THE SLOW MARCH OF LIGHT by Heather B Moore

THE SLOW MARCH OF LIGHT by Heather B Moore. What an amazing, inspirational story. There was a lot of learning and relearning done for me in this book. The constant gratitude in the face of extreme hardship, the forgiveness given, and the personal discoveries made were only the beginning. The heroism of people to help fellow countrymen is inspiring and should shape the way we look at things today. It is such a great story. I highly recommend it. 

:) :) :) :) :)

In the summer of 1961, a wall of barbed wire goes up quickly in the dead of night, officially dividing Berlin. Luisa Voigt lives in West Berlin, but her grandmother lives across the border and is now trapped inside the newly- isolated communist country of East Germany. Desperate to rescue her grandmother and aware of the many others whose families have been divided, Luisa joins a secret spy network, risking her life to help bring others through a makeshift, underground tunnel to West Germany. Their work is dangerous and not everyone will successfully escape or live to see freedom. 

Bob Inama was an outstanding university student, with plans to attend law school when he is drafted into the US Army. Stationed in West Germany, he is glad to be fluent in German, especially after meeting Luisa Voigt at a church social. As they spend time together, they form a close connection. But when Bob receives classified orders to leave for undercover work immediately, he does not get the chance to say goodbye.

With a fake identity, Bob's special assignment is to be a spy embedded in East Germany. His undercover job will give him access to government sites to map out strategic military targets. But Soviet and East German spies, the secret police, and Stasi informants are everywhere, and eventually Bob is caught and sent to a brutal East German prison. Interrogated and tortured daily, Bob clings to any hope he can find from the sunlight that marches across the wall of his prison to the one guard who secretly treats him with kindness to the thought of one day seeing Luisa again.

THE PAPER DAUGHTERS OF CHINATOWN by Heather B Moore

THE PAPER DAUGHTERS OF CHINATOWN by Heather B Moore. What a fascinating story. Donaldina was such an amazing woman. Her courage and strength motivated me to want to do better not only as a woman but as a human. What she was able to do for the girls brought to American under false pretense was incredible. She, and all those who helped her, are a heroes in all definitions of the word. What an incredibly eye opening book that I would recommend to just about anyone. It might not be suitable for younger readers due to the subject of human trafficking. There is nothing graphic or explicit, but it is heavy content.

:) :) :) :)

A powerful story based on true events surrounding Donaldina Cameron and other brave women who fought to help Chinese-American women escape discrimination and slavery in the late 19th century in California.

When Donaldina Cameron arrives at the Occidental Mission Home for Girls in 1895, she intends to teach sewing skills to young Chinese women immigrants, but, within days, she discovers that the job is much more complicated than perfect stitches and even hems. San Francisco has a dark side, one where a powerful underground organization--the criminal tong--brings Chinese young women to America to sell them as slaves. With the help of Chinese interpreters and the Chinatown police squad, Donaldina becomes a tireless social reformer to stop the abominable slave and prostitution trade.

Mei Lien believes she is sailing to the "Gold Mountain" in America to become the wife of a rich Chinese man. Instead she finds herself sold into prostitution--beaten, starved, and forced into an opium addiction. It is only after a narrow escape that she hears of the mission home and dares to think there might be hope for a new life.

MOSES CHRONICLES: BONDAGE by H B Moore— #bookreview #review #amreading

MOSES CHRONICLES: BONDAGE by H. B. Moore. This book sounded fascinating, and it was. I enjoyed reading about this time in history and particularly this story. However, even though I know it was accurate to the era, I didn't like all the innuendos. For some reason it put a beloved story into a different light for me. As long as I was able to kept my perspective on the historical fiction part of it, I enjoyed the read. It is a fascinating story that most people will love.

:) :) :) :

Moses has always felt like an outsider in his powerful Egyptian family, even though his close relationship with Ramses, the prince of Egypt, and their cousin Pentu keeps him entwined in the dealings of royalty. But when their youthful antics get them in trouble, the Pharaoh decides it’s time for all three of them to grow up and own their respective responsibilities. Now betrothed to a woman he cares nothing for, Moses wonders where his life is headed. 

