Thursday, August 21, 2025

"The Marriage Masquerade" by Erica Vetsch

About the Book

Book: The Marriage Masquerade

Author: Erica Vetsch

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: July 8, 2025

A disgraced captain and a runaway heiress—hiding from the past and bound by fate—will their marriage masquerade lead to true love?

Noah Kennebrae, disgraced ship captain, has escaped to a remote lighthouse to avoid his grandfather’s schemes and the ghosts that haunt him. Taking a job under an assumed name, he’s determined to start over—until he meets Annie Fairfax. The feisty housekeeper’s warmth and spirit captivate him, and he falls for her despite his best efforts. But he’s keeping secrets that could destroy her trust…and his chance at redemption.

Desperate to escape the calculating grasp of her father, Anastasia “Annie” Michaels flees home to become the unlikely housekeeper on an isolated island. Working incognito at the lighthouse, she finds solace in her newfound independence and unexpected friendship with Nick. However, as their relationship deepens, Annie’s fear of abandonment resurfaces when she learns the truth Nick has been hiding.

Caught in a marriage masquerade of their own making, Noah and Annie must navigate secrets, lies, and painful pasts in hopes of a future together.

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts

It was fun to get Noah's story after having met him in The Bartered Bride. It is best to read the books in the order of the series so that you get the full experience of what Noah was running away from. There are food biblical truths in the book and the characters discovered who they were and that they could trust God. I look forward to reading Eli's story next.

About the Author

More from Erica

I love a hidden identity story! And in the case of The Marriage Masquerade, both the hero AND the heroine are hiding their true identities.

The Marriage Masquerade features Noah, who is running from the guilt of a mistake he feels he made that lost both a Great Lakes ship and several lives. Anastasia Michaels is running away from an arranged marriage.

They both flee to a remote lighthouse on the North Shore of Lake Superior, he as an assistant lighthouse keeper and she as a housekeeper and cook.

The lighthouse in The Marriage Masquerade is based directly upon the Split Rock Lighthouse, one of my favorite places to visit along the North Shore. Situated on a cliff high above the lake, Split Rock is one of the most photographed lighthouses in the world.

When I first visited this exquisite place, I fell in love. And when I fall in love with an historical site, I need to know as much of the history of the place as I can. Several of the incidents that occur at the fictional lighthouse in the story come directly from the history of Split Rock.

Filtering liquid mercury, polishing the Fresnel lens, hiding dishes in the oven when the inspector comes, and other happenings in The Marriage Masquerade actually happened in the real lives of the lightkeepers at Split Rock.

Noah and Anastasia’s story is a forced proximity romance, with a dash of hidden identity, redemption, and learning to stand on your own two feet. I hope you’ll enjoy their journey from fearful, guilt-ridden characters to healed through love, confident, and ready to embark on a lifelong journey together.

If you would like to learn more about Split Rock and see glorious photos of this picturesque site, check out: https://www.mnhs.org/splitrock

Blog Stops

Pens Pages & Pulses, August 12

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 12

She Lives To Read, August 13

Fiction Book Lover, August 13 (Guest Review from Marilyn)

Devoted Steps, August 14

Melissa’s Bookshelf, August 14

Life on Chickadee Lane, August 15

Texas Book-aholic, August 15

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 16

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 17

Devoted To Hope, August 17

For Him and My Family, August 18

Simple Harvest Reads, August 18 (Guest Review from Mindy)

Books You Can Feel Good About, August 19

Inklingsandnotions, August 19

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 20

Inkwell Inspirations, August 20

Artistic Nobody, August 21 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Blossoms and Blessings, August 21

Little Homeschool on the prairie, August 22

Vicky Sluiter, August 22

An Author’s Take, August 23

Books Less Travelled, August 23

Holly’s Book Corner, August 24

Pause for Tales, August 24

Jeanette’s Thoughts , August 25

Jodie Wolfe, August 25

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Erica is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54276

Thursday, August 14, 2025

"Love's True Measure" by Lori DeJong -- Author Interview

About the Book

Book: Love’s True Measure

Author: Lori DeJong

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: June 10, 2025

Shannon Trent has dedicated her life to ministering to teens, even as she hides secrets that haunt her past. Born into privilege, she’s built a simpler life away from the expectations of her influential family. She’s content on her own, believing that to open her heart would mean unearthing her deepest shame. But when her charming neighbor stirs feelings she’s never allowed herself to entertain, his lack of faith provides the perfect excuse to keep her distance.

Hunter Kavanaugh has spent years chasing his dream career. But when his mother’s sudden death leaves him the sole guardian of his teenage sister, his carefully curated world begins to crumble. Struggling with grief, anger at God, and the demands of his job, Hunter is surprised when Shannon’s unwavering faith begins to resonate with him—and her ability to connect with his sister draws him closer.

As Hunter and Shannon navigate their growing bond, unexpected challenges force them to confront their fears and priorities. Both must either choose to trust God’s plan is far greater than their own, or risk losing the love of a lifetime.

Click here to get your copy!

Author Interview

Do you consider yourself a plotter or a pantser (or a hybrid)?
 A hybrid, I guess, but leaning more toward a pantser. I do a huge amount of character
development, and from that my plot tends to take shape. Then I identify the five main
plot points of the book and start writing scenes by the seat of my pants from one plot
point to the next. But knowing my characters inside and out is what makes that work.
Otherwise, I would have no idea where to go because I wouldn’t know how they would
react to certain things, what they want to do with their lives, what their fears are, what
their hopes are. I need to know all of that and so much more in order to have any
direction for the story.

What is your favorite part about writing?
 Apart from actually writing the story, it’s the character development I do for each book.
I take weeks and study up on Enneagram types, birth order, love language, and
personality tests to determine how my characters react to the world around them. I
know their goals, their hopes, their fears, their upbringing. I know their favorite color,
favorite food, what kind of car they drive, where they live, what kind of clothes they
wear, their hobbies, their careers. I know their faith story and whether they’re walking
with the Lord or in a crisis of faith. I live with these “people” day in and day out for
awhile before I ever start telling their story. And it’s a blast.

What is your least favorite part about writing?
 Probably all the business stuff that goes with it. I’m not great at social media, and I
struggle with what to put in a newsletter that I think would interest folks. Marketing is
not my strong suit, especially when I’d rather be writing. But as much as we would
rather consider ourselves creatives putting our stories out into the world, the reality is it
is still a business. Even as Christian writers. I’m not under the impression I’ll ever get rich
as an author. Precious few actually do. But if I don’t market my books, the message God
gave me to tell through that story won’t end up in the hands of someone who really
needs to see it. Someone who needs to know the redemptive love of God, that they can
put their hope and their future in His hands. That they can truly know peace in the midst
of turmoil. That’s why it’s important to do it, even though it’s not exactly in my
wheelhouse.

What is your writing space like?
 Depends on the day. Even the hour. I usually write in a chair or on the couch in our
family room, or sitting up against pillows on the bed. But in our new house, we actually
have a room I’m making into my writing area. It has a little desk, bookcases, and also a
day bed. So, I’ll write sometimes in the family room, then move to my writing room and
either work at my desk or sitting amidst all the cushions on the day bed. I also love to
write other places other than home. Coffee shops or the library. That’s actually very
productive for me to get away from the house to write.

When did you become a writer?
 I’d been interested in pursuing it for a long time before I started writing on my own back
in the late 1990’s. After completing several manuscripts, I decided to join a national
writers’ organization in 2002, and that’s when I realized that writing is a craft that has to
be honed and practiced. I committed myself to learning all I could and went to
conferences, took writing classes, and read more craft books than I can remember.
Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond our control, my family went through a
season of hardship starting in 2009, and I didn’t write for about eleven years, finally
coming back to it in 2020. I wish I hadn’t lost that decade, but it’s been such a joy
rediscovering my love for writing over the last five years. So, I guess the answer to that
question would be I became a writer pursuing publication in 2002, and I became a
published writer in 2023.

