Carol Moncado

From the back of the book:

Behind every broken vow lies a broken heart.

When Eric and Kyra Yoshida first met, they thought their love would last forever. But like many marriages, theirs has gradually crumbled, one thoughtless comment and misunderstanding at a time, until the ultimate betrayal pushes them beyond reconciliation. Though Eric longs to reunite with Kyra, the only woman he has truly loved, he has no idea how to repair the damage that’s been done.

Then a car accident erases part of Kyra’s memory—including her separation from Eric—and a glimmer of hope rises from the wreckage. Is this a precious opportunity for the fresh start Eric has longed for? Does he even deserve the chance to find forgiveness and win back Kyra’s heart . . . or will the truth blow up in his face, shattering their last hope for happiness? A richly engaging story of betrayal and redemption, Dry as Rain illuminates with striking emotional intensity the surprising truth of what it means to forgive.

I read Gina’s freshman novel, Crossing Oceans, several months ago and was very, very impressed. I didn’t review, and can’t honestly recommend it, but that’s ONLY because of the subject matter [Mom with young daughter, Mom dying of cancer] and how it hit WAAAAAAAAY too close to home for me [Mom died of cancer when I was 10; had I realized what the plotline was, I would have steered clear – but all I saw was friends I trusted gushing about it so read it without reading the back cover – by the time I realized I probably shouldn’t have started it, Gina had sucked me completely in, which says scads about the quality of the writing].

But the writing was so good, that when Gina put out a call for influencers for her sophomore offering, Dry as Rain, I jumped over to Amazon to check it out.

The topic was quite different and something I thought I’d find interesting. A marriage in shambles, but then she [Kyra] has a car accident leaving her with partial amnesia – mainly that their marriage is little more than a farce by that point. In fact, Eric isn’t even living at home anymore.

Everyone in Kyra’s life goes along with the doctor’s orders not to tell her what she doesn’t remember but to let her remember on her own. To an extent that feels almost plot device-y to me, but I’ll give Gina the benefit of the doubt – that a doc really would say that [especially since my experience with amnesia is mostly on TV – where it’s rarely more than a plot device ;)].

So no one tells Kyra what’s going on. The whole book is written in first person from Eric’s point of view, so we never really see what Kyra is thinking or feeling about the whole matter. But in Eric’s mind, he’s getting a second chance to fix everything that was broken – if he can truly figure out what it is.

Dry As Rain is just as well written as Crossing Oceans. I was sucked in and didn’t put it down until I was finished.

I think this is classified more as Women’s Fiction [though the main character is male] rather than romance, but I still expected a happily ever after, which I got. I don’t, as a general rule, read tons of WF, but I enjoyed this one and would recommend it to friends who like more serious tones in their reading.

Overall: 8 out of 10 stars

Thanks to Gina and Tyndale for a free copy in exchange for influencing. This is my unbiased opinion.

Like gobsmacked. But by God.

[Gobsmacked means astounded or astonished, by the way. In case you weren’t 100% sure. Like  me. 😉 And it’s derived from the words gob [apparently Irish for mouth] and smacked [to hit] – but that’s a bit easier to figure ;).]

So God’s been smacking me upside the head with some stuff lately.

Janice Thompson mentioned something the other day about God preparing her for “Such a time as this”. Okay. Cool. And I love Janice’s books. So it’s all good.

But then Jody Hedlund [who I also love!] was on a blog called “Esther’s Destiny: For Such a Time as This“.

And if that weren’t enough… I was sitting at Panera on Tuesday and the ladies at the table next to me were Bible-studying and guess what I heard them mention in between songs?

You got it.

Esther 4:14 – For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?” [NIV – bold added]

I talked to the ladies for a minute when they were done and they were quite pleased to hear that they’d encouraged me as well.

So, okay, God. You’re preparing me for something. For such a time as this. I’ve not heard the phrase in… well, I don’t know when the last time I really noticed it, but three times in two days? Time to sit up and listen.

