Book Review : Blowing on Dandelions by MiraLee Ferrell

Hi friends,

 It has been awhile since I have posted. My computer died and I am borrowing one now. I wanted
to share a quick review of a book I just read. This is my first time reading a book by this author. The book is called Blowing on Dandelions by MiraLee Ferrell. I really enjoyed this story, it was the kind of book that draws you in right from the first page.

 
It brings you into the year 1880 in Oregon where a recently widowed mom of two young girls is working hard to keep her boarding house running. Raising her two young daughters is a full time job but add in boarders and then her mom (who has always been very critical) decides to move in with them. Katherine's mom was only coming for a visit, but now she has to tolerate her mother on a daily basis. I really connected with Katherine as a character. I understood her struggle to love her mom, yet stand up for herself, asking for prayer from a group of her friends, her need for love in her life....yet not knowing if she could open up since losing her husband. I also connected with her heart in raising her girls. Wanting to love them and have them open up to her, yet teach them the right way to live.

You will also meet a hard working man named Micah. He too is a widower that is bitter toward God. He struggles to work and provide and things out of his control make it difficult. He loves his son and is raising him to do the right thing. Can he be both a dad and mom to his teen son?

Blowing on Dandelions was not a typical book you find in every book store. I even liked the image of dandelions scattered through the pages. It is a sweet story that has love, pain, devastation, loss, joy, friends and the love of God. I really liked most of the characters and enjoyed the way the story of God's mercy, love and forgiveness flowed. It brought me back to a Little House on the Prairie type feel. Good, Hard-working people that love the Lord and had good morals. Of course you throw in some characters to stir the pot.

I cannot wait for the next in the series, and for me....this one is a keeper. On my bookshelf it goes!

So what are you reading? What up and coming books are you patiently waiting to be released? For me, I am so excited for MaryLu Tyndall's newest book...Elusive Hope. I just love the cover! I really enjoyed Forsaken Dreams, which is the first in the series.....and now Elusive Hope is almost here!!! If you haven't tried these authors look them up at christianbook.com , Amazon.com  or Deepershipping.com. I know there are lots of places to purchase them.

What is your favorite Bible story or Hero/Heroine?

I just love God's Word. I guess to some that might sound strange. I have read my Bible since I was a little girl. I remember age 9-10 not understanding a lot of what I read and in my teens..but I still read it. Many things I did understand. Now, still so much I do not understand...but God really brings out new things to me when I read a story I have read a hundred times. Like Noah and the ark or Jesus being arrested. It is amazing the little things I didn't catch or comprehend the hundred previous times.
 
  Lately, I have had such a burning to read and understand more, to just know God. I want to read
and read...it is like looking at God's heart. What an amazing book. I was sitting here thinking that I haven't posted in awhile but was really thinking about all the amazing things I have been reading recently. Like the story of Gomer. My goodness...what an amazing story of love, redemption, mercy and forgiveness. The parable of the 10 virgins, 5 were ready when the Lord called, 5 thought they were ready...but weren't. Mary Magdalene, Esther, Ruth, Elijah. David, Stephen ...it just goes on and on.

 I thought why not ask all of you...what is your favorite and wh?. I know mine and don't want to ruin or take your answers...I would love to hear your thoughts on your favorites  =)

Home

I have been on the road for the past 2 weeks. I told you about going for the mini-mission trip 2
weeks ago. Last week we went to WV for a revival. It was about 5 hours away from where we live. It was great! We met new people, had many salvations and several filled with the Holy Spirit. The church was small, but very friendly. They had a good mix of kids, teens, parents and grandparents. I know God is going to use them...they sure love Him very much!
  
  It feels so good to be home though. God really touched me during the revival and I am  so
thankful. It was nice to get a break from work and all of my church responsibilities and we didn't bring school work with us (we homeschool). We had services Wed-Sun morning...but I didn't have to teach etc. I did help sing though. I missed my church a lot. It is like my little family.

Home....such a comforting place. I am a person that does not generally like change. I like my day to
day routine, I like to know where I am going. I guess this is due to moving so much growing up. I often think how nice it would have been to be born and raised in the same area. To know everyone there, go to school with the same people etc. I have been blessed though...seeing many places, living in different areas and meeting so many different people. Coming home just feels good, even when you don't want to leave...just the first night back in your own bed....knowing everything is in its place...great feeling for me.