About the Author

Lori DeJong (pronounced DeeYung) is an award-winning contemporary Christian romance author who enjoys penning stories full of grace and the redemptive power of God’s love that inspire others to hope regardless of circumstance, find joy in the moment, and grow in their faith.

Born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, Lori arrived in Texas in 2005 and dug those roots right in. She currently resides in beautiful Georgetown, north of Austin, with her husband of thirty-plus years. Other than their two fur-babies, their nest is empty, as their daughter graduated from college and settled in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area with her husband, and the sweetest grand-dog ever.

Lori loves to write about love and romance and all that fun stuff, with a firm foundation of faith. Clean but sassy, sparkly, and even goose-bumpy romance, with God in the middle and characters seeking and learning and changing, couldn’t be more heartwarming or spine-tingly.

Lori’s debut novel, “Love’s True Calling”, Book One of her True Calling Series, was the 2020 winner of the Scrivenings Press Novel Starts Contest, winner of the 2022 ACFW Genesis Award for Romance, 2023 Scrivenings Press Contemporary Book of the Year, and a doubl-finalist in the 2024 Selah Awards. “Love’s True Home” was released in 2024 and is a 2025 Selah Awards finalist.

More from Lori

As soon as Shannon Trent showed up in chapter one of my debut novel, Love’s True Calling, I knew she had a story. That there was something underneath all that joy and spunk that haunted her. That she felt she had to hide.

Although born to a life of privilege, she doesn’t want her name to be the measure of her worth. Determined to live a simpler life, she dials in to her faith, only wanting to be and do whatever God says she should be and do.

Hunter Kavanaugh, on the other hand, has overcome the instability of his teenage years to forge his own path. He’s made something of himself by his own grit and determination, and he measures his worth in terms of his success and the things it provides him.

When these two literally run into each other outside their building, his grumpy disposition, and obvious high-powered job, leave Shannon unimpressed. No matter how handsome he might be, she has no intention of getting to know this neighbor any better.

But God …

When these two meet up again, a friendship blossoms. Her heart threatens to take her somewhere she’s never been before, but his unbelief gives her the perfect reason to keep her emotional distance.

When God gave me this story concept, I was a little intimidated. Would I be able to convey the heart of a good man who didn’t have faith? Would I be able to flesh out a woman who had an abundance of faith yet still harbored shame from her past?

But as I started writing this story, I fell in love with these two and their journey to discover the true measure of their worth … and the true measure of love.

Blog Stops

Stories By Gina, August 2 (Author Interview)

Simple Harvest Reads, August 3 (Author Interview)

Holly’s Book Corner, August 4

Artistic Nobody, August 5 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 6

Guild Master, August 7 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 8

Fiction Book Lover, August 9 (Author Interview)

Pause for Tales, August 10

Vicky Sluiter, August 11 (Author Interview)

Where Crisis & Christ Collide, August 11

Texas Book-aholic, August 12

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 12

For the Love of Literature, August 13 (Author Interview)

Tell Tale Book Reviews, August 14 (Author Interview)

Blossoms and Blessings, August 15 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Lori is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card and a signed copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54274

"Just a Piece of Stone" by Mary Ann Hake -- Author Interview

About the Book

Book: Just a Piece of Stone

Author: Mary Ann Hake

Genre: Middle Grade Historical Adventure Novel

Release Date: April 29, 2025

A Special Stone—A Family Legacy

Suspense and a Hint of the Supernatural

Travel backward in time as the Goldberg family experiences moments of history—including the Holocaust, meeting Leonardo Da Vinci, castles, knights, battles, and thefts. They also face kidnapping, explore caves, flee as refugees, and live under various conquerors. Just a Piece of Stone begins in the United States and moves to Europe and Asia, with each chapter sharing a story about a different boy in a different time period. From grandfather to grandson for thousands of years, Just a Piece of Stone travels the world. Join the adventure!