And then… Yesterday on my way to work, the words of Voice of Truth by Casting Crowns resonated with me.

But the giant’s calling out my name and he laughs at me
Reminding me of all the times I’ve tried before and failed
The giant keeps on telling me, time and time again, “Boy, you’ll never win.”
“You’ll never win.”

But the voice of truth tells me a different story
The voice of truth says, “Do not be afraid!”
The voice of truth says, “This is for My glory”
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth.

Easier said than done, right? Well something Ruthy* said over on Seekerville resonated with me and we emailed. She said the things I needed hearing. Reminding me that stinkin’ thinkin’ has no place in a child of the King. A joint heir with Jesus.

I’m getting there. Really. Well, sort of. I’m trying.

Yesterday’s positive thought of the day on my local Christian radio station was Jeremiah 31:25, from The Message:

 I’ll refresh tired bodies; I’ll restore tired souls.

And it spoke to me as well. Except I was tired. Both mentally and physically. And to know that God promises to refresh and restore? Pretty incredible. Especially after the very down day I had Wednesday. I could use refreshing and restoring!

How it all ties together?

I’m not entirely certain. Except I know God is in this thing. Whatever it ends up being. That my certainty of being rejected forever is completely off-base. Sure, the proposals I sent out in the last couple of weeks may not end up in offers of representation, but I’m supposed to be writing. I know this as sure as I know my name. Surer than that sometimes ;).

Psalm 37:4 says, “Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.” [NIV]

Does that mean He’ll give you what your heart desires? Or that He’ll place the desires in your heart in the first place?

I’m not entirely certain, but either way this is the desire of my heart.

So it’s off to the Word file to pray the words will come. And to use banana clips. Because apparently the 80s are coming back. New York Times best-selling author Erica Vetsch**said so.

And because both the book and this post needed a touch of comic relief ;).

*That’s Ruth Logan Herne to the Seekerville uninitiated.

**Erica Vetsch rocks. Plus she has the coolest tag line. Stories that testify to love. It’s had me singing Avalon’s Testify to Love for days and made me dig through the old WoW CDs until I found it and loaded them all to my laptop ;). Gotta turn on some Avalon!

I have had the privilege of getting to know Janice Thompson just a bit through her Facebook fan pages and a couple of conversations at the recent ACFW Conference. She has a wonderful heart and a great sense of humor – and it shows in all of her books. These are the 5th and 6th books of hers I’ve read and most certainly won’t be the last! She’s over on Pentalk today – be sure to check it out!

Stars Collide

From the Back Cover:

Her future’s so bright, she’s gotta wear shades

Kat Jennings and Scott Murphy don’t just play two people who are secretly in love on a television sitcom–they are actually head over heels for each other in real life. When the lines between reality and TV land blur, they hope they can keep their relationship under wraps. But when Kat’s grandmother, an eccentric star from Hollywood’s golden age, mistakes their on-screen wedding proposal for the real deal, things begin to spiral out of control. Will their secret be front-page news in the tabloids? And can their budding romance survive the onslaught of paparazzi, wedding preparations, and misinformed family members?

From the soundstage to a Beverly Hills mansion to the gleaming Pacific Ocean, Stars Collide takes you on a roller-coaster tour of Hollywood, packing both comedic punch and tender emotion.

“Stars Collide is a fun-filled romp into Tinseltown with all its quirks and characters. I hope you enjoy this romantic getaway as much as I did.”–Kristin Billerbeck, bestselling author of Perfectly Dateless and What a Girl Wants

“A sweet, funny, fun look at Hollywood behind the scenes, from a talented author. Janice Thompson knows her characters inside and out.”–Lisa Wingate, bestselling author of Larkspur Cove and Beyond Summer

My Review

I received a copy of Hello, Hollywood and was a couple of pages in when I realized that… ACK!!!! IT’S BOOK TWO! But never fear! I knew there Ms. Thompson had several fans in my area [from chatter on one of her Facebook fan pages] so I emailed one of them to see if she might have a copy of Stars Collide I could borrow. To my surprise [and delight!] she mailed me her copy! For keeps!