Miriam, a Hebrew slave, lives with a secret she cannot share with anyone. And though it has been eighteen years since she saved her baby brother, she is constantly getting in trouble for spying on him. In a desperate attempt to control Miriam, her older brother, Aaron, and her father look to find her a husband, something Miriam has never been interested in—until Caleb, a young, handsome man, confesses his feelings for her and asks her father for her hand in marriage. 

When Libya advances on Egypt, Moses and Miriam are suddenly thrown together as the Egyptian royals and soldiers flee. Hebrew slaves are forced to defend the kingdom, and Miriam and Caleb are enlisted under Moses’s direction. Moses quickly sees there is more to this downtrodden people than what he’s been taught. When he witnesses the atrocities enacted against the slaves, he realizes he must leave—he must find out who he really is. 

A gripping account of the events that lead to Moses’s flight into the wilderness, The Moses Chronicles: Bondage will take you back to a rich period of history replete with scandal, strife, love, and hope as God prepares a prophet to lead His chosen people.

*A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an unbiased opinion.

Blog Tour Schedule:

May 18th

http://mybookaday.blogspot.com/
https://joyinthemoments.wordpress.com/ 

May 19th

http://gettingyourreadonaimeebrown.blogspot.com
http://melsshelves.blogspot.com/
http://fireandicereads.com/

May 20th

http://minreadsandreviews.blogspot.com/
http://www.ldswomensbookreview.com/wordpress/
http://heidi-reads.blogspot.com/
http://rachellewrites.blogspot.com/

May 21st

http://www.iamareader.com/
http://ldsandlovinit.blogspot.com/
http://www.bonnieharris.blogspot.com/

May 22nd

http://literarytimeout.blogspot.com/
http://whynotbecauseisaidso.blogspot.com/
http://www.rockinbookreviews.com/ 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

ALISO CREEK SERIES by Heather B Moore—Review

THE COMPLETE ALISO CREEK SERIES by Heather B Moore. This cute romance series was so much fun to read. I couldn't put it down. Some of the stories I liked more than others. Some I felt ended to soon. Others were just right. I loved how all the charactes wove together and helped spur each other on. This is a delightful, clean, romance series anyone would love. I recommend it to all.

:) :) :) :) :

Liz, Gemma, Arie, Jess, and Drew have been best friends since creating the “Five” at Aliso Creek High School. But that was over ten years ago, and each is still trying to find that perfect someone . . . if perfect is even possible. 

This box set includes all 5 stories: 

PICTURE PERFECT: Gemma Staheli has never done anything out of the ordinary, until her boyfriend Randy starts to ignore her. But even cutting and dyeing her hair doesn’t get his attention. She decides to join her old high school friends for spring vacation, only to be faced with Drew, her best friend who suddenly seems interested in her as more than a friend. Gemma must determine if her heart is on the rebound or if it’s finally met its true match. 

THIRD TIME’S THE CHARM: Liz Carlson will settle for a normal man. A normal man with a job, that is. Married twice, then divorced twice, Liz’s rose-colored glasses fell off and shattered on the ground a long time ago. Her main focus now is raising her six-year-old daughter and surviving long days at work on her feet as a hairdresser. When Sloane Branden answers her call for help, quite literally, Liz doesn’t even give him a second glance. She’s sworn off dating for as many years as it takes, and it seems that Sloane has done the same after his own tumultuous marriage. But when Liz realizes that Sloane defies every stereotypical deadbeat she’s dated, she might just find room in her heart and discover the third time’s the charm. 

THE DAISY CHAIN: Jess Giles does find her perfect match, but since Charlie’s several years older than she, they never have a moment of harmony from his adult kids who protest the marriage. When Charlie dies in a tragic accident, his kids add insult to injury and sue Jess for her share of the inheritance. The only person Jess trusts for financial advice is Charlie’s financial planner, Preston Michaels. Just talking to Preston on the phone makes Jess feel flustered, yet strangely comfortable at the same time, so she puts off meeting him for as long as possible. When Jess has to attend the formal hearing, she’s about to find out if the man she’s been talking to over the phone for several months lives up to the voice that she’s grown attached to. 

