come to
Me and is currently working on a sequel. Laura and her husband Jim live in London, Ontario.

Get it at Amazon!

Check out these member blogs Sept. 7-13 for more info.

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday

Shades of Gray by Jessica James

Winner of two Best Regional Fiction awards since its release in January 2008, Shades of Gray chronicles the clash of a Confederate cavalry commander with a Union spy as they defend their beliefs, their country, and their honor.

The Historical Novel Society called Shades of Gray "a sympathetic, loving
portrait," while Book Review Journals says it is "well written and expertly executed. You cannot leave this book unchanged in your understanding of the souls of the Civil War."

Shades of Gray is an epic love story that illuminates the fine line between friends and enemies at a time when traditions and principles were worth defending at all costs.

"...A beautiful story with a timeless message. It touched my heart and soul" Catherine Bennett, Amazon Reviewer

"If you want to read a book you will never forget and will think about fo=
r months after reading it, read Shades of Gray. The book took my breath away. Honestly, you will not sleep." A Bookworm's Dinner Blog


ISBN: 978-0-9796000-0-5
Available at www.jessicajamesbooks.com, and all Internet retailers including Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Copper Fire by Suzanne Woods Fisher

On a summer day in 1945, Louisa Gordon receives a telegram from the International Red Cross Tracing Service. Her young cousin, Elisabeth, has just been released from Dachau, a concentration camp, and Louisa is her only remaining relative.

Determined to go to war-torn Germany to retrieve her cousin, Louisa is also on a mission to discover the whereabouts of Friedrich Mueller, a Nazi sympathizer who fled Copper Springs, Arizona. What Louisa never expected was to meet the man she had once loved. And now hated.

Copper Fire (sequel to award-winning Copper Star)
Publisher: Vintage Inspirations
ISBN: 978-0-981-5592-0-9
Available through Amazon and other booksellers
www.suzannewoodsfisher.com

See No Evil, My Pretty Lady by Miss Mae

New maid Dorcy Edwards spurns her wealthy employer's attempts to seduce her. When he becomes a victim of the person the newspapers call "Jack the Ripper", estranged son Gareth Davenport returns to London to handle his father's affairs. Dorcy puzzles over what the brooding, handsome heir might be hiding behind his eye patch and black leather gloves. As circumstances unfold to expose the killer, Dorcy's plunged into a nightmare, convinced Gareth is none other than the infamous murderer. But is Dorcy's life what Gareth seeks? Or nothing more easily broken than her heart?

Order at Wild Rose Press.

Valley of Betrayal by Tricia Goyer

For reasons beyond her control, Sophie finds herself alone in the wartorn Spanish countryside. What was once a thriving paradise has become a battleground for fascist soldiers and Spanish patriots. She is caught up in the escalating events when the route to safety is blocked and fighting surrounds her. On her darkest night, Sophie takes refuge with a brigade of international compatriots. Among these volunteers, she pledges to make the plight of the Spanish people known around the world through the power of art.

Read the first chapter here.

Some of you might recall Tricia's other book that's posted on this site, Arms of Deliverance. Well, this lovely lady and winner of ACFW's Book of the Year award (best long historical romance) has done it again. I'm pleased to host her for her book tour. Learn more about her and her books here.




Here's what Tricia has to say about writing this book:

A few years ago when I was researching for my fourth World War II novel, Arms of Deliverance, I came across a unique autobiography. One B-17 crewmember I read about claimed to make it out of German-occupied Belgium after a plane crash due, in part, to his skills he picked up as a veteran of The Spanish Civil War. Reading that bit of information, I had to scratch my head. First of all, I had never heard of the war. And second, what was an American doing fighting in Spain in the late 1930s? Before I knew it, I uncovered a fascinating time in history—one that I soon discovered many people know little about. This is what I learned:

Nazi tanks rolled across the hillsides and German bombers roared overhead, dropping bombs on helpless citizens. Italian troops fought alongside the Germans, and their opponents attempted to stand strong—Americans, British, Irishmen, and others—in unison with other volunteers from many countries. And their battleground? The beautiful Spanish countryside.

From July 17, 1936-April 1, 1939, well before America was involved in World War II, another battle was fought on the hillsides of Spain. On one side were the Spanish Republicans, joined by the Soviet Union and The International Brigade—men and women from all over the world who have volunteered to fight Fascism. Opposing them, Franco and his Fascist military leaders, supported with troops, machinery, and weapons from Hitler and Mussolini. The Spanish Civil War, considered the “training ground” for the war to come, boasted of thousands of American volunteers who joined to fight on the Republican side, half of which never returned home.

Unlike World War II, there is no clear line between white and black, good and evil. Both sides committed atrocities. Both sides had deep convictions they felt worth fighting and dying for.

Loyalists—also know as the Republicans were aided by the Soviet Union, the Communist movement, and the International Brigades. If not for the weapons and volunteers from these sources their fight would have ended in weeks rather than years. While many men fought side by side, their political views included that of liberal democracy, communism and socialism. The Catholic Basque Country also sided with the Republic, mainly because it sought independence from the central government and was promised this by Republican leaders in Madrid.

Nationalists—or Francoists were aided mainly by Germany and Italy. The Nationalist opposed an independent Basque state. Their main supporters were those who believed in a monarchist state and fascist interests. The Nationalist wished for Spain to continue on as it had for years, with rich landowners, the military, and the church running the country. Most of the Roman Catholic clergy supported the Nationalists, except those in the Basque region.

During the Spanish Civil war, terror tactics against civilians were common. And while history books discuss the estimated one million people who lost their lives during the conflict, we must not forget that each of those who fought, who died, had their own tales. From visitors to Spain who found themselves caught in the conflict, to the communist supporters, Basque priests, and Nazi airmen . . . each saw this war in a different light. These are the stories behind A Valley of Betrayal.

Arms of Deliverance by Tricia Goyer

Tricia Goyer's Arms of Deliverance: A Story of Promise
The fourth and final novel in this exhilarating series capturing
the tales of men and women swept into World War II. Two
friends, Mary and Lee, land similar reporting jobs at the New York
Tribune on the eve of the war’s outbreak and soon they become
competitors. Mary's coverage of a bombing raid over Germany
leads to a plane wreck and an adventurous escape attempt from
across enemy lines. And when Lee hears of Mary's plight, she
bravely heads to war-torn Europe in an effort to help rescue her
friend. Will there be enough time for diplomacy or will war get
the best of everyone?

TRICIA GOYER is the author of three other WWII novels, From Dust to Ashes, Night Song and Dawn of a Thousand Nights. Night Song, the second title in Tricia's World War II series, won ACFW's Book of the Year for Best Long Historical Romance. Tricia and her husband, John, live with their family in northwestern Montana.