I’d already read Ms. Thompson’s Weddings by Bella series and loved them, but was a bit wary. You know how it is. You love one series but the next is sometimes a let down.

I should have known better!

Stars Collide is exactly what I would have expected and more. Though I don’t know what specific shows Ms. Thompson might have been alluding to, it was quite fun to “see” my favorite shows in there. Could I have been reading into it? Of course. But it was quite fun anyway.

I loved the way she worked in the backstory, particularly as it relates to Kat’s wonderful grandmother, Lenora Worth. A star in her own right, but slowly succumbing to Alzheimer’s, she is treated with dignity and respect by those who love her – even if she does exasperate them from time to time.

I can unreservedly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good, clean romantic comedy with a bit of a serious side.

8.5 of 10 stars

Hello, Hollywood

From the Back Cover:

When it comes to love, one thing’s for sure–it doesn’t follow a script!

Athena Pappas is the head writer on Stars Collide, one of the most popular sitcoms in television history. But when Vegas comedian Stephen Cosse is brought in to beef up the show’s suddenly sagging ratings, she starts to worry about her job. Sparks fly as the competition–and attraction–between the two writers heats up. Athena has never had a problem writing the romances of her characters. So why is her own love life so hard to script?

With humor and a Hollywood-insider viewpoint, Hello, Hollywood! delivers lots of laughs as Athena and Stephen discover that not being in control of the plot of their lives might just be the best thing that ever happened to them.

“Romance, drama, fun–Hello, Hollywood! has it all.”–Jenny B. Jones, award-winning author of Save the Date and A Charmed Life series

“Thoroughly delightful! A blend of contemporary life and romance with nostalgic snapshots of Hollywood’s golden age. Thompson writes with warmth and humor, creating a world we can all escape to for a little while.”–Rachel Hauck, bestselling and award-winning author of Dining with Joy

My Review

Hello, Hollywood  picks up where Stars Collide leaves off. Athena is the head writer for the show Kat and Scott star in. When the powers that be bring in a new guy, Athena worries her job might be on the line. Stephen has reasons of his own for wanting a steady gig on one of the highest rated TV shows, reasons that aren’t immediately apparent.

Both characters have insecurities that often plague many of us. They work to overcome them with Athena’s big Greek family [think My Big Fat Greek Wedding, among others] and Stephen’s smaller, but still lovable, family, helping in the background.

Plus she scatters Dick Van Dyke references in all over the place! What isn’t to love?!

Be sure to check this one out! Laughs galore with a message of truth built right in.

8.5 of 10 stars

I’m looking forward to book three in this series! I’ve heard it’s about a favorite returning character – but I don’t know what’s official information and what’s not so I’ll stay mum for now ;). But I can’t wait!!!!!

* Guest post by Gail Pallotta

This week kicks off spotlights on those who host the COTT posts! Like me :D. Read on to learn about those of us who support COTT! 

A week and a half ago, I arrived in St. Louis to attend the ACFW Conference. The very cool Cindy Herron rode up with me, accommodating both my need to drive up Wednesday night and my desire to get there before registration closed so I could see who my appointments were with. Lo and behold, the first person I met was none other than

The cookies didn't help me get my hands on the MS...

Candace Calvert! And she was as excited to see me as I was to see her! [though I think that may have had more to do with keeping tabs on me so she’d know if I’d had a chance to snag the thumb drive with her latest manuscript on it.]

But Thursday was when most folks arrived. And when I was sure I’d make a fool of myself.

So I’m standing there. Minding my own business [not really, I was chatting with some other people at the registration desk] and then…

There she was.

Mary Connealy.

Mary! Con! Nealy!