LOST THEN FOUND: Arie, at the top of her career as VP of an established real estate company, discovers that her success has led to a less-than-successful dating life. But she may have just met the ideal man in work-a-holic film producer, Dustin Jacobs. Seeing each other once a week, or even once a month, is no big deal since they are both ambitious… until Arie realizes she wants much, much more. 

ONE CHANCE: Valentina is the odd-woman out. She’s part of “the Five” when she dates Drew for a couple of years, and remains friends with the women, but with her traveling schedule as a runway model, it’s impossible to maintain a real relationship. When Valentina attends her cousin’s wedding in LA, she runs into Cesar, who she was school friends with in her native country of Puerto Rico. Cesar is not the young skinny boy she remembers, but a grown man who seems interested in what’s beyond her model-appearance. Back in New York, Valentina can’t get him out of her mind, but she also can’t deny the fact that they’re separated by more than one country.

A TIMELESS ROMANCE ANTHOLOGY:OLD WEST COLLECTION—Book Review

A TIMELESS ROMANCE ANTHOLOGY: OLD WEST COLLECTION. This collection of short stories was a great, quick read. I enjoyed the stories, some more than others. Each one has great characters that will leave you smiling at the end. It is a great way to get a taste of several different authors. I would recommend this anthology to any romantic at heart.

:) :) :) :)

In BREAK A LEG, a charming story by two-time Rita Award winner Carla Kelly, hospital steward Colm Callahan is ready to move away from army life at Fort Laramie. His only regret is leaving behind exotic Ozzie Washington, easily the prettiest woman on the post. As a maid to the lieutenant colonel's wife, Ozzie is no wilting flower when it comes to hard work. When the post surgeon leaves for an extended week, Colm must handle several medical emergencies on his own. He pleads for Ozzie's help at the hospital. While they spend long days and nights working together, Colm, a shy man, realizes he can't hide the truth of his feelings for Ozzie. He needs a little help, though. Enter from stage left, Lysander Locke, Shakespeare tragedian on his way to Deadwood. 

THE SOLDIER'S HEART, an enchanting novella by Sarah M. Eden, follows Gregory Reeves has fallen in love with a woman he’s never met. Her brother’s dying wish is that Gregory checks on his family, and after the war, Gregory is only too happy to meet the woman he’s been dreaming about. Helene mistakes him for a hired hand and sets him to work immediately. As time passes, Gregory finds it more and more difficult to reveal his true connection to her family, fearing that a woman who loathes liars will turn her disapproval on him. 

HIDDEN SPRING is an enthralling novella by Liz Adair, in which Susannah Brown is just getting her life back together after becoming a widow. She still misses Wesley with a fierce longing, but when she meets his half-brother, Douglas, she learns her heart is not completely dormant. Over the next several weeks, Douglas helps Susannah with repairs on her small ranch in exchange for supper. The exchange becomes more and more meaningful as Susannah realizes that Douglas might be the one to finally heal her heart. 

In Annette Lyon’s delightful story, THE SWEETEST TASTE, Della Stafford hates being a farm girl in the tiny town of Shelley, Idaho. She’ll do anything to live in a big city and experience real city life. Her only regret is that she’d have to leave Joseph behind, the young man who makes her heart flutter. But she's convinced that moving away is for the best; her dreams and Joseph's dreams are too dissimilar. Then Della takes a job as a maid in Los Angeles and must face the truth that what she thought would make her happy and what really will are totally different things. 

THE SILVER MINE BACHELOR, by Heather B. Moore, is a sweet romance between an unlikely pair. Lydia Stone has a checklist for men who qualify as the eligible bachelors in the mining town of Leadville, Colorado. Her new boss, Mr. Erik Dawson, is about to be struck off the list when she sees him coming out of the town brothel. Lydia doesn’t know that Erik Dawson’s sister has been living the brothel lifestyle for years, and he’s set on redeeming her soul. When Lydia discovers Erik’s secrets, she learns that life is not as black and white as she thinks. 

In the captivating novella, FAITH AND THE FOREMAN by Marsha Ward, Faith Bannister is forced to travel west to earn a living as a school mistress in Arizona Territory. Faith soon learns that living the frontier lifestyle of a single woman has many harsh challenges. But when she meets Slim McHenry, she discovers that life doesn’t have to be so lonely. Unfortunately the dangerous Rance Hunter stands between her and Slim, and she must act with courage before everything is lost. 