Lately I have felt even more.....this world isn't my home. I am not comfortable here. I cannot wait
to get out of here and be with the Lord. There was an old song my parents would play on a record....Lord, I want to go home. It sounds a little morbid if you don't understand what I am saying. I don't want to die...I just want to be with Jesus, to hear Him say "well done, thou good and faithful servant". I cannot imagine just being in His presence. I long for Him, to sit at His feet, to worship Him. To see those that have gone before me....and yet, I feel...not yet Lord. There are so many that are not ready...so many left to tell. Help me Lord to reach out to them while there is still time.

 Do you ever long to go home? Do you feel comfortable here? Are you ready to go when the
trumpet sounds? If not, it sure is easy to have Jesus come into your heart. He is what will make Heaven home. Not the place, but Him. All you have to do is ask Him to come into your heart, to forgive you of all the bad things you have done. Tell Him you believe that He died on the cross for you and that you believe He is in Heaven waiting for you. He loves you and wants you to come home with Him one day soon!
 

Life goes by so fast....BUSY

I have not been posting lately...my excuse? BUSY.....no time. I am sure your life is a lot like mine. Always running from one thing to the next, work, kids, church,bills to pay, phone calls to make, e-mails to check etc. It just seems the older I get the busier life has become. I am not saying it is a bad thing...just trying to slow down a bit so I can enjoy life.
 
We just got home from a mini-mission trip. We went to help a new church get started. We had
prayer on Friday night, and helped them do last minute touches on their building. Saturday we went out all day and knocked on doors, inviting people to service. This was out in the country so a lot of hills and farms we walked.

We met some of the sweetest people. One lady (Faye) was 91 years old and lived alone. She was really weak due to her heart. It took her about 10 minutes to get to the door, but she yelled, " I'm coming, don't leave! " What a sweet lady to visit with.She begged us not to forget her, and even asked us to pray for her husband of 60 years that was abusive. He no longer lived with her, but she said that he needed Jesus.

 We met many people like this, just looking to talk to someone, they wanted someone to pray or just sit with them a few minutes. I asked them if we could do something for them before we left and they all said no. They were not looking for money, or workers, or a hand out. Just a friend. They felt lonely, no one to spend time with or talk to. They told us we could come back and visit any time and very often.

 It was a wonderful experience, yet it made me sad at the same time. I knew I didn't live in this area
and I personally would not be back to visit them. I did let them know this and also told them I would give their information to the pastor and that someone would come and visit with them. But, have I become too busy? I mean, I teach Sunday School, Children's church as well as the Youth and Young Adults. I go to the prayer meetings and all services. I help with the food pantry, fund raisers, I am the VBS director, I visit the sick and send cards and post cards out...and so many different things for the church. I deliver food baskets, go Christmas caroling, direct the kid's Christmas play, sing in the choir, on the worship team and on for the emsemble...and this could go on. I love doing it all....but I think I need to slow down on some of it and just go sit with those in the area I don't know yet.

 Isn't this what being a Christian is all about? I help and do many things to reach out and visit those
I know of...but I know I need to go out on my own and knock on doors and just let people know Jesus loves them and I am here to pray for them, spend time with them and just love them. Can't I spare 10 minutes a day...or maybe fit in a hour a week?

Lord, help me to be your hands, your feet. Help me not to be to busy to go to love people that need it. If I don't go...who will?

Have you ever felt to busy to do the basic thing God has called us to do?

Who are your favorite authors?

Reading....something I have always enjoyed. I remember sitting in the kitchen each night while my mom would cook. I would have reading homework. I looked forward to reading the chapter or two I was given...but not allowed to go any further. That was so frustrating to me....lol. Later on in life my mom admitted that it frustrated her as well. She wanted to know how the story would end.
  Now, I don't like waiting. I am the kind of girl that will stay up until 5 am just
to finish a book. My sleepy eyes fighting to stay awake for one more chapter! I get so wrapped up in my books. I personally love reading my Bible, some classics, and Historical Christian Fiction. Right now I read many authors but have some favorites. They include Gilbert Morris, MaryLu Tyndall, Karen Witemeyer, Tracie Peterson, Cathy Marie Hake, Tamera Alexander, Lynn Austin, Lauraine Snelling and so on. I have enjoyed so many books by these authors and have many of their books in my bookshelves.

I just finished reading To Win Her Heart by Karen Witemeyer. I really enjoyed it...I didn't want it to end!

I am now waiting for a pre-buy from MaryLu Tyndall I purchased several months ago. It will release March 1st...and I am not being so patient. This cover was so beautiful! I have to admit that is the first reason I wanted to buy it. This one is called Forsaken Dreams and as soon as I read it I will post a review. Only 10 days now......come on March 1st!!  Forsaken Dreams can be purchased now at Amazon.com, Christianbook.com and many other places!


After Forsaken Dreams I hope to read Rosa's Land by Gilbert Morris.

So my questions to you are: Who is your favorite author or authors? What are you reading? Which book/books are you looking forward to reading?

Q & A with Christian Author MaryLu Tyndall and chance to win her newest release Forsaken Dreams

Forsaken Dreams and Author Q&A with MaryLu Tyndall!!

Check out Forsaken Dreams, book one in the exciting new Escape to Paradise fiction series by MaryLu Tyndall!

Embark on a seafaring adventure as a disillusioned colonel and a hopeful widow seek a fresh start on the shores of Brazil. Colonel Grant Wallace cannot leave his once precious Southern homeland fast enough. After witnessing the death and destruction of the Civil War, he charters a ship and sets sail for the pristine shores of Brazil, eager to start afresh in a new land. Widow Eliza Crawford boards the ship NewHope harboring a dirty secret and a blossoming hope within her heart for a new life away from old memories. But once at sea, troubles abound. Will Grant overcome his demons of bitterness and rage? Can Eliza find the peace she longs for?

________________________________________________________________________

Get to Know the Author!
MaryLu Tyndall, a Christy Award Finalist, and best-selling author of the Legacy of the King’s Pirates series is known for her adventurous historical romances filled with deep spiritual themes. She holds a degree in math and worked as a software engineer for fifteen years before testing the waters as a writer. MaryLu currently writes full time and makes her home on the California coast with her husband, six kids, and four cats. Her passion is to write page-turning, romantic adventures that not only entertain but open people's eyes to their God-given potential. MaryLu is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America.





Author Q & A:

1. How would you describe your new series Escape to Paradise?
An adventurous, romantic tale about a group of Confederates, wounded in both body and soul, who flee the destruction of the South after the Civil War for greener pastures in Brazil, but who find much more than they bargained for, both on the trip there and once they arrive.

2. What inspired the storyline for your new series?

History. Nearly three million Southerners migrated from the devastation of the South following the Civil War. Close to twenty thousand of them went to Brazil where the Emperor welcomed them with open arms, the farm land was plentiful, and the temperate climate mimicked their own weather back home. Though most ended up returning home, several thousand remained, and their descendants still live there today. Their struggles to create a new Southern Utopia in the heart of Brazil make for a fascinating story!

3. How is this series different from your previous series?

Escape to Paradise is like nothing I’ve ever written before. The six main characters, the hero and heroine in each book, have a huge presence in each of the three books, so by the end of the series, the reader will know them all really well, as well as several of the secondary characters. Secondly, and more importantly, this series contains a lot of supernatural elements—curses, angels, visions, demonic battles—which I have not put in any of my other books.

4. What type of research did you have to do for Forsaken Dreams?

Surprisingly, not much has been written about this particular historic event. I did find a couple of great books on Amazon. I was also able to locate some original source material, which is a researcher’s dream: three journals written by actual Confederates who traveled to Brazil. Then of course I studied the flora, fauna, cuisine, customs, religion, climate, topography, and history of Brazil and Rio de Janeiro. I tried to talk my husband into funding a trip to Rio (For purely research purposes, of course) but he wasn’t buying it! :) I also studied the Civil War, clothing and customs of the time period, and, in particular, of the South.

5. What are the most interesting facts that you learned while researching and writing Forsaken Dreams?
There is a city in Brazil called Americana, which was founded by migrant confederates in the late 19^th century. To this day, the inhabitants still speak a mixture of English and Portuguese and celebrate American holidays by playing “Dixie”, while some of the local women dress in big-bustled skirts for dancing. President Carter visited the city in 1972, after discovering its little known history, and he was reportedly brought to tears by the American influences he found there.

6. What surprises do your fans have to look forward to in your new series?

An exotic locale, powerful secrets held by each character, a strong spiritual theme that runs through all three books, cannibals, evil temples, visions, angels, demons, prophecies, and a supernatural battle. Doesn’t sound like romance novels, does it? Yet, readers can still expect to find all the adventure and romance they normally enjoy from one of my books.

7. Do you have a favorite character in Forsaken Dreams? Why?
Yes. The heroine, Eliza Crawford. She’s all the things so many of us want to be: strong, independent, smart, caring, selfless. But she has a fatal flaw—one which I can relate to very much, and one I’m hoping others will relate to as well. She wants to live life on her own terms. She wants to do things her way and follow her own heart and will. She doesn’t want to be told what to do by anyone, especially God. Consequently, she disobeyed her father and ran off to marry a man who was all wrong for her, an action that cost her and others dearly. Still, she struggles with an independent spirit that refuses to submit to God, even when she knows His will is best. Sound familiar? It does to me!

8. What message would you like your readers to take away after reading Forsaken Dreams?
There are several messages woven into Forsaken Dreams. Forgiveness, letting go of bitterness, running away from God, but I would say the main message is that submission to God and His will is the only thing that brings true happiness.

9. Most of your stories revolve around swashbuckling pirates and sea captains. What draws you to write about them?
Actually I only have one pirate series, but a good majority of my books have several scenes set at sea. Ever since I was a child growing up on the shores of South Florida, I have loved the sea and especially the tall ships of old. To me, there’s something very romantic and adventurous about those magnificent sailing ships and the men and women who journeyed on them in search of new lands.

10. What are some of the challenges you face as an author?

Meeting deadlines! I never feel like I can take a break and just relax when there’s a deadline shouting at me from my computer. Other challenges come in the form of negative reviews and harsh comments, most of which I’ve learned over the years to ignore. However, the occasional one slips through and stabs my heart. Then there’s the marketing aspect of being an author, which is most definitely my weakest skill. I’ve never been very good at selling myself, or in fact, selling anything, to anyone. :)

11. What aspects of being a writer do you enjoy the most?
The writing! Coming up with new stories and settings, and especially great characters. But my favorite part is putting those characters into impossible situations that I would never survive personally, but ones in which they must survive! Those hours I spend at my computer with my head and my heart in a distant land, living life through my characters, are the happiest moments of my day. What a great job I have!! I get to live in a fantasy world of my own making. God is good!

12. What clubs or organizations are you involved with to help with your writing?
American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America. However I receive most of the help I need from other writers who I’ve grown close to over the years. It’s so wonderful to have an online support group of people who understand what I’m going through and who can offer suggestions and help and who can lift me up in prayer when needed.

13. What new projects are on the horizon?
Forsaken Dreams is the first in a trilogy entitled Escape to Paradise, so I’m currently working on the last two books in the series. After that, I’ll be in God’s good favor as to what He wants me to write next. :)

14. What was your favorite book as a child?
Can I have three? The Last of the Mohicans, The Count of Monte Cristo, and Pride and Prejudice.

15. What is your greatest achievement?
My children. Although I really can’t take credit for them turning out as well as they have. That was God. But they are my life and my true loves, and I can’t imagine my world without them.

16. What do you do to get away from it all?
Go to the beach. Although it’s not as warm here in California as it was in Florida where I grew up, I love sitting in the sand and gazing out over the foamy waves and smelling the salty air and feeling the wind on my face. It makes me realize how big God is and how small I am, yet how much He truly loves me.

17. And, finally, where can your readers find you online?
You can sign up for my e-newsletter on my website at www.marylutyndall.com, and my blog is crossandcutlass.blogspot.com where I post all sorts of things from book giveaways and book information to articles and devotional thoughts. I have a Facebook group called MaryLu Tyndall: Swashbuckling Romance, and I’m on Twitter: @MaryLuTyndall. Hope to connect with you all!

Check out MaryLu's blog Friday, February 7, to learn more about the hero from Forsaken Dreams, Blake Wallace, and comment for a chance to win a copy of the book

A Russian Missionary Team Dinner

Okay so this is all I have time to share tonight (Have to get my Sunday School lesson etc ready)...but tonight we met early for revival. We started at 5pm with a dinner. It wasn't your normal church dinner with the fried chicken, baked hams, all the steaming hot veggies, mashed potatoes with butter melting all on the top, the rolls, desserts, drinks...you name it....This was a dinner that our missionary friends would have in Russia.
   It was a pot of soup. It had very few veggies and a little chicken in it. No rice or noodles...no cream. It tasted wonderful....but what you didn't see is the serving sizes. A very small bowl. A half of a thin slice of bread..a little jelly..some pickle slices, a little cole slaw...and some thin wafer type cookies for dessert. Hot tea for your drink.
  Well it doesn't sound too bad...but when you are in the cold and haven't eaten anything all day...and just a small portion...sure makes you think how blessed you really are. Tonight there of course were seconds...and for some 3rds. Everyone could have extra bread and cookies....plenty of pickles....but that isn't so in Russia...and def not on the missionary team.
  It was very humbling....and I felt blessed that I could get a little vision of what it was like. I
asked the Lord to help me never take for granted the blessings he has given me...and that I would be able to help more people with what I have.
  The soup was delicious, and everyone was really blessed by it...but it sure changes your outlook. Here is a picture of the large pot of soup. You will see how clear the broth is..and won't find much in it...you can see the spoon though