It can’t be! But it is! Be cool, I said to myself. You want to be her when you grow up. You don’t want her to get a restraining order. Would make attending conferences much harder.

Deep breath. Don’t scare her. It’s too late. “Mary Connealy!” I say, unable to stop myself. She’s looking at my nametag. Maybe she won’t recognize me without the avocado green make-up and dreds we talked about. You’re going to be banned from the new Seeker-village if you don’t stay cool. But I have cookies. Everything’s better with cookies, right?

Me and MARY CONNEALY!

And then…

CAROL MONCADO!

She even pronounced it right! [Pause button for a second: I don’t remember if she pronounced it right or not. She may have even just said Carol. But this is how it plays out in my memory. Go with it ;). Push play…]

Now, shake her hand. Don’t jump over the table and tackle her. Extend your hand, nice and slow. You don’t want to hit her.

Mary: Get over here and give me a hug! [Pause button again: Or something to that affect. Don’t want Mary to think I’m purposefully putting words in her mouth ;). Play…]

SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! Don’t squee out loud. Don’t hurdle the table. Walk slowly around and…

Big hug.

Like meeting an old friend. Big deep sigh of relief. She didn’t run screaming away. She seems to still like me. We can even chat for a few minutes without me squealing with child-like glee. In fact, she, like Candace, seems just about as glad to see me as I am to see her. Big deep breaths and back to work at the registration table.

Until a few minutes later when…

RUTHY!

Wash. Rinse. Repeat. With a few more “Oh! My! Stars!” thrown in for good measure. And Cara Lynn James was there, too. And I think it was Audra Harders who took the pictures [they’re a bit fuzzy. Don’t blame Audra. Blame my phone. It takes eons to take a pic and is nearly impossible to hold still].

[Did I mention I met Ruthy BEFORE my newly-discovered twin, Pepper? And that I texted her a pic and she was jealous? At least for a few minutes. Because then Pepper got to hang out with them. I didn’t. Not then anyway.]

Pepper and Ruthy. So cute!

I met SOOOOOO many amazing people. Audra, I think was one of my unexpected favorites. I knew I liked her. I expected to like her. I just didn’t know HOW MUCH I was going to LOVE her! I love Audra! She was so sweet and so supportive through the whole conference. So much so that I won’t post the pic Julie emailed me. Instead, I’ll post this one:

Back Row: Audra, Me, Mary, Cara, Melanie Dickerson; front row: Sandra Leesmith, Helen Gray, Ruthy, and my Roomies Pepper Basham and Casey Herringshaw

Because I have NO [NONE!] pics of me and Audra. Other Seekers there were: Pam Hillman, Myra Johnson and Julie Lessman [wasn’t she at lunch? How is she not in the pic?]. LOVED Pam and Myra as well. And we all know I adore Julie ;).

I did get to hang out with all of them at the evening Seeker gatherings in the bar. There I bribed them with the cookies I’d brought. The Seekers [and all the Seeker friends who were there] are so wonderful. If you’re ever at an ACFW conference, you should hang out with them. Or if you’re anywhere else they are. Seriously. You could even take a road trip to a book signing. I wouldn’t know anything about that. Yet ;).

Bribing with cookies never did get me the much coveted seat between Mary and Julie [Lorna Seilstad got that!], but that’s okay. I made some GREAT new friends. And made GREAT connections and LEARNED so much!

Me and Ruthy - who is holding the perfect cookie.

But more on that another day ;).

RUN DON’T WALK to Amazon to get some GREAT free e-books!!!! [Thanks to Kindle Review for the head’s up!]

Deeanne Gist Maid to Match – this is an AMAZING book!

Laurie Alice Eakes Lady in the Mist – I’ve not read this one, but have wanted to!

Tracie Peterson Embers of Love – Tracie was the Keynote Speaker at ACFW last weekend. Embarrassed I’ve not read any of hers that I know of. But that’ll change now!

