Echoes of Mercy

Neither Carrie Lang nor Ollie Moore are who they claim to be. Both work undercover in Dinsmore’s World-Famous Chocolates Factory, but with different motivations. When three young children come into some hard times, can Carrie and Ollie band together to help them, despite their opposing points of view? Or will their façades crack, revealing more than they’d like to let on? Once the truth comes out, will they still be willing to trust each other?

Author Kim Vogel Sawyer brings us yet another fabulous story. This one, Echoes of Mercy—releasing January 21, 2014—takes the reader deeper than any of the others she's written that I've read. It’s hard to put what I mean into words, but I can tell you it edged out my previous favorite Kim Sawyer book, My Heart Remembers. It was tough to see that one beat—and it was close—but I figured it would happen eventually. How could it not with Kim being such a gifted writer?

One thing I love about her books is there’s always a message of hope, always something to learn. This time, the line that leapt out at me was something Caroline “Carrie” Lang thought in chapter four: “Comfort could lead to carelessness. Carelessness could jeopardize the investigation.” I don’t think we should get to comfortable in life, either. If it leads to carelessness, that wouldn’t be too great, especially in serving God. I pray we may all strive to keep ourselves prepared for whatever opportunities the Lord sends our way.

Thank you, Kim, for my complimentary copy to review. Truly it was a pleasure to read. Keep those fabulous stories coming!

What does “comfort could lead to carelessness” mean to you? How may we stave off that carelessness?

Don’t forget to mark your calendars, folks! Echoes of Mercy comes out later this month (January 21st), and you won’t want to be the last one to read it.

Sisterchicks On the Loose!

Have you ever been surprised by the contents of a book?

Recently, I experienced that very thing.

  

Having previously loved RobinJones Gunn’s Clouds, I was eager to see what else she had written. When the first of her Sisterchicks books came up on my list of available books on Blogging for Books, I couldn’t resist the temptation to try another of her novels.

The surprises began with the cover. Blue sky and snow, with a bright orange strip of foreign buildings . . . just the hint of adventure I needed to sneak Sisterchickson the Loose! up my ever-growing list of books to read. Plus, the cute little chick in the top left corner with the snazzy sunglasses made me giggle with joy. *Note: When I was browsing at the book store over the weekend, I noticed this book had a different cover than the copy I had. Don’t let that stop you from taking on this adventure!

Upon opening the cover, I discovered the story was written in the first person. Quite startling, since the “norm” for fiction is currently third person writing. I’ve read a few first person fictions before, and they usually took me several chapters to get into the rhythm of them, if I ever did. Much to my delight, the story swiftly unfolded as if told by a dear friend. This negated the first person problems I’d had in the past. In fact, as I was reading, I felt as if I were reading the authors private, intimate thoughts on her own journey to Finland. I’m not sure how much of the tale was based on Ms. Gunn’s personal experiences, but she sure painted an enjoyable tale with plenty of adventure, misunderstandings, hilariousness and sweetly tender moments.

Finally, I was surprised to discover a deep character arc that could easily apply to so many women’s lives. (Men’s, too, for that matter.) Many of us struggle with identity issues at some point or another in our lives. This book provides hope and a bit of guidance where our identities are concerned. It’s nice to see such deep thoughts woven seamlessly into a whim of an adventure.

In Sisterchicks on the Loose!, Penny tells her best friend Sharon, “Pack your bags, girl! We’re finally going to run away from home!” They take off for far away Finland in hopes of reuniting with the aunt Penny’s always wanted to meet. Mishaps seem to appear from every direction, but they decide to trust God and let Him lead the way on this long-awaited journey. Both women have lessons to learn along the way, along with surprises to give and receive. The people they meet on the trip only add to the experience, enhancing the already enjoyable excursion across the globe. Will they miss home or wish they could travel indefinitely? After going on such an exciting trip, how can they ever go back to normal living? Make sure to pick up this Sisterchick novel if you have a bit of the wanderlust in you. It’ll get you itching to board a plane—but don’t forget your carry-on!

My food for thought question today comes from a quote in chapter seven of this novel: “It’s time for you to drop your bucket deep down into the well of possibilities that you’ve been ignoring all these years. Drop it all the way down and see what you pull up.”

