Episodes

  • A Quiet Faith

    A Quiet Faith
    Dec 1 2023
    In this episode Tiffanie, Jamie, and Melissa discuss the second novella in Sara R. Turnquist’s Cripple Creek series, Leaving StoneyBrook. This novella picks up with Tom and Lauren’s son, David. You’ll enjoy seeing the ranch and family Tom and Lauren have built for themselves. We loved how they turned out as parents, and you will too.
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    13 mins
  • The Beginning of a Legacy

    The Beginning of a Legacy
    Nov 24 2023

    In this episode Tiffanie, Jamie, and Melissa discuss Leaving Waverly by Sara R. Turnquist. This is the first prequel in her Cripple Creek series.

     

    If you listen to this podcast episode, you’ll find it insightful, intriguing, and concise. We enjoyed this fast-paced love story with Tom and Lauren. Their first encounter is unique and very heart touching.

     

    You’ll enjoy Lauren’s faith and boldness as she pushes back against her father’s iron rule over the plantation. At the same time, you’ll despise her father and mother for their treatment of Lauren and others. However, like all good stories, he will redeem himself.

     

    Tom is quite the headstrong young man looking to strike out on his own. He loves his family but doesn’t want to follow in his father’s footsteps. Interestingly enough, he’ll discover how his actions made his father feel later on in the series when we meet his son David.

     

    A sharecropper and the plantation owner’s daughter are an unlikely match, but against all odds their love wins out.

     

    LiteraryScape gives Leaving Waverly 3 lassos. We are sure you’ll be hooked, and hog tied throughout this fast-paced novella.

     

    Adventure Level = Mocha

    Mystery Level = Espresso

    Romance Level = Espresso

     

    Don’t forget to visit Sara’s website and sign-up for her newsletter to stay in the loop and participate in her many book giveaways!

     

    Additional Announcements:

    LiteraryScape is excited to announce that we are now serving authors of historical Christian romance. If you or someone you know writes historical Christian romance and would like the support of a writing that focuses on this genre, then please share this post with them.

     

    Right now, through Cyber Monday we are offering a $10 discount on the first month of membership with coupon code 23BFS3MO.

     

    Our writing group offers:

    ·      monthly trainings with experts in the writing,

    ·      publishing, and marketing fields,

    ·      bi-weekly critique meetings to keep your writing on track,

    ·      a private Facebook group to stay motivated and connected, and

    ·      an online resource library with a growing number of courses on writing, publishing, and marketing your novels. Click on the button below to learn more and join today!

     

    If you just enjoy reading amazing historical Christian romance novels, then be sure to sign-up for our LiteraryScape Book Club newsletter. We share a book a week, plus other great opportunities for readers like you!
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    9 mins
  • Saving Scarlett

    Saving Scarlett
    Nov 17 2023

    In this episode Tiffanie, Jamie, and Melissa will be discussing the novella Scarlett from Kathleen Ball’s series, The Settlers.

     

    We finally make it to Scarlett’s story, but let’s be honest she isn’t anyone’s favorite character. So far in the series she has been rude with her snide remarks. Not to mention the way she looks down at others.

     

    It’s a bit surprising that anyone would take her on as a wife. However, she’s more like a mail order bride and Dillon has no idea what he is getting himself into. His complete lack of understanding women does not help their marriage get off on the right foot either.

     

    For once Scarlett receives the same treatment she’s been doling out on others. Eventually her walls begin to break down, but not before her life teeters between here and heaven.

     

    We all agreed that Scarlett grew on us and in the end, we liked her. So, don’t let your initial opinion of her keep you from reading her story.

     

    Dillon was the kind of husband every woman wanted; except he was a bit dense at first when it came to women. Apparently, he was the man every woman in town wanted even after he married Scarlett. Yet he didn’t see it. Which of course leads to some very interesting scenes.

     

    LiteraryScape gives Scarlett 2.5 lassos out of 3.

     

    Adventure Level = Espresso

    Mystery Level = Espresso

    Romance Level = Espresso
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    26 mins
  • Platinum Rule

    Platinum Rule
    Nov 13 2023
    Before we begin our inspirational moment, I wanted to let you know that I have some special announcements at the end of this episode that you don’t want to miss! Alright, welcome back to another inspirational message from historical Christian romance novels. Luke 6: 27-36 – “But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.”“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ lend to ‘sinners’ expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” Whew! That was a long section of passage, but you need to hear it all to fully understand what Jesus was saying and telling His followers to do. This Friday’s book club episode features the novella Scarlett from Kathleen Ball’s series, The Settlers. If you’ve read the series, then you know Scarlett is bitter and just plain mean to everyone. She gets a taste of being on the receiving end of her treatment of others. Thankfully she comes out for the better as she works to apply the golden rule: Do unto others as you would have done unto you. I have to pause and say how much I love God and the way He engineers our circumstances. I was working through what I wanted to write for our inspirational moment and low and behold Pastor Jim preached on the golden rule two Sundays ago confirming what God laid on my heart. Not only that but he shed some light on this passage that I think you will enjoy. Let’s dig into Luke 6:27-36! We all know the golden rule and live by it to the best of our ability, yet Jesus called us to go beyond the golden rule when He asked: “If you love those who love you what credit is it to you?”Wow! What a powerful question. He follows that question up by flushing this idea out more when he points out even ‘sinners’ love those who love them. To exemplify God’s love to others we have to go beyond the golden rule to what Pastor Jim calls the platinum rule. Love is more than giving so that you get something back. What Jesus is describing in this passage is agape love: to love without expecting anything back. I must stop and ask: Does this sound foreign or radical to you? It did to me because my natural human response is to go above and beyond for those that show love to me, but in turn restrict love and kindness to my enemies. In fact, retribution consumes my mind when I think about my enemies not love. Yet Pastor Jim pointed out that if we spent as much time praying as we do with retribution we’d turn the world upside down with Christ’s love. Let’s look at this platinum rule Jesus is calling us to live out.1.     Love your enemies. Do good to those that hate you.a.     This is agape love. To love without expecting anything back.2.     Bless those who curse you.a.     Speak well of those who curse you.3.     Pray for those who mistreat you.4.     Turn your cheek.a.     This means to respond with gentleness.5.     If they take your coat, give them your shirt.a.     Don’t hang onto earthly possessions.6.     Give to everyone who asks and don’t demand it back.a.     When you lend someone a tool or money, don’t get bent out of shape when it doesn’t come back.Love without worrying about what you want, but what they want. Genuine Godly love exceeds the world’s standard of love. Therefore, the platinum rule is: Love without expecting anything in return. Jesus didn’t stop at the golden rule but asked us to go beyond what even ‘sinners’ do. Some may ask why should I do this? You have no idea what that person has done to me! Yes, he does. Jesus endured slander, insults, and physical beatings from His enemies, yet He still loved them enough to suffer death on a cross for them, for you, and for me. Not only does Jesus call us to shower our enemies in love, but to be merciful just as God is merciful. We earn a reward in Heaven for living out the platinum rule. God rewards our obedience with crowns in Heaven, that we get to turn around and lay down on Jesus’s feet. This is because we don’t do this for ourselves but for Jesus. When we show agape love to friend and foe, we look like Jesus and doesn’t ...
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    10 mins
  • Second Chances

    Second Chances
    Nov 10 2023

    In this episode Tiffanie, Jamie, and Melissa discuss the second book in Kathleen Ball’s Settler series, titled Juan.

     

    We are bringing you another novella this week filled with second chances. If you read last week’s novella, then you know Greg and Sonia have an unpleasant experience in their past. This in turn makes things a wee bit difficult for her and Juan at first.

     

    Sonia faces judgement and condemnation from almost everyone in town, including her own parents. Juan faces disdain from those who look down upon his heritage as a Mexican. They both understand each other, but struggle to come together for fear of being a burden to one another.