A couple other free inspirational e-books I know nothing about ;):

Alice J. Weisler Rain Song

Janelle Mowry When All My Dreams Come True

I don’t normally post twice in one day but I’m still recuperating from ACFW’s annual conference [Three words: A. Maze. Ing. Will blog more about it later this week hopefully], so COTT’s post just went up. And this post has been in the works for two weeks…

Yes. I took notes during service again. Both in my ‘these are sermon notes’ notebook and in my other notebook. This is the blog post that came out of them. Keep in mind some of it was written a week and a half ago ;).

I didn’t scribble blog notes last week [9/11]. But I should have. We’ll see if I can remember enough and I’m sure there’ll be more to add today [9/18].

Decisions have descendants.

What we are today is because of decisions we made yesterday. ~Pastor Gary

Decisions are seeds… Today is harvest time. ~Unknown

I have a smart pastor. I’ve known this for a very long time. He just reiterates it every week :D. And this series is no exception.

There are no SUDs [seemingly unimportant decisions]. Everything reproduces after it’s own kind. Even decisions.

Max Jukes v. Jonathan Edwards

These two men are often cited as an example. One a scourge on society as were his descendants. The other a beautiful example of a city on a hill.

There area  number of websites out there which dispute this account – particularly that of Max Jukes’ descendants. And the Vice President in Jonathan Edwards’ line was Aaron Burr [not the most shining example of a VP ever…]. And the study appears to look at ONLY the good in Edwards’ line and ONLY the bad in Jukes’ line, but the point remains.

Pastor Gary lists 10 times when we shouldn’t make decisions. I’ve made decisions at most of the times he mentioned, like everyone else, I’m sure. But a couple stuck out.

#2 When you are devastated, depressed, overwhelmed, confused or afraid – like the 10 spies in Num. 13:31-14:4 or King Saul in I Samuel 28:5-20.

Gary talked about the promises of God to the Israelites but FEAR overrode their God-judgement. As I prepare[d] for ACFW, I pray[ed] that I would be able to walk in the promise God has for me. It could be to meet an author who will become a great friend. It could be to meet an agent who signs me before the end of the year. Or one who signs me by the end of the decade. An editor who is so excited about Suburban Straightjacket and wants a full to read on the plane home [so exceptionally unlikely as to be ridiculous – and in fact didn’t happen]. Or an editor who [rightly?] says “You’re not ready”.

In Luke 9: 54-56, when the people wouldn’t receive Jesus, Jesus had a plan. The disciples wanted to call down fire. Jesus said “Let’s move on.”

If the editor/agent thing doesn’t work out, then it’s time to move on.

And it’s God’s prerogative to say “Yeah, I promised that. But NOT NOW.”

And we’re back out of my notes ;).

I’ll get to the third of Gary’s points [which, by the way, solved a nice plot point for me in book 2, ROLEMODEL ROMEO] sometime soon.

Until then, I know God prepared me for the conference. It was incredible. And God arranged some of the most amazing meetings for me – in classrooms, in elevators, in the hallway or the book store, at the registration desk [which is where Candace Calvert was the first person I met outside of my car mate Cynthia Herron – and where Mary Connealy insisted on a hug the next morning and where I met Ruth Logan Herne for another big hug – AND BEFORE PEPPER [my long lost twin] MET HER! 😀 and all were just as excited to see me as I was to see them! Or almost ;)] and many other places.

Congratulations to Delia Latham for taking the crown in last week’s Staff Clash. Two anonymous COTT staffers went into the ring and readers had another hard choice to make. Some said:

• “This was a cruel choice!! LOL! They were both excellent.”
•  (About Delia’s excerpt): “Beautiful words expressing emotion and making the reader want more.”
•  “Intense emotions on both excerpts! Great job!”
•  “Terrific excerpts!”
• (About Katie’s excerpt): “I need to know Wulf better! I have a feeling he’s dreamy.”
• “Awesome clash with two well-written, emotion-packed scenes! Great job, authors!”