When you dunk your bucket into the well of possibilities God’s placed before you, what do you pull up? How do you use the talents and gifts God’s blessed you with? How can you impact the world today? Share your ideas with us in the comment section below, but please don’t stop there. Let’s make a difference in the world around us, shall we?

Author Interview with Kim Vogel Sawyer

Today, I'm talking with author and Facebook friend, Kim Vogel Sawyer, whose latest book What Once Was Lost releases to bookstores tomorrow.

Available September 17th

Andrea: In your most recent book, What Once Was Lost, Tommy Kilgore was such an enjoyable character to get to know. Did someone in particular inspire his character?

Kim: No, Tommy is purely from my imagination, but I certainly grew attached to him.

Andrea: What piece of research surprised you most? Were you disappointed in any of your research?

Kim: The terminology which was perfectly acceptable surprised me--referring to poor farms as "asylums" and the residents as "inmates." I encountered these terms on historical sites and the images in my head, painted by today's use of those words, were quite different from the reality of that time. I find it intriguing how language evolves.

Andrea: Your descriptions in Tommy's point of view (POV) made it easy to feel what blindness would be like. Did you use a blindfold to better imagine the scenes? Or was there another technique you used? Or was it pure imagination?

Kim: I closed my eyes when writing in Tommy's POV. It sounds simplistic, but it's amazing how your other senses "step up to the plate" when you limit the use of one. Try plugging your ears sometime in a public place and see how keen your observation becomes. :O)

Andrea: Do you plot your books or write as you go? Are you ever surprised by the twists or outcomes in your stories?

Kim: I am a seat of the pants writer, so I am constantly surprised by what transpires. Every day is an adventure! I love it.

Andrea: When did you realize you wanted to write historical Christian fiction novels?

Kim: I always wanted to be a writer, and I always wanted to write historicals, but I think I became focused on Christian writing when I read my first Janette Oke story. I loved how God was a main character, and I wanted to write stories of the hope only He can give.

Andrea: How has the added responsibility of running The King's Inn Bed & Breakfast affected your writing schedule?

Kim: I like to start my day focused on writing. Now I have to wait until we've served breakfast and visited with guests before I can focus. Since I am most productive in the morning, it was a real adjustment for me to put something else ahead of writing, but it's balancing out. Fortunately the Hubs is good about doing all the clean up, so once the guests are served I can scoot up to my office and get busy.

Andrea: The theme of helping others is dear to my heart, which is one reason I especially love What Once Was Lost. How do you decide which themes to focus on in your novels? Are there any certain factors you consider while planning your stories?

Kim: The only thing I plan is my characters' emotional/physical/spiritual arcs. I know what each of them hope to achieve and why it is important to them. Beyond that, everything else that transpires is a natural out-growth of the characters' journeys. I am often amazed at the themes that develop.

Andrea: Who was the most challenging character to write, and why?

Kim: Tommy ... because I couldn't use his sight and I am a very visual person.

Andrea: What's up next on your busy schedule? May we have a hint at what your next book is about?

Kim: Up next is a story set in a Kansas chocolate factory and features a female investigator who is going to turn the life of the Dinsmore Chocolate Factory owner's son upside-down!

Andrea: Lastly, but most importantly, how's that new grandbaby of yours doing (and her parents)? Is she close enough to spoil regularly, like your little Wugmump? (Of course, all your grandkiddos are precious! I always enjoy the photos you share on your website and blog.)

Kim: Our newest one is growing like a weed and learning to smile, which is always so precious. I wish she was closer--three hours can seem like thirty when you want a quick visit--but thankfully Skype allows us to see and talk to both Wugmumps whenver we need a fix.

Andrea: Kim, thank you for visiting with us here at Writing to Inspire. You write such endearing stories.

Kim: Thanks, Andrea!

Since the release of her first novel in 2006, Kim Vogel Sawyer has become one of the most beloved writers in the Christian market. Drawn to her gentle stories of hope and the life lessons contained between the pages, readers eagerly anticipate the newest release. When Kim isn't writing, you can find her serving guests with her retired-military hubby at The King's Inn Bed and Breakfast Inn or spoiling her grandchildren. You can learn more about Kim and her writing and speaking ministries at www.KimVogelSawyer.com.