Click here to get your copy!

Author Interview

Do you consider yourself a plotter or a pantser (or a hybrid)?
I am more of a pantser or discovery writer. I have the beginning and the ending in mind when I
write a story and some things that will be included. But I am not a detailed outliner before I
begin. I find inspiration as I write. The thrill of words flowing on the page to express what my
mind has conceived amazes me. The creative process takes on a life of its own, it seems.

What is your favorite part about writing?
I love the imagining and creative process. It’s like partnering with God to bring something new
into existence. This thrills the soul and lifts the spirit. In addition, although not my favorite, I like
to see the polishing of a manuscript pay off and turn rough writing into something that flows
well and expresses the message of the heart. This is also a beautiful thing.
Do you have a way to keep track of your story ideas?
I wish I were more organized. I have things written on scraps of paper and in notebooks, and
ideas for future projects stashed in folders and also some saved on the computer. I need to go
through them all and decide what I may still pursue.

When did you become a writer?
I longed to write as soon as I learned to put words into sentences on paper. My mother read to us
often when I was little, and I think this contributed to my love of storytelling. In grade school, I
enjoyed writing assignments, and sometimes I got to read a story to the class. In high school,
English teachers encouraged my writing. But I was too shy and not confident to send my work in
for publication. The few things I did submit were rejected, further undermining my confidence. I
got married young and became a mom and focused on raising my girls. When we homeschooled,
I thought I would have more time for my own writing, which I had mostly set aside. I gradually
began to have pieces published in periodicals and then in compilation books, then work for hire
writing curricula and other things. Now I have award-winning picture books about a blind girl,
and my first published novel, Just a Piece of Stone, released April 29 as a #1 new release in
multiple categories.

Where do you get your ideas for your books?
Ideas come from anywhere, really. Sometimes something just pops into my mind, maybe a fun
concept or a question, such as, What would happen if . . . ? Some ideas come from dreams, like
one award-winning short story I wrote. Others come from life, whether personal experiences,
observations, or things we notice others say and do. If you’re open to receiving them, ideas are
endless.

Do bits of yourself/friends show up in your characters?
Yes, I don’t think we can help but put some of ourselves and those familiar to us into our
characters. Much is universal, but some quirks or expressions or incidents might be used in a
book. A Young Adult novel I’m working on has a teen’s faith journey loosely patterned after my
own experience of coming to the Lord and later becoming a Conservative Mennonite. I think we
are gifted in life with material to incorporate in our stories but should do so in a positive way, not
to the detriment of anyone who might see themselves in what we write.

About the Author

Mary Ann Hake has published hundreds of stories, articles, poems, puzzles, devotions, curricula, and more (for both children and adults) in periodicals and books plus hundreds of book reviews online. Just a Piece of Stone is her first published novel. The first two picture books in her series about a blind girl, The Smells of the Seasons, received the prestigious Mom’s Choice Award and were featured on the Arkansas PBS summer literacy program, Rise and Shine. She has worked in a bookstore and as a librarian and enjoyed reading to children at story times and conducting summer reading programs. She has also taught writing to children and at writers’ conferences. She continues to work as a freelance editor along with her writing. She and her husband live in beautiful Oregon.

More from Mary

About eight years ago I had an idea: What would happen if a boy found a stone during the time of Moses during the Israelites wandering in the desert and the stone was handed down from generation to generation? I’m not going to say exactly where the rock came from because that’s part of the suspense in the book as readers try to figure out its origin, which is revealed in the final chapter.

So I looked up the approximate date of the Israelites in the Wilderness after leaving Egypt and then figured out how many generations there might be to the present day and the ages of the boys and the grandfathers in each chapter. I decided the stone would be handed down from grandfather to grandson and they would be blessed with long lives so there wouldn’t be too many chapters in the book. It was like putting a puzzle together. I originally planned fifty chapters then realized in the midst of writing that this would be too long for the age group, so I changed to thirty-five, with Old Testament ancestors summarized in the chapter prior to the finale.

I also chose to start the story in the present day with a boy getting a mysterious stone in the mail then go backward in time all the way to the days of Moses. I came up with a list of character names, gleaned from the Bible and historical info, and looked at timelines to choose dates of interesting historical events and places for the chapters’ settings.

This took years researching time periods and culture, and I learned so much. I read, watched videos, and listened to an oral history by a Holocaust survivor, whose facts I used in the chapter set in Nazi Germany. I saved dozens of pages of notes and pictures. Since the original character who found the stone was a Hebrew, I kept the family Jewish throughout the novel. So, in addition to intriguing historical tidbits and accurate locations for Jewish settlements and refugee situations, I incorporated Jewish culture and customs. I also gave the characters appropriate occupations for the settings. A glossary at the back provides pronunciations and definitions of unfamiliar words.

From chapter 2 on each chapter features the boyhood of the grandfather from the previous chapter as we move continue to move backward through time. In the Kindle version, you can click to go to any chapter you wish. Each chapter offers a separate short story within the entire family saga about the prized stone. Throughout the historical tale, we witness God’s protection and care for His followers. I also tried to model people of diverse backgrounds getting along, except, of course, for the authentic historical incidents and battles included.

Last summer when we visited Oregon’s Painted Hills, I met three generations of a Jewish family on vacation. The son is a rabbi and a mohel from New York. I told them about my story and enjoyed visiting with them. He told me the stone should be sapphire, so I changed its color to blue.

A publisher expressed interest early on, but never followed through. An agent said my writing was beautiful but declined representation. The unpublished manuscript was a finalist in the Cascade Writers Contest in 2020. Children who read the chapters one by one begged for more and for the book to be published. Eventually, Elk Lake Publishing offered me a contract then came rewriting and polishing amid many family crises. It takes much time to write, rewrite, and prepare a book for publication. I love the cover Elk Lake created for Just a Piece of Stone.

The tale is great for homeschoolers and as a teachers’ resource, which could be a launch for students’ history projects. I am working on puzzles and activities to accompany the novel and will make these available on my website and to newsletter subscribers. I am also available for online visits with classes or to teach writing to children.

Blog Stops

Inspired by Fiction, August 13

Blossoms and Blessings, August 14 (Author Interview)

Simple Harvest Reads, August 14 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

By the Book, August 15

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 16

Artistic Nobody, August 17 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 18

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, August 19

Texas Book-aholic, August 20

Leslie’s Library Escape, August 21

Guild Master, August 22 (Author Interview)

Holly’s Book Corner, August 22

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 23

An Author’s Take, August 24

For Him and My Family, August 25

Fiction Book Lover, August 26 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Mary is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Amazon gift card and a copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54277

Sunday, August 10, 2025

Arm biopsy

I had a scaly spot on the back of my arm. My doctor tried different creams but nothing made it go away. So she said we could biopsy it even though she didn't think it was anything to be concerned about.

The next morning (7/10) They sprayed it with a black medicine

7/10 after shower

7/11

7/12

7/12 The biopsy site started hurting again so I checked it and the area around it was red, warm, and swollen. The after hours nurse sent me to the ER. It was infected.

Lighter picture of infection swelling. Looking back at the picture from the morning and I can see that it was already swelling then.

7/13

7/14
I found out that it was Bowen's Disease, an early form of skin cancer

7/20
(we had gone camping for a week so I didn't take pictures of it)

7/24

7/27

7/30

7/31

Saturday, August 9, 2025

"The Bartered Bride" by Erica Vetsch

About the Book

Book: The Bartered Bride

Author: Erica Vetsch

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: July 8, 2025

A rebellious suffragette and a steadfast sailor—tied by duty, divided by secrets, and tempted by a love that changes everything.

A born sailor, Jonathan Kennebrae thrives in his role running his grandfather’s shipping enterprise. That is until his grandfather delivers a crippling ultimatum—Jonathan will marry Melissa Brooke or lose his inheritance and everything he’s worked for. Though Jonathan finds himself drawn to Melissa, he can’t help feeling his intended may not be who she appears to be.

Melissa Brooke is tired of being voiceless. She’s been the perfect daughter all her life, doing what she’s told for the good of the family. Except she has a secret. Melissa lives a double life, teaching literacy to struggling immigrant women and fighting for the suffragette movement. If she goes through with the wedding, she’ll be forced to abandon her life’s work. Yet refusing the union could cost her any chance at an inheritance to fund her cause. To make matters worse, she can’t deny the tender feelings blooming between her and her fiancé.

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts

I enjoyed reading this story. I found the book to be well written and it kept my attention. It was a quick read but still full of content. There was a good biblical faith thread throughout the story which I appreciated. I always am glad when I'm at the beginning of a new series and know that there are more books coming. I look forward to reading them.

About the Author

Best-selling, award-winning author of The Debutante’s Code, first in the Thorndike & Swann Regency Mystery Series, Erica Vetsch loves Jesus, history, romance, and sports. When she’s not writing fiction, she’s planning her next trip to a history museum. You can connect with her at her website where you can learn about her books and sign up for her newsletter, and you can find her online where she spends way too much time!

More from Erica

Do you ever wish you could turn back time? That’s what I recently got to do, as I read through my very first published novel, The Bartered Bride, that is now being re-released by Wild Heart Books.

What a blast from the past. I was amazed at all the feelings that rushed back in as I revisited Duluth, MN in the last century. Melissa and Jonathan hadn’t changed a bit in sixteen years.

The story idea first came to me as I sat in church awaiting the start of the service. There I was, a not-yet-published-author, minding my own business when the plot sort of burst into my head. An arranged marriage set in Duluth, and using the “Gales of November” and the wreck of the Mataafa…

I jotted down a few notes, because face it, the best idea for a novel could pop into my head, and if I don’t write down the gist, I will forget it in two minutes.

I wrote The Bartered Bride in about six weeks, and I sent it through my critique group of the time. Then my agent submitted it to the publisher in the spring of 2008.

And we waited.

And waited.

We heard nothing for months. My agent sent word that the publisher was still considering it, and I was to be patient. It wasn’t a no, but it also wasn’t a resounding yes!

I had already started the sequel to The Bartered Bride, a story called Marriage Masquerade, so I finished that one, and then with summer upon me, I wrote a new story, Clara and the Cowboy, about an heiress to a ranch and one of the cowboys who rode for her father. Maybe the publisher would like that series better. I heard nothing all summer on either of the two series I had proposed and submitted.

Then in September of that year, I went to the American Christian Fiction Writers Conference. The conference was being held in Minnesota, just a hop up the road from where I live. I ferried agents and editors from the airport to the hotel, I met people, I sat in workshops, all the time wondering if I would ever be a published author. Would my writing ever be ‘good enough’? Was I wasting my time?

Imagine my surprise when the publisher to whom I had submitted The Bartered Bride took the stage at a general session and announced that they were offering a contract to me for that book! Not only that, but when I had an appointment with the editor later, she offered not only a three-book contract on the The North Star Brides, but an additional three-book contract for the Brides of Money Creek of which Clara and the Cowboy was book one!

I had sold six books! The rest of the conference, you could have bought me for a dollar.

Melissa and Jonathan will always have a special place in my heart. They were the couple that started it all. I’m so glad they are getting a new start, and hopefully they will touch readers’ hearts as much as they have mine.