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Author Archives: Cecelia Dowdy
In Between By Jenny B. Jones
Katie Parker knows life isn’t fair. After all, when your mom’s in jail and your dad’s a no-show, you figure things just aren’t going your way. But hey, she can deal. Then she finds out she’s being sent to live with a foster family—in In Between, Texas. What kind of town has a name like In Between? And what kind of family wants a kid like her? One thing’s for certain: None of this will be good. Sure enough—thanks to some new “friends” and her non-Mom’s crazed mother, Mad Maxine—life sails right past bad to stinking. Then again, she’s just a temporary kid, they’re just temporary parents, and she definitely doesn’t have any ideas about making any of this permanent. God, on the other hand, may have other plans altogether.
This book was HILARIOUS! Seriously, you’ll find yourself, smiling, laughing and just enjoying this light, funny story about a teen-aged foster child. Katie Parker’s mom is in prison, and now she finds herself part of the foster care system. A husband and wife want Katie to live with them as their foster child in In Between Texas. When Katie gets to In Between, she’s thrown into a life that’s as foreign to her as if she were living in a different country. Her foster dad is a pastor, her foster mom is loving, caring, and cooks hearty, tasty meals for her family. Her foster grandmother is a cuckoo woman who gets on Katie’s nerves. As Katie tries to fit into her new family, it turns out to be a long, lesson-filled journey for her. She tries to find herself while trying out different elective classes in school, and she sits with a different crowd each day during lunch – trying to figure out where she belongs in her new school. She finds out the hard way that not everybody is her friend in her new environment. Katie also starts going to church and becomes friends with Frances, a beautiful, upbeat, Christian girl that helps Katie during her transition to the new town.
Katie’s foster parents harbor secrets and Katie is determined to find out what, exactly, causes the undercurrent of disharmony in her new home.
This was a light, funny read and if you like young adult fiction, then you should give this book a try.
Christmas Book Giveaway – YOU MUST FOLLOW THE RULES TO ENTER!
THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED! THE WINNER WAS ANNOUNCED HERE.
I’m hosting another Christmas book giveaway this year! ONE winner will win a box of Christmas books. You’ll see most of the titles that you’ll win at the beginning of this blog post. IF YOU WANT TO ENTER THE DRAWING YOU MUST DO TWO THINGS:
#1. You must join my mailing list! You can join my mailing list here:
If you’re already on my email list, then you can skip step one.
#2. You must comment on this blog post to enter and LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS IN YOUR BLOG POST – IF YOU DON’T LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS IN YOUR BLOG POST, THEN YOU WON’T BE ENTERED INTO THE CONTEST! I need an email address so that I can contact you if you win!
Also wanted to mention, that if you’re looking for some inexpensive stocking stuffers for Christmas, my novel collection, Chesapeake Weddings, is only $2.79 at Christianbook.com. Pick up a few to give to friends and family over the holidays!
I’ll be drawing the winner sometime over the next few weeks to ensure the winner gets the books in time to enjoy during the holidays! I will announce the winner’s first and last name and city and state on this blog. If you don’t want me to announce your full name, city, and state, on my blog then don’t enter the contest! I need to announce the winner publicly so that my blog readers will know that the contest is honest!
Moses Musings
Photo courtesy of Aleksandr Kutsayev
Exodus 2:8-10
8 And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Go.” So the maiden went and called the child’s mother. 9 Then Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child away and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages.” So the woman took the child and nursed him. 10 And the child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. So she called his name Moses, saying, “Because I drew him out of the water.”
There’s something that I’ve wondered about Moses’s upbringing. Pharoah’s daughter took in a Hebrew baby and raised him as a son. Her father, the Pharoah, was trying to kill the new-born Hebrew male children because the Hebrews were multiplying so quickly. I also gather that the Hebrews looked much different from the Egyptians?
Wouldn’t her father have objected to his daughter, raising one of his “enemies” under his own roof as her son? I’m wondering what kind of dialog went on between father and daughter? Did Pharoah finally relent and let her keep the baby just to appease her? Did Pharoah figure that keeping this one child alive could bring no harm? What do you think happened between father and daughter on this day?
Future Giveaway…
I plan on posting a book giveway later this week. You may win a box of Christmas books! 🙂 Check back later for details…
Twilight – Come Over To Writers’ Rest Blog!
What’s behind all the vampires cropping up everywhere these days? The Twilight Saga, the True Blood series, The Vampire Diaries . . . all these stories, TV shows, and movies feature well-dressed vampires so cool, your kid might like to join them. Check The Writers Rest blog at Writers’ Rest and read Katy King’s article, “Vampires: A Love Affair.” Post a comment and become a follower for more reviews and articles.
Rejection! :-( And A Nice Letter
My editor at Barbour received the following email today about my novel collection, Chesapeake Weddings:
I am currently reading Cecelia Dowdy’s Chesapeake Weddings. This book is an inspiration and allows us to put ourselves into these situations while also keeping God as the main focus of the novels.
I also received a rejection today! Blah! I haven’t been under contract in almost two years and it’s starting to bother me, but, I’m not one to give up! Here’s what the rejection said:
Dear Cecelia,
Thank you so much for your patience as we read your project, Gabriel’s Pride. While the story has some interesting elements, I’m afraid this story doesn’t quite work for our line. Unfortunately, the romantic conflict between the hero and heroine is not as compelling as it needed to be.
We’re sorry to disappoint you on this project. We would be happy to look at any other projects you may be working on suited for our line. Thank you for thinking of us.
Best,
signed by the editor.
So, there, you have it! Another rejection! Whew! I’m tired of these!
In Every Heartbeat By Kim Vogel Sawyer
In Every Heartbeat by Kim Vogel Sawyer
As three friends who grew up in the same orphanage head off to college together, they each harbor a cherished dream. Libby wishes to become a famous journalist, Pete plans to study to become a minister, and Bennett wants to join a fraternity and have as much fun as possible. But as tensions rise around the world on the brink of World War I, the friends’ differing aspirations and opinions begin to divide them, as well. And when Libby makes a shocking discovery about Pete’s family, will it drive a final wedge between the friends or bond them in ways they never anticipated?
I’ve read several books by this author and this is the first title that I’ve read by K. Sawyer that didn’t have Mennonite main characters.
The country is on the brink of war, and in this historical novel, three friends who have been raised in the same orphanage manage to go to college via scholarship. All three of them have differing aspirations. Petey, the most holy of the group, aspires to be a pastor. However, he does have self-doubts about his life. Pete has a peg leg, and he hates the way it impacts how others treat him. He doesn’t like being different from other people. He has a secret crush on his good friend Libby, but, Libby can’t see herself in a relationship with Petey, who’s almost like a brother to her.
Bennett wants to join a fraternity and initially it appears that God and religion don’t seem to be important in Bennett’s life. He does a few shenanigans, prompted by fraternity brothers, in order to get their approval.
Libby needs a job and when she unexpectedly purchases a magazine one day, she finds short romance stories on the printed pages. Can she make a living writing these short pieces? She needs spending money since her scholarship doesn’t include funds to purchase personal items.
This book uses a fresh setting that you normally don’t see in historical novels. I thought it was interesting that this book was set on a college campus and as I read it I thought about the old saying, “Times change but people don’t.” The children on this college campus remind me of the way young people acted when I was in college back in the eighties. I thought their dreams, aspirations and actions were pretty accurate for a younger crowd.
Getting on my soapbox about my personal feelings about school settings:
I think I found the school setting appealing, too, because I’ve had a re-occurring dream, over the past seven or eight years about school. The dream usually takes place on a college campus, but, occasionally, my dream includes a high school setting. I’m not sure why I keep dreaming about school. The dream pops up a few times a year…a little weird, and I suppose I’m trying to work through something in my life.
You should consider this novel if you want a vivid picture of college life back in 1914.
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An Inconvenient Friend By Rhonda McKnight
An Inconvenient Friend by Rhonda McKnight
Samaria Jacobs is a deceitful, yet captivating diva who will do anything to win the heart of her married lover. Will she get her man or destroy herself and everyone else in the process?
Samaria has her sights set on Gregory Preston. A successful surgeon, he has just the bankroll she needs to keep her in the lifestyle that her credit card debt has helped her grow accustomed to. He’s married, but Samaria would never let a little thing like that get in her way.
Samaria joins New Mercies Christian Church to get close to Gregory’s wife. If she gets to know Angelina Preston, she can become like her in more than just looks, and really work her way into Greg’s heart.
Angelina’s life is filled with a successful career and busy ministry work, but something’s just not right with her marriage. Late nights, early meetings, lipstick- and perfume-stained shirts have her suspicious that Greg is doing a little more operating than she’d like. But does she have the strength to confront the only man she’s ever loved and risk losing him to the other woman?
Just when Samaria thinks she’s got it all figured out, she finds herself drawn to Angelina’s kindness. Will she be able to carry out her plan after she finds herself yearning for the one thing she’s never had. . .the friendship of a woman?
This book was a page turner! I read it in one day! Samaria is having an affair with surgeon Gregory Preston. She’s determined that she’ll be the next Mrs. Preston and she doesn’t care what it takes to get the wifely title that she feels she deserves. To follow through with her plan, she joins the church where Greg’s wife, Angelina, worships. The women’s group shuns Samaria, but Angelina develops a mentoring friendship with the troubled woman. Samaria thinks she looks like a younger version of Angelina, and that in a matter of time, Greg will want to replace his older wife with the younger version.
Angelina is dealing with major drama in her marriage and her faith is extremely tested. She suspects her husband is having an affair, and both Greg and Angelina are still coming to terms with a tragic event that happened in recent years. Can they get over their pain and move on and try to salvage their marriage?
I thought this book moved quickly and as you start reading, you won’t want to stop. I spent last Friday reading this title and I do think Rhonda touches on some subjects that you don’t see often in Christian fiction. The book was vivid and real, and teaches us to really rely on our faith when life gets us down. I know it’s hard to rely on God when things get rough, and this novel is an excellent example of how we need to trust in the Lord no matter what kind of trouble we may have. Also, it shows that God can be tricky…Samaria wanted to get close to Angelina to hurt her…but she ends up growing closer to the woman she initially wanted to hate.
If you want a quick, interesting, page-turning and inspiring read then this book is for you!