A Home in Drayton Valley
By Kim Vogel Sawyer
Publisher: Bethany House
Pub. Date: October 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-0764207884
ASIN: B008B9HLV8
Pages: 352

Review:

I have the majority of Kim Vogel Sawyer's novels, so naturally I was eager to sign up to review her newest book courtesy of Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my honest review. I'm also a fan of historical novels, so I adored the beautiful cover with the young woman sitting in the grass with the steamboat floating down the river in the background.

Twelve years ago, Tarsie Raines arrived in New York from overseas to start a better life. It is now 1880; the only family she has is her best friend Mary Brubacher and her children. And then there is Mary's good for nothing husband Joss, an alcoholic and gambler. Mary's health is failing and Tarsie helps take care of her and the kids, when she isn't too busy dreaming of moving to Drayton Valley that she read about in James Redpath's Handbook of Kansas.

Joss's gambling debts leads to trouble for them; therefore they must flee the city, along with Tarsie. They travel by wagon, heading to the state of Kansas. Mary's health turns for the worst. Before Mary dies, Tarsie promises to care for her children and help Joss find faith in the Lord.

Safe
Director: Boaz Yakin
Starring: Jason Statham, Catherine Chan, Robert John Burke, Anson Mount, James Hong
Studio: Lionsgate
DVD Release Date: September 4, 2012
ASIN: B008E70EES
Running Time: 95 minutes
Rated: R


Jason Statham is back as the down on his luck Luke Wright, who happens to cross paths with a young Chinese math prodigy, Mei (played by Catharine Chan). The girl knows the combination of a safe code belonging to the Chinese Organization that she has been forced to work for. The Russian Mafia wants the safe code and they will do anything to get the little girl. To make things worse, there are corrupted NYC cops that also want the code. Mei's only hope is in the hands of Luke Wright.

Whispers in the Wind
Wild West Wind book 2
By Lauraine Snelling
Publisher: Bethany House
Pub. Date: August 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-0764204166
ASIN: B0073UPPAK
Pages: 352

Review:

Cassie Lockwood returns in book two of the Wild West Wind series from author Lauraine Snelling. Cassie had traveled in the Wild West show that her father co-owned. With her shooting and riding skills, she became a major attraction for the show. After her father died, ticket sales declined and the show was cancelled. Before the bank investors could repossess her wagon and horse, she discovered a land deed belonging to her father. It seems he owned some land in North Dakota. Cassie packs her belongings and heads to the land of her father's dreams.

Whispers in the Wind continues Cassie's journey to North Dakota, where she finally arrives at the hidden valley, only to discover that someone else has already built a ranch on the land. The family includes Mavis Engstrom and her three children, who may now lose their home because Cassie is the rightful land owner.
Cassie learns a startling discovery that Mavis’s husband had co-owned the land with her father. Now she must try and share the land with these strangers.

Mavis's oldest son, Ransom, doesn't trust Cassie. Her daughter, Gretchen, is more accepting of Cassie as she has always wanted an older sister. The youngest son, Lucas, more than accepts Cassie, as he has fallen madly in love with her.

I love Christmas stories. I’m one of those readers who will stockpile Christmas books and read them one after the other during the holidays. So it only stands to reason that I would enjoy writing them. The problem with writing a Christmas story vs. reading one is time. I can read a book in 4-6 hours. It takes me 4-6 months to write the book!

Since it takes so long to write a Christmas book, that means I’m writing the story out of season. For All I Want for Christmas is You, I actually began plotting the story one hot August day when I was caring for a small kitten who was injured in my yard. I started singing the Mariah Carey Christmas song (I often break into song at odd times!) and little Max the kitten turned into Max the stray St. Bernard. A whole host of other stray characters started crowding my head and the story unfolded.

Stories just come to me as they are and time of the year can become a character in and of itself, adding the drama of the story. Who doesn’t love a Christmas reunion more than any other. Hope, lost loves reunited, family. It’s all good and can add to the drama of the story.

What or whom inspired you to become a writer?

I’m not sure exactly when I decided to become a writer. Even though I began reading and enjoying reading at a very young age, I didn’t think at the time about writing. I even flunked out of college the first time. Too much beer, too many parties. But a few years after that I went back and finished and became a newspaper journalist – a professional writer getting paid to do it. It wasn’t until a few years before I went to graduate school that I started writing short stories. Now I have written eight novels and three have been published, but the first one was written just five years ago. Eight in five years—not bad. That’s the power of motivation and commitment. That’s how novels get written. You write on one every day and you never give up. You adopt Tom Petty’s lyrics as a mantra — “You can stand me up at the gates of hell but I won’t back down.”

1. Chloe, when people read about you in I Kissed a Dog, they seem to either adore you or hate you. How do you feel about that?

(soft laugh) I can’t say I’m surprised. I can be a bit of a brat, and my sarcasm hasn’t won me any awards. I think it was the way I was brought up. I was rushed off to a child psychologist simply for having strong feelings. I love my mom, my stepdad, too. They’re just so anti-emotion. I’m not sure how else to describe them. They weren’t sure how to handle me and my moodiness. Even as an adult, I’m sure my mood swings and strong opinions can be annoying, but let’s face it; I’ve been through a lot. I came out of my coma with more than the ability to chat with animals, as if that wasn’t enough; I was impacted in too many ways to possibly share. And to put it bluntly, I’m not here to win a popularity contest, most days I’m just trying to survive and stay out of trouble. I’m sorry if you find me offensive, bitchy, or annoying; I’m really not trying to be any of those things on purpose. Bottom line, though, knowing that Zane sees me as a “good woman” is what really matters. I’ll never forget the first time he called me that. (deep sigh) His love makes me a better person everyday we’re together. So there’s still hope the haters will grow to like me too. (more soft laughter)

2. Your feelings about Zane were pretty mixed up throughout your story, tell us about that, if you don’t mind … 

I really was confused, wasn’t I? My first major relationship ended so badly that I was terrified to get involved with another man, especially one who seemed so perfect. Zane is beyond gorgeous, he’s thoughtful, kind, charismatic, and he makes me feel like a princess. I guess I simply couldn’t believe he was for real. And if he was the real deal, why in the world would he want a mixed up, emotional woman like me? I guess my self esteem was suffering more than I care to admit. Then came the secrets. Big wolfy secrets. As a multi-cultural woman, I’m all for interracial relationships … but inter-species? I’ve definitely overcome that little concern. I love my werewolf. Now, anyway. I think at first I was confused because everything happened so fast. I’ve never been a big believer in love at first site, but when I saw Zane behind the wheel of that vintage Corvette, something clicked. And no matter how hard I tried to turn it off, the light (love) just kept shining brighter. Corny? Yes. But true. And the danger we faced together only served to strengthen our bond. 

3. What about Valamir, the master vampire? 

We have an exciting Giveaway for you! Just in time for the holidays. We are giving away a Wii U Nintendo gaming system. With the Wii U you can play games while experiencing up to full 1080p HD for the first-time ever on a Nintendo gaming console. And of course, you can interact and share with your friends, family, and the world! The Wii U Game Pad, which connects wirelessly, can also be used as the remote control for your TV.

The Wii U Nintendo Gaming System - New For 2012!

Mommy Bear Media is branching out- we will be bringing you family friendly video games in the very, very near future! You will want to stay tuned for this. Mommy Bear Media offers family themed entertainment to everyone in your family. Mommy Bear Media continues to educate and keep parents informed in regards to good, clean, family entertainment. This is sure to be one of the hottest items this holiday season!

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