ROMANCE THROUGH THE AGES for .99 cents—book buzzin'

For anyone who loves clean romance like I do ... Don't miss out on this great deal!

I have read books from several of these authors and have loved them. Be sure to take a look.   

  Romance through the Ages brings you SEVEN NOVELS from 7 bestselling authors (including New York Times, USA Today, and Amazon bestsellers). Join us for a fabulous collection.   

  *7 Romance Novels, 7 Bestselling Authors, 1 Amazing Price*

99 cent Romance Boxed Set for a limited time only!

Running Barefoot by NY Times & USA Today bestselling author Amy Harmon Deeply romantic and poignant, Running Barefoot is the story of a small town girl and a Native American boy, the ties that bind them to their homes and families, and the love that gives them wings.

Masquerade by Janette Rallison, who has sold more than 1 million books It's hard for a woman to keep up the masquerade when her boss is as handsome as Slade Jacobson and the job takes her to Hawaii with him. In between handling his whirlwind four-year-old daughter and dealing with a whole cast of Hollywood personalities, Clarissa has to keep a tight hold on her heart.

The Reluctant Bachelorette by Rachael Anderson, Amazon Bestseller Unknowingly cast as the bachelorette for her town's charity event, Shelter’s Bachelorette, Taycee Emerson is in for the ride of her life. Especially when she discovers her old teenage crush, Luke Carney, is one of the bachelors and it's up to the viewers—not her—to decide which bachelors stay or go.

Pride and Precipitation by Heather Horrocks, Amazon Bestseller Breezy Jones is crazy about the weather, rain or shine, which makes her job as the local television station’s meteorologist perfect. That’s before she meets the attractive new general manager, Noah Drake, who is determined to repackage everything—including Breezy’s down-home delivery.

My Own Mr. Darcy by Karey White, Amazon Bestseller Lizzie falls hard for Matthew Macfadyen’s Mr. Darcy character and makes a promise to herself that she will settle for nothing less than her own Mr. Darcy. When she meets two men, Chad—a science teacher, and Matt Dawson—who looks and acts like Mr. Darcy, she’s forced to re-evaluate what it was she loved about Mr. Darcy in the first place.

She Owns the Knight by Diane Darcy, Amazon Bestseller Why does Gillian Corbett have to travel seven hundred years through time to find a decent guy?... Why can't Sir Kellen Marshall find a lady who is obedient, submissive... or at least not trying to kill him?

Heart of the Ocean by Heather B. Moore, Amazon Bestseller!— A dark secret . . . a grieving ghost . . . a handsome stranger . . . What more could Eliza Robinson want? Except for maybe her life. When Eliza discovers that Jonathan Porter’s dark secrets may be the link between the dead woman who haunts her and her aunt’s murderer, Eliza realizes that Jonathan is the one man she should never trust.

Grab your copy for just .99 cents!

Courage

I recently attended the Northwest Writers Retreat in Washington. Heather Moore was the guest speaker there and I loved what I learned from her. Her closing remarks had to do with the courage to follow our dreams. You know how notes can be, not always as complete as we'd like them, but here are mine. Basically what I took from it is that we have to try. We have to have the courage to try, even if we're told we can't. It was wonderful to hear her personal story. So keep dreaming, keep trying, and Happy Writing!

Courage to follow dreams--Heather Moore

Resistance

Related to procrastination, is universal, it never sleeps, plays for keeps, fueled by fear, fed by fear, most powerful @ finish line, recruits alies

Rejection

Can come from people you know and love

Don't compare your worst self to someone's best self

Begin with a prayer- use writing time wisely, do I need to be doing sketching else

I'd you wan it you'll make time for it

Be supportive of other writers and their successes

Embracing your calling

Love 

We are told as a child our dreams are impossible

Fear of the defeats on the paths

Fear of realizing the dreams we've worked so hard for

What I took from it is that we have to try. We have to have the courage to try, even if we're told we can't. It was wonderful to hear her personal story. So . . .

Keep dreaming

Keep trying 

and 

Happy Writing!

