HEAR THE WIND CHIMES? IT MUST BE FALL.

I love the sound of wind chimes. As soon as I'm relatively certain that it won't snow again (usually about mid-May here in Wisconsin), I hang up my wind chimes outside. I love hearing them catch the breezes all summer long. But I especially enjoy hearing wind chimes in the fall. 

Perhaps it's because the trees have lost their leaves that the wind chimes sound louder, