Blog Tour // "A Question of Courage"

Hey guys! Welcome to the A Question of Courage blog tour! :D

About the Book

A man. A decision. A destiny.

Rafe Sullivan never imagined the war would come to his doorstep. But when Pearl Harbor is attacked and America's focus suddenly shifts to the Pacific, he finds he can't ignore the problem anymore.

Leaving the life he loves behind, he joins up to do what he does best. Fly.

Yet, nothing could have prepared him for the horrors of war, and the struggle that is going on in his own heart. As an outstanding Navy pilot, he is stationed on one of the few Pacific carriers. But could God be calling him to step out in faith, and go beyond the call of duty?

Lily Wilson gives her all to help the hurting community around her. With the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the war is brought home to many American families. And as a nurse, she longs to be able to relive some of the suffering. Yet, her own grief is still fresh in her heart, and though she's made the decision to get on with her life, she can't seem to leave the past behind. When healing at last comes, the guard she placed around her heart slowly begins to crumble.

But when she receives the news she hoped she would never again hear, can she trust that God's plan is always right?

Arthur Warrington saw the Navy as an escape from the life he left behind. And it seems good for him. He is able to forge new friendships and distance himself from his past. But when his best friend makes a decision that rocks his world, he is left grappling with the question: what is true courage?

Three lives. One War. And the search for the Courage to go on.

Sounds really cool, right?! :D Well, I haven't read this one, but I read the first book in this series which is A Question of Honor. :) Here's my review for that one:

I absolutely loved A Question of Honor! I don't think that I have ever read a book set during World War II before, but I thought Miss Wheaton did a fantastic job! :D

The story is told from three points of view: an American pilot, a little Jewish girl, and a Nazi. I loved seeing everything from their perspective. And the characters are very well done. You can clearly see how the war is affecting each one of them, and how they change over the course of the book.

One of the things I love to see in characters is internal struggle or man vs. self. Especially, when they are struggling so much that it begins to affect their actions. Two of the main characters struggle in this way. And Miss Wheaton wrote them so well, that you can't help but feel for them.

So, if you like emotional and character-driven stories, this book just might be for you. :)

About the Author

Jesseca is a daughter, sister, and a child of God. Her days are spent reading, cooking, spending time with siblings, or playing piano. And writing, of course! At an early age words fascinated her, and her love for the printed pages has only grown. She lives with her parents and seven siblings in the sunny state of Kansas, and she's convinced there's no place like home.

And guess what? I have the privilege of interviewing the lovely author!! :D

I'm so glad you could join us here today, Jesseca. :) My first question for is, how did you discover your love for writing?

Well, a few years ago my dad had been going through some health problems, and life was pretty stressful. Around that time, and author I loved had a writing contest. So, I decided to try my hand at writing. It became my escape from life, in a way. I didn’t win the contest, but it was through this that I realized how much I loved writing. Now, I write whenever I have a  spare minute. I’m not sure I could stop if I wanted to!
 

What inspired you to write your Questions of War series?

A picture on pinterest. Or two, rather. One had a couple telling each other goodbye. The other had a little girl sitting on the lap of a soldier. I put them aside and decided that someday I’d write a story about them. Well, one day I decided to try and short story about the characters. Let’s just say, it ended up being a lot longer than I ever imagined. ;)

Who was your favorite character to write/work with, and why?

Ohh, that’s a hard question! As of right now, Probably Rafe Sullivan, from “A Question of Courage.” He was so much fun to write, and a nice balance of someone who was serious and yet teasing as well, depending on his mood. Plus, he loved Kansas just as much as I do.

Why did you choose to self-publish?

The idea of having control over the publishing process was what really appealed to me. Though, the first time I attempted it, I didn’t realize how much that included. The cover, editing, formatting, etc. It’s definitely more work that you have to either do, or hire others to do, but at the same time I still like the fact that you as the author can make the final decisions.

What do you do in your spare time?

If I’m not reading, I’m writing. If I’m not writing, I’m probably cooking or baking. I also work as a babysitter and enjoy spending time with my family. Normally you’ll either find us  at the library, or hiking at a state park.

Do you have any advice for aspiring indie authors?

Share your work with others who you trust. Get their feedback. That is one of the best ways to improve. And keep writing. We all have those first stories that we’d never let anyone read. Writing is just like everything else. It takes work, but it’s so worth it!