     

    Kathleen weaves in a sweet message of how we are not to judge others, with her leading lady Sonia and her hero Juan. You will enjoy their love journey as they overcome their own obstacles and those put in their path by others.

     

    LiteraryScape gives The Settlers: Juan a 2.5 lasso rating out of 3.

    Adventure Level = Mocha

    Mystery Level = Espresso

    Romance Level = Espresso

     

    You can learn more about Kathleen’s books by visiting her website here.
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    14 mins
  • Judge Not

    Judge Not
    Nov 6 2023

    Welcome back to another inspirational moment from historical Christian romance novels.

     

    Matthew 7:1-5- “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment, you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but don’t notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is a log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.”

     

    I love reading the words Jesus spoke. They are filled with wisdom and push us to take a hard look at the state of our own heart. His words cautioning us to not pass judgement on others are easier said than done for us.

     

    I can imagine I am not the only one who struggles with making assumptions and quickly passing judgement. Even with the simplest thing like, “I can’t believe she wore that outfit to a church event.” Oh yeah, I’ve been guilty of that thought many times in my life.

     

    In this week’s book club discussion of Kathleen Ball’s novella, The Settlers: Juan, we meet Sonia. She is a young woman who is battered and bruised by the judgement of others. One mistake in her young life left her abandoned and barely surviving.

     

    While reading this story, I was saddened by the lack of grace and abundance of judgement and condemnation that towns people had for Sonia. It brought me right back to Matthew 7:1-5. God reminded me again how only He has the right to judge and condemn, because only He is holy and blameless.

     

    It is easy to become trapped in the same mindset of the Pharisees; looking down on others who have sinned without seeing our own. Honestly, Jesus’s words paint a rather ridiculous picture of how we must look sometimes. I mean just picture us with giant planks sticking out as we try to wipe a speck of dust from our friend’s eye. Who by the way is standing there thinking ‘Seriously, can they not see the big blaring sin with red blinking lights right in front of their nose?’

     

    Okay, now that we’ve all had a laugh at ourselves, let’s get to the tough stuff. It’s time we lay our judgements down and treat others the way God treats us, with grace, love, and mercy.

     

    I’ll leave you with this final thought, the closer we draw to God, the more we reflect Him, the easier it is to lay down our judgment of others.
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    Less than 1 minute
  • Innocent and Sweet Love

    Innocent and Sweet Love
    Nov 3 2023

    In this episode Tiffanie, Jamie and Melissa discuss the first book in Kathleen Ball’s novella series, The Settlers, titled Greg. We do want to make all our listeners aware the not all of Kathleen’s books are historical Christian romance. She does write secular romance as well, so be sure to check their genre before you start reading. This series however is part of her historical Christian romance genre.

     

    Greg comes from such an amazing and unique family. He along with all his siblings are orphans that Mr. and Mrs. Settler have adopted. It makes for quite an interesting mix, especially as they continue to not only adopt more, but have children of their own. Goodness, gracious it’s a lot of mouths to feed!

     

    Greg attempts to strike out on his own by trying his hand at mining gold. He ends up being shot at on day one and is rescued by his lady love, Mercy. You’ll fall in love with Mercy. She’s smart, tough, and such an innocent.

     

    With this being a novella, it makes for a short story however Kathleen keeps you hooked from beginning to end. The danger and suspense around the gold mine mounts and you wonder if Greg and Mercy will make it out alive. Even then the threat to their lives follows them.

     

    LiteraryScape gives The Settlers: Greg novella 2.75 lassos out of 3. We are sure you will be hooked by this sweet, fast paced love story.