Of course, nobody knew at the time that those authors were Delia Latham and Katie McCurdy.
Both are recent additions to the staff. Delia has come on board as a Blog Alliance Correspondent, and Katie is the official Talent Scout. (Looks like COTT scouted some talent when they found these two gems.)
This fun excursion was a great interjection into the usual good times shared at Clash of the Titles. This week sees another fierce challenge with nameless authors nominated by COTT staff. Be sure to head over there and vote now!
And in just 2 weeks, the party begins! Mark your calendars for October 10th and be ready to play for extra prizes all month long as COTT celebrates it’s first anniversary. Your vote will determine which of the year’s winning authors will receive the ultimate honor: the Laurel Award.

**end html**

Facebook Status and background: Well, I’m setting this ahead of time because – squeee! ACFW is this week!!!

Here’s my review of The Art of Romance by Kaye Dacus.

From the back cover:

Sassy Evans and Perty Bradley are determined to get their older grandchildren married off, when twenty-eight-year-old Dylan comes home after being fired from his teaching position because of the betrayal of his ex-girlfriend.  Perty knows her grandson has more important issues to deal with first.

Sassy understand her friend’s reservations about timing, but she also sees so many ways in which Dylan would be the perfect match for her thirty-four-year-old granddaughter Caylor.  With his record of acclaimed paintings and Caylor’s bestselling novels, they could complement each other’s talents and provide each other support and encouragement.  And there’s no denying the spark of attraction between the English professor with the untamed red hair and the painter with the unusual tattoos.

But neither grandmother realizes the  secrets both Caylor and Dylan are keeping from each other.  Will pain and embarrassment from the past keep Caylor and Dylan apart, or will they develop the courage to be truthful with each other and discover the true art of romance?

Kaye has a knack for developing quirky, loveable characters. This is no exception. The grandmothers are ones we’d all wish to have [minus the matchmaking perhaps].  I love that Caylor is an author. I love that Dylan is a painter. Two artists will understand each other in ways most others won’t.

I love Caylor as a real person – insecurities and all. She is good at what she does and is confident in who she is – to a point. Everyone has that point. The areas where they feel confident and competent and other areas where they feel insecure and incapable.

The read is lighthearted and fun and will leave you smiling long after you finish it.

This is the second book in the series [I read the first one, Love Remains, after I read this one], but I had no trouble picking up on what I needed to know. Book 3, Turnabout’s Fair Play, comes out in November. I’ll be picking it up.

9 out of 10 stars

*Thanks to the author and publisher for a free review copy*

It’s been almost a year since COTT opened its voting-booth doors and invited everyone in. Over the past twelve months, readers have chosen 25 Clash winners and received 48 free books. And along the way, a family formed. That family consists of the voters, authors, staff, and the 25+ blogs who have banded together in mutual support with COTT.

This is cause for major celebration! So COTT is doing it up to the nines.

Clash of the Titles’ first annual Tournament of Champions begins next month! Over the course of four weeks, past winners from the previous year will compete in a series of clashes for the ultimate prize: the Laurel Award. The Laurel, COTT’s most prestigious honor, is awarded by public vote to a single author among the year’s champions.

Voters are expected to turn out in droves to support their favorites and participate in games just for readers. Each week, COTT sponsors—consisting of various authors and staff—will issue fun challenges to readers along with the chance to win gift cards, critique services, a business card design, and more. A dozen sponsors are lined up for the event so far. That’s a lot of prizes!

Throughout the month, details and updates on the Tournament of Champions will be shared on the COTT website and featured within the Blog Alliance. To help spread the word, please grab the special Tournament Button (below) to display on your site. Then send a link to your page to: contactcott at gmail dot com to enter the special COTT Shout-About drawing. The drawing will take place during the first week of the Tournament and the winner will receive a Clash of the Titles mug.

Mark your calendars and spread the word. This BYOV (Bring Your Own Vote) party begins on October 10th!