And that's a wrap, people! Here's the tour schedule, so be sure to go and check out the other participants posts! :)

Wednesday, November 29th

Faith Potts // Stories by Firefly- Review + books spotlight

Libby May // Geoturtle- Author interview

Kaitlyn S. // Maidens for Modesty

Thursday, November 30th

Kellyn Roth // Reveries Reviews- Review

Raechel // God's Peculiar Treasure Rae- Book spotlight

Kate // Twin Thoughts-Author interview

Friday, December 1st

Liv K. Fisher // Liv K. Fisher- Book spotlight + author interview

Deborah C. // Reading in June- Book spotlight

Mikayla H. // Ordinary Girl, Extraordinary Father- Review

Chloe W. // Purely by Faith Reviews- Review + author interview

Abigail // Novels, Dragons, and Wardrobe Doors- Book spotlight

Saturday, December 2nd

Jazzy // Thriving Hope- Review + book spotlight

Angela Watts // The Peculiar Messenger- Review

Rebekah Eddy // Rebekah's Remarks- book spotlight + review + author interview

Karyssa Norton // No Coffee, No Can Do- Review + author interview

Keep Going!!

So here we are, with less than a week left of NaNoWriMo. I don't know about you guys, but that went by kinda fast.

Today's post was inspired by Jem Jones post she did about a week and half ago.

Some of you may have already won NaNo (and if you did congrats! :D), some of you may be right on track, and some of you might be behind (don't worry, you're not alone. I'm right there with you).

So today, I'm going to share some writing prompts with you. Like me, some of you may be struggling to write, or you just don't know what to write next. I'm hoping at least one of these will give you some ideas. :)

I hope one of those inspired something! Go ahead and take one of these prompts and write a scene using your main characters. You may not think you could use it in your novel, but you never know. I did it the other day, and after I finished the scene, I realized that I just might be able to use it in my novel! :D But even if you can't, it will help you get to know your characters better.

Don't be afraid to stretch your creativity either! If one of these made you laugh, turn it into a sad scene instead, or vice versa. Have fun with it! :)


So how is NaNo going to for you? Which one of these prompts was your favorite? Do you think you'll try to use it?

Watercolors

Hey everyone! I know this isn't the normal day I would post, but I have something I wanted to share with you all. :)

Just the other day I got a package. And in the package were some watercolor paintings I got from my friend Sarah Grace! :D They are so beautiful and amazing!! <33 Here, take a look for yourself:

They're even more beautiful in person. :) *sighs* I'm in love with them. I guess you could say it was "love at first sight". ;)

Not to mention, Sarah Grace is self taught! And you know what else? You can get a painting too! Yup, that's right, she sells her artwork. :D She's on Amazon and Etsy. Also, she's running a Christmas sale from November 13th through the end of the year. 15% off any purchase, plus free shipping on orders over $30! :D

And because I know you want to get one of these fabulous paintings, here are the links:

Amazon

Etsy

You should go buy a watercolor painting! *nods* I mean, Christmas is right around the corner. ;)




On a side note, I know I haven't been posting regularly, but I'm hoping to fix that soon. I have a few blog posts I'm working on, and if all goes well, one of them will go up this Saturday. Hopefully. :)

"Bound" by Victoria Lynn // Blog Tour

Hey everyone! Welcome to the Bound blog tour! :D

Now, to get started, here's a little about the book (cover is on the banner):


Two souls don't find each other by simple accident ~ Jorge Luis Borges ~

Levi thought he was making this journey alone. But when he meets an eight-year-old girl at the train station, that plan is turned on its head.

Casey is running away and finds out that Levi is too. They decide to journey together and their lives are suddenly bound together in a journey they will not soon forget.

Both children come from abusive situations and are running from the dangers of their previous life. Levi is confident he can handle this on his own, but when Casey is injured on the journey, he must seek help from the first person that comes into his path, or rather people. Mr. and Mrs. Bellworth are simple farm folk with a heart for kids and a passion for serving God. When their unconditional love and gentle care surrounds Levi and Casey, the troubles of their previous lives melt away and they start to flourish. But when Casey is dragged back into the abusive world she came from, the emotional trauma, pain and distrust resurfaces. Will they be forever bound by their past? Or will God answer their prayers?


At the beginning of this year, Victoria Lynn published Bound on her blog chapter by chapter. That's where I first read it. Guys, you need to read it, it's amazing!! It's one of my all time favorites. That's how good it is!

I reviewed Bound here on my blog back in April, and you can find that HERE.

It's also available in paperback and Kindle on Amazon.

About the Author

Victoria Lynn is in her 20s and if she's not writing, she is probably sewing, singing, playing the piano, washing dishes, creating something with her hands, or learning something new. She has a passion for serving her Creator, encouraging others and being creative. She blogs at www.rufflesandgrace.com about writing, fashion, modesty, her walk with God and life. She lives in Michigan with her parents and 8 siblings.

Blog // Website // Facebook // Goodreads // Pinterest

Doesn't she sound so cool?! I knew you would agree, so I today I will be interviewing this lovely author. It's so exciting to have her here! :D

So, Victoria, my first question is, why do you write?

Mostly for the enjoyment of it. I enjoy crafting worlds, people, and stories in my brain. I have always loved doing that, even before I was able to write them down.

And how did you discover your love for writing?

I have always loved it. Creative writing is something I excelled at when I was even very small and would write for school. I was never really assigned anything, but I got to do it for the fun of it. I never thought I would publish anything. I just wrote because I loved it.

What inspired your book Bound?

A picture prompt started it off. I published that on my blog but there were so many ideas still spinning that I decided to keep writing. Thus, a novel was born. :D

What is your favorite part of the writing and publishing process?

The original writing part. Publishing involves very little creativity except for the cover design and is a lot of info packed into my brain. Making sure all of the details are perfect is not my forte. But I do it because the end result is worth it.

What is your favorite genre to write in?

I always just say Christian fiction because that umbrella extends over everything. I enjoy modern suspense, inspiration fiction, Historical settings and I enjoy the occasional fantasy story.

What do you do in your spare time?

I don't have much spare time, LOL! But when I do, curling up with a tv show or a good book would probably be what I do generally. I also love to watch youtube tutorials galore. Makeup and hair tutorials are so fun for me. I could get lost for hours easy.

And finally, do you have any advice for aspiring indie authors?

Honestly, I would just say keep writing. Just write write write. Learn your craft and practice it. You can read all of the books about writing in the world, but you won't become good at it until you actually practice it. I would also say, don't worry about publishing until you have polished your book as much as you possible can.

And that's it! Thank you so much for being with us today, Victoria! :D

Thank you so much, Karyssa! I am so happy you asked me to "visit" your blog! Thank you for reading my book and for your kind words! That encouragement means a lot to me!

And before you guys go, Victoria Lynn is hosting a giveaway!

Grand Prize Winner will receive:

(open to US only)

~ A signed paperback copy of Bound

~ A T-shirt of your choice from Victoria's Zazzle shop

~ A mystery chocolate care package

3 Second Place Winners will receive:

(open worldwide)

~ A free e-book copy of both Bound and London in the Dark

You can enter by clicking here.

What are you still doing here? Go buy a copy of this amazing book! :D

NANOWRIMO 2017 // About My Novels

So there's only 10 more days until NaNo?!?! How did that happen? Who's excited? :D I am! I can't wait until it starts like COULD IT JUST START NOW? XD

No? Well, in the meantime, I'll just tell you about the novels I'm going to be writing for NaNoWriMo. Look at me, being willing to tell you about novels I know nothing about. :P You may think I'm kidding, but I haven't done as much outlining as I would have liked to by now. But I know enough to get me started. . . I think.

I even made a collage for two of them! Please don't set your expectations too high, because I'm not very artsy. And they're really to help give you a better idea of what the novel is about, anyway. So. . . bare with me here.

Progeny

Genre: Christian/Young Adult

So if you've been following me for awhile now, more than likely, you've heard me talk about my novel Strangers. And if you've read my writings page, then you know that Strangers is the first book of a series.

Progeny, is the second book. And I can't really tell you much about this one because SPOILERS. XD Not necessarily for this one, but more for Strangers. I will say though, that in Progeny, Lacey has amnesia. *gasp* But I'm not telling you anymore than that. *evil laugh*

Storyboard on Pinterest- I just started it recently so there's not much on there except for a few characters. :P     

Lowlife

Genre: Contemporary/Adult Fiction

Derek is all alone. His parents died four years ago, and his only living family was an uncle who can't even support himself, much less him. A man took him in and taught him to fight, and now Derek is forced to participate in illegal fights to pay off his parents' debt.

One day, Derek meets Eliora (nicknamed "Ellie"), a naive girl who just moved into the area, and he can't seem to get rid of her.

That's pretty much all I have right now. Here's the collage I made for it:

Storyboard on Pinterest

Note: I can't take credit for this title because one of my friends actually came up with it for me. Whenever I'm struggling to come up with a title, which feels like it's every novel, I go to them for help. I also bounce title ideas off them, and they're always extremely helpful. You all should have a friend like this. :)

The War Between Us

Genre: Fantasy

Amaia has always been told to stay away from the people in the forest, but never knew why. One day, she comes across one of them and he's hurt. Unable to just let him die, she helps him. To show his gratitude, he offers to show her his world, but only if she promises not to tell anyone. Amaia agrees, and all too soon, she finds herself caught in the middle of a war.

This is going to be my first time trying to write fantasy, so I'm excited and also interested in how it will turn out. :) Here's the collage I made for this novel:

Storyboard on Pinterest



And there you have it. The three novels I'm going to write for NaNoWriMo. :) On a side note, today happens to be the exact day I decided to do NaNo last year. :D

So what about you? Are you doing NaNoWriMo? What are you writing for NaNo? Which one of my novels is your favorite?