     

    Adventure Level = A Mocha

    Mystery Level = An Espresso

    Romance Level = An Espresso

     

    (Rating Scale: Espresso= A Little, Mocha = A Medium Amount, Latte = A Lot)
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    18 mins
  • An Inspirational Interview

    An Inspirational Interview
    Oct 30 2023
    Welcome back to another inspirational moment from historical Christian romance novels. Today’s inspirational moment is a little different. This past week I had the opportunity to sit down and talk with author Julie Lessman about her newest book A Dare and A Prayer. If you ever get a chance to meet Julie you will soon discover she is an amazing woman of God filled with her own inspirational stories, which she packs into her novels. I’m sure you’ll walk away inspired by her interview. Before we jump into the interview, I just wanted to take a moment to remind everyone that both Julie and I will be donating to two great anti-human trafficking groups with every copy of A Dare and a Prayer that is sold. Julie will be donating a portion of her book sales proceeds to Project Eden. I will be donating a dollar for every copy of A Dare and Prayer sold in October to Destiny Rescue. So be sure to get your copy before midnight tomorrow October 31, 2023. Now let’s dig into this inspirational interview with award-winning author Julie Lessman! What was your hope or desire for your readers as you worked on A Dare and a Prayer? Wow, without question, it was the theme of trafficking, child trafficking. I didn't really expect to go there. I mean, this is a romance. And the hero is kind of a funny character. So, I mean, it's kind of a lighthearted book. I was actually God that told me I had to do it. I was not even contemplating doing a serious subject like that. But I was in the middle of writing a scene. I mean, I was a good part of the way through the book. And all of a sudden, you know, in the scene where this little girl is supposed to run, you know, she's run through the streets, and she just runs into Henry’s legs. I was only going to put that in there to show how he picks her up and what a tender heart he has.  But when I was writing it, it's like, all of a sudden, my mind's eye, I saw this evil looking guy chasing this little girl. And I felt like God said, this is your theme. It's going to be child trafficking. And I'm going, this is World War II. I mean, I know it's prevalent today, okay? But I didn't think it was back then. And the other thing was it's a Japanese internment camp. And in my head, I thought Japanese were always very family oriented, very noble. And so, I kind of bucked and thought, gee, a romance with a child trafficking theme, that doesn't sound like it's going to fly. But he would not let me go. I had to do it. And then while I was writing the book, I saw Sound of Freedom. I don't know if you've seen that movie or not. It's Jim Caviezel and it was actually finished like five or six years ago. But Disney owned rights to it and would not release it and they did that on purpose. They didn't want to release it and Hollywood pretty much closed the door in these people's faces. So, they went into crowdfunding and they got it out on their own. And wow, I think it's made well over 200 million by now. And it's just a powerful movie. And that really impacted me because, you know, I mean, Melissa, we hear about child trafficking for a couple of years now we've heard about it, you know, but you hear so much that you almost become numb to it. You don't think about it. And that movie brought it front and center again. And that was like a confirmation to me that what I was doing was right. After I saw that movie, I went, yes, this is what He wants me to do. So back to your question, I wanted to jolt people and make them aware that this is just a heinous tragedy that's going on and it's really prevalent. And it was prevalent in World War II. It's been going on for centuries, okay, but it's really coming to the foreground now.  I think I did shine some light on it because I had a number of people say to me, you know I didn't really focus on this until this book. They said it was difficult to read but they thought I did a decent job. So, I mean, you know, that's kind of what I was hoping to accomplish. I think I did to a degree. How have your readers received Henry's story?  I think mostly well, you know. I have a 4.7 rating on Amazon with 62 reviews and a 4.7 on Goodreads, which is hard to do. Usually, the Goodreads number is much lower because people, they feel like they can be more honest on Goodreads however I got 4.7 on both of them. So, I'm really, really thrilled about that.  You know, I was worried in the beginning because a lot of my diehard bloggers that review my books, a couple of them that have never given me a four star in my life, I mean they've read every one of my books and given me a five star, gave me four stars and I started seeing that and I thought, hmm, I wonder what that's all about. So anyway, but I think that seems to have changed now, it looks like the five stars are really rolling in a lot more so, I'm grateful. So, I also am really curious because I love all of your books on the O'Connor family. Will there be more for the O'Connor family? Or do you feel like...
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    24 mins