A Timeless Romance Anthology Winter Collection--Book Review

A TIMELESS ROMANCE ANTHOLOGY WINTER COLLECTION by some of my favorite authors. Sarah M Eden, Donna Hatch, Annette Lyon, Heather B Moore, Joyce DiPastena, and Heidi Ashworth. 

Published by Mirror Press.

Available at Smashwords and Amazon.

I have loved every story I have read from this anthology. It gives you a great taste for each author's style of writing, and each story makes you sit back and smile. They are fun, feel good, quick readers, that are for every romantic at heart. 

:) :) :) :) :)

A Timeless Romance Anthology

Winter Collection (Description taken from Amazon)

Six Award-Winning Authors have contributed brand new stories to A Timeless Romance Anthology: Winter Collection. A collection unlike any other, readers will love this compilation of six sweet historical romance novellas, set in varying eras, yet all with one thing in common: 

Romance.

The Road to Cavan Town by Sarah M. Eden, set in 1864 Ireland, combines Eden’s sense of humor with her signature sweet romance. Alice Wheatley walks each weekend into town, accompanied by Isaac Dancy. And while Alice finds herself falling in love with the gentleman, unfortunately he has his eyes set on the belle of the town, Miss Sophia Kilchrest. Alice must find a way to turn Isaac’s eyes toward her.

Regency author Heidi Ashworth’s delightful story, It Happened Twelfth Night, set in England 1812, follows Luisa Darlington who discovers the man of her dreams, Percy Brooksby, isn’t in love with her as much as she thought he was. When Percy’s friend, the mysterious foreigner, Mr. Flynn, visits for the twelfth night holiday, he promptly sweeps Luisa off her feet, quite literally. Luisa is left catching her breath in more ways than one.

An Unexpected Proposal by Annette Lyon is a captivating romantic novella, set in remote Wood Camp, the snowy canyon of Logan, Utah, 1880. When Caroline Simpson is forced to thwart the aggressive advances of Mr. Butch Larson, she discovers that her long-time friend, James, has genuine affection for her. But as stubborn as Caroline is, she minimizes the feelings he’s awakened in her, and it takes almost losing James to admit her true feelings for him.

In Joyce DiPastena’s charming medieval story, Caroles on the Green, we enter England of 1151, in which Lady Isabel has a dilemma. She promises herself that she’ll marry the man who sent a ring hidden in her pastry since the man she truly loves, Sir Lucian de Warrene, has proved to be impossible and exasperating. To forget him, Isabel sets her eyes on other eligible men, only to face another confrontation with Lucian—who isn’t about to back off and leave her to her newest plot.

Donna Hatch’s enchanting novella, A Winter’s Knight, begins when Clarissa Fairchild’s coach just happens to break down in front of the most forbidding estate in the county, that of Wyckburg Castle, a place where young brides have been murdered for generations by their husbands. Clarissa is horrified yet curious all in the same breath. When she meets widower Christopher de Champs, Earl of Wyckburg, she must decide if she should flee or uncover the greatest secret in the county about her handsome rescuer. 

In Heather B. Moore’s exciting turn-of-the-century story, A Fortunate Exile, Lila Townsend finds herself the victim of a broken heart—broken by the most notorious bachelor in 1901 New York City. If that isn’t bad enough, her father sends her to Aunt Eugenia’s remote farm where Lila must wait for her father’s anger to subside and the gossip columns to find new fodder. When Lila meets her aunt’s boarder, Peter Weathers, she discovers a man who isn’t afraid to stand up to her formidable family and take a chance on a woman with a sullied reputation.

What To Watch For After Your First Draft

It's amazing how quickly time and my mind goes. I thought I had this post figured out, but as I sit down to write it I'm drawing a blank. Oh well. This weekend I had the opportunity to attend the Northwest Writer's Retreat in Washington. Aside from being in a beautiful location with much cooler weather than I'm used to, great company, and great classes, I've been able to do some solid writing of my own. It's been wonderful!

