Christy Barritt's Hidden Currents - Missed Nap Worthy

Hey Readers! This week I have a new book, actually a new series, from Christy Barritt. When I contacted her about featuring Hidden Currents here, I admitted to her that this book had caused me to miss my Sunday afternoon nap. There are very few things that will cause me to miss my Sunday nap, but this book did it.

Now, you'll have to excuse me, but I'm a bit of a Christy Barritt fan. In fact, those of you authors out there who have taken classes from me at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference might remember me using some of Christy's books as examples of "jumping into the action." (Used with permission, of course). I'm not only a reader fan but a fellow author fan of her work.

Welcome to Christy Barritt!

What inspired me to write Hidden Currents?

I can’t say there was one thing that inspired me to write Lantern Beach mysteries. I knew I wanted to create a series that took place on a fictional island on North Carolina’s Outer Banks. I thought it would be fun to have a detective who was in hiding, who was having a hard time repressing her investigate skills. As I was mulling that over, another idea hit me. I actually have a home on an island in the Outer Banks, and there’s this ice cream woman who comes around every day. She even gave me her card so I could call her and she said she’d make a special trip to my house for sales. I started thinking about how cool it would be to have someone like that as an investigator in a mystery series. After all, the ice cream woman is all over the island, going in and out of neighborhoods and meeting new people. With those two thoughts in mind, the character of Cassidy Livingston was eventually born. I also decided to try something different with this book and do a mystery written in third person with a strong supporting cast of characters. It’s really been fun to write!

Take away:

Cassidy Livingston learns throughout this six-book series who she really is and discovers that your upbringing doesn’t have to define you. The book also delves into the fact that friendships and community are a vital part of life.

Visit Christy's page on Amazon and check out all of her titles. Be careful! You might lose a nap or even a whole night's sleep if you get started!

Christy Barritt's Amazon Page

Check Out this Book from Stacey Weeks

Stacey is a member of The Word Guild in Canada and has authored two fiction books, is waiting to hear back from her publisher on a romantic suspense submission, and is working on a fourth novel.

Stacey’s newest book released in November 2017.

Grace risked everything and found herself drowning in danger. 

Like a sunken treasure wedged in the lake floor, Grace Stone’s heart is submerged in the past. Her only hope in easing her guilt over her role in a tragic drowning is launching a Water-Survival program at Camp Moshe, but success depends on Grace risking everything on the man hired to rebrand the Christian camp. Kye Campton’s extreme sports campaign lands him in hot water with the cautious instructor. His usual confidence wavers when it becomes increasingly evident that the camp’s fight for survival is against more than a declining economy. Will Kye be able to save the camp—and Grace—from a saboteur determined to see the place close for good?

Watch the book trailer!

https://vimeo.com/236598271

In Too Deep is available for purchase at Pelican Book Group, Amazon.ca, Amazon.com, Chapters-Indigo, Barnes & Noble

Download and read the first two chapters FREE here!

https://staceyweeks.com/books/in-too-deep-fiction/

I asked Stacey to describe herself in her own words:

I am from the play-until-the-streetlights-turn-on and come-when-your-father-whistles generation. I’m a cool-off-in-the-sprinkler, drink-straight-from-the-hose, and fish-off-the-pier kind of girl. I’m loyal even when others are not. I’ve wrestled with brothers, played Barbie with neighbors, and stayed up too late reading just one more chapter. I’m from BIG Sunday dinners, steaming hot tea, and Saturday morning coin-sized pancakes. I grew up with Tupperware, paper bag lunches, Yorkshire pudding, and mashed potatoes. Lots of mashed potatoes. My family is a finish-what-you-start, bargain shopping, home cooking, and respect-your-elders kind of family. I am one of four children framed in memories on a wall. I jumped off docks, endured eight-hour trips that took twelve, and sat in the middle bench seat of the family sedan. I am a wait until you enter the house before driving away kind of mom. I boil the kettle in a crisis, and I know that a job worth doing is worth doing right. I am a fixer of old things, painter of everything, cleansed and forgiven child of God. I believe that nothing matters more than the Lord Jesus Christ and who I believe He is.

What do you hope the readers takeaway from In Too Deep?

I want my readers to know that God is bigger than their circumstances. I want them to understand that even when life is unfair and we can’t make sense of it – God is always perfectly loving and leading us. His ways and thoughts are so much higher than ours that we cannot understand them, but we can trust Him. Most often, the truths that God is teaching me and the ways that He is stretching me also becomes the growth arch for my characters. When my character, Grace, was reading Proverbs searching for wisdom  - so was I. As she meditated on a beautiful passage in Job –so was I.

What inspired you to write In Too Deep?

I save newspaper articles with strange but true reports. One report on a daring water rescue inspired one scene from In Too Deep. I asked myself, “What sort of person does this?” “What person runs into danger instead of away?” What kind of love drives those actions?” I created Grace Stone and Kye Campton by answering questions like those.

Do you ever involve your readers in plotting?

Near the end of In Too Deep, I was frustrated because the characters unexpectedly led the story in a new direction. I was stuck. I posted some questions onto my Facebook author page inviting my followers to comment and problem solve with me. The solution came from a suggestion posted there. I invite my followers to make suggestions for every book. Often, the best ideas come from avid readers, and the most helpful tip earns one lucky commenter a signed copy of the book.

Can you direct us to where readers can find you?

Website: www.staceyweeks.com - I post weekly devotionals and regular home renovation projects and crafts under the blog tab. You’ll find links and information on all of my books.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/writerSWeeks - This is where I post questions to readers and collect feedback for projects. It’s also where you’ll find the most up to date information.

Newsletter:   http://eepurl.com/cZgDb9  The newsletter is emailed once every spring, summer, fall, and winter and is full of information, deals, and opportunities available only to subscribers.

Twitter: @WriterSWeeks

Stacey, I can so relate to your experience of learning from scripture just as you show your characters learning from it. That happens to me in my books as well.

Thanks for telling us about yourself and this book. So, what do you say, readers? Is your interest piqued?

What Would You Do?

Hey Readers! Here is another book to check out. First meet the author, Tamera Kraft.

Welcome Tamera!

Tamera Lynn Kraft has always loved adventures. She loves to write historical fiction set in the United States because there are so many stories in American history. There are strong elements of faith, romance, suspense and adventure in her stories. She has received 2^nd place in the NOCW contest, 3^rd place TARA writer’s contest, and is a finalist in the Frasier Writing Contest and has other novels and novellas in print. She’s been married for 39 years to the love of her life, Rick, and has two married adult children and three grandchildren. 

Tamera has been a children’s pastor for over 20 years. She is the leader of a ministry called Revival Fire for Kids where she mentors other children’s leaders, teaches workshops, and is a children’s ministry consultant and children’s evangelist and has written children’s church curriculum. She is a recipient of the 2007 National Children’s Leaders Association Shepherd’s Cup for lifetime achievement in children’s ministry.

You can contact Tamera online at these sites.

Website: http://tameralynnkraft.net

Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/cdybpb

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7334438.Tamera_Lynn_Kraft

Word Sharpeners Blog: http://tameralynnkraft.com

Facebook: http://facebook.com/tameralynnkraft

Twitter: http://twitter.com/tamerakraft

What Would You Do?

By Tamera Lynn Kraft

When I was researching my new novel, Red Sky Over America, set shortly before the Civil War, I focused on the conflict America must have felt when she confronted her father with the truth. America knew slavery was against God's commandments, yet her father owned slaves. She could ignore what her father was doing while she went to Oberlin College in Ohio. After all, he was in Kentucky. Besides, she was a woman and his daughter. He wouldn't listen to her.

The conflict started in the first chapter of the novel when the Holy Spirit prompted America to go home to Kentucky and confront her father. She had no misgivings about it turning out well, yet she still obeyed God and became His servant. At one point in the novel, she was talking to one of her father's slaves.

Ruth's shoulders slumped. "No, child, I'll never go against what the Good Lord tells you, but it's bound to end poorly."

"I know." America's voice thickened. "God didn't promise me it would turn out well, but He told me what I must do, and I'm set on doing it."

Peter and John had a similar situation in the Book of Acts. They were brought before the religious leaders of their time and were told to stop preaching the Gospel. This was their response.

"Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, 'We ought to obey God rather than men.'"

At some point in our lives, God may call us to do a hard thing, something that goes against our culture and our families. The question is do we obey God even when we know things might not go well.

What I want the reader to take away from Red Sky Over America is the commitment these men and women abolitionists made to God even though they were going against the culture of their time. May we have that same commitment to obey God even if it means going into the fire!

Hebrews 13:6 "So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me."

Red Sky Over America

Ladies of Oberlin, Book 1

By Tamera Lynn Kraft

In 1857, America, the daughter of a slave owner, is an abolitionist and a student at Oberlin College, a school known for its radical ideas. America goes home to Kentucky during school break to confront her father about freeing his slaves.

America's classmate, William, goes to Kentucky to preach abolition to churches that condone slavery. America and William find themselves in the center of the approaching storm sweeping the nation and may not make it home to Ohio or live through the struggle.

"Red Sky Over America tackles the most turbulent time in history with thorough research and fascinating characters. Tamera Lynn Kraft has woven a tale about the evils of slavery that should never be forgotten." -- Mary Ellis, author of The Quaker and the Rebel, The Lady and the Officer, and The Last Heiress.

You can purchase Red Sky Over America at these online sites:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079GQQ9KY/ref=x_gr_w_bb?ie=UTF8&tag=x_gr_w_bb-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B079GQQ9KY&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/red-sky-over-america-tamera-lynn-kraft/1127910586;jsessionid=E0109718A797B90BAA4E67707F16623E.prodny_store01-atgap04?ean=2940155392231&st=AFF&2sid=Goodreads,%20Inc_2227948_NA&sourceId=AFFGoodreads,%20IncM000004

Okay, all you historical lovers, is this a keeper? 

Many of us know about being called by God to do hard things. Have you been called to do some hard things? What was it? 

Thanks for sharing about your book with us, Tamera!

Raise Your Hand If You Have a Good Book to Share

Hey all you voracious readers!

How about we do some sharing. I'll go first.

It just so happens that I just completed reading the spotlighted book from last week, Athens Ambuscade by Kristen Wilks.

Let me break it down for you:

Wilks does a great job of creating interesting and maybe even quirky characters. And I do like quirky (since I have been characterized that way on occasion - I think that was meant in a good way???)

The setting is really intriguing and plays in well with the story line.

The plot keeps you guessing when the "next shoe will drop." The antics will have you gasping and chortling in the same breath.

The romance part is clever.

The spiritual message hit home for me, someone who is quite planned and controlling.

Wilks was masterful in including moments of slapstick humor with a bit of hold your breath suspense.

Overall, Athens Ambuscade was a delight to read, and I would recommend it for your reading list.

Now, it's your turn. What are you reading or have read recently that you know you need to share with others? Please share in the comments.