One of the subjects talked about by our resident writer Heather B Moore was "Life After the First Draft." It's always nice to be reminded of what we need to watch out for. This was especially useful for me right now as I'm going through yet another edit. Here are some of the things to watch out for:

• Watch out for Dialog Tags. Make sure you have them when needed and substitute an action when you can.
• Avoid repetition of all kinds, i.e. words, name calling, etc
• Punctuation. Beward of too many !!!!!, know basic comma rules
• Verbs. Check your "ly" verbs, use more accurate verbs, watch was/were
• Pacing. Make sure your book is always moving forward, watch info dumps, are you skimming your own words?
• Sense of Setting. Keep each chapter to make sure you know where you are within the first few paragraphs
• Point of View. Make sure you stay consistent. No head hopping.
• General. Have your facts straight, use spell checker, are your actions physically possible?

All of these things are great to keep in mind while writing a first draft, but that doesn't mean you should get hung up on them. Just write the story, then go through looking for these things. Keep up all the wonderful writing and Happy Editing! (If that's the stage you're in.)

Winter Collection A Timeless Romance Anthology--Book Buzzin'

A TIMELESS ROMANCE ANTHOLOGY WINTER COLLECTION by some of my favorite authors. Sarah M Eden, Donna Hatch, Annette Lyon, Heather B Moore, Joyce DiPastena, and Heidi Ashworth. 

Published by Mirror Press.

Available at Smashwords and Amazon.

A Timeless Romance Anthology

Winter Collection (Description taken from Amazon)

Six Award-Winning Authors have contributed brand new stories to A Timeless Romance Anthology: Winter Collection. A collection unlike any other, readers will love this compilation of six sweet historical romance novellas, set in varying eras, yet all with one thing in common: 

Romance.

The Road to Cavan Town by Sarah M. Eden, set in 1864 Ireland, combines Eden’s sense of humor with her signature sweet romance. Alice Wheatley walks each weekend into town, accompanied by Isaac Dancy. And while Alice finds herself falling in love with the gentleman, unfortunately he has his eyes set on the belle of the town, Miss Sophia Kilchrest. Alice must find a way to turn Isaac’s eyes toward her.

Regency author Heidi Ashworth’s delightful story, It Happened Twelfth Night, set in England 1812, follows Luisa Darlington who discovers the man of her dreams, Percy Brooksby, isn’t in love with her as much as she thought he was. When Percy’s friend, the mysterious foreigner, Mr. Flynn, visits for the twelfth night holiday, he promptly sweeps Luisa off her feet, quite literally. Luisa is left catching her breath in more ways than one.

An Unexpected Proposal by Annette Lyon is a captivating romantic novella, set in remote Wood Camp, the snowy canyon of Logan, Utah, 1880. When Caroline Simpson is forced to thwart the aggressive advances of Mr. Butch Larson, she discovers that her long-time friend, James, has genuine affection for her. But as stubborn as Caroline is, she minimizes the feelings he’s awakened in her, and it takes almost losing James to admit her true feelings for him.

In Joyce DiPastena’s charming medieval story, Caroles on the Green, we enter England of 1151, in which Lady Isabel has a dilemma. She promises herself that she’ll marry the man who sent a ring hidden in her pastry since the man she truly loves, Sir Lucian de Warrene, has proved to be impossible and exasperating. To forget him, Isabel sets her eyes on other eligible men, only to face another confrontation with Lucian—who isn’t about to back off and leave her to her newest plot.

Donna Hatch’s enchanting novella, A Winter’s Knight, begins when Clarissa Fairchild’s coach just happens to break down in front of the most forbidding estate in the county, that of Wyckburg Castle, a place where young brides have been murdered for generations by their husbands. Clarissa is horrified yet curious all in the same breath. When she meets widower Christopher de Champs, Earl of Wyckburg, she must decide if she should flee or uncover the greatest secret in the county about her handsome rescuer. 

In Heather B. Moore’s exciting turn-of-the-century story, A Fortunate Exile, Lila Townsend finds herself the victim of a broken heart—broken by the most notorious bachelor in 1901 New York City. If that isn’t bad enough, her father sends her to Aunt Eugenia’s remote farm where Lila must wait for her father’s anger to subside and the gossip columns to find new fodder. When Lila meets her aunt’s boarder, Peter Weathers, she discovers a man who isn’t afraid to stand up to her formidable family and take a chance on a woman with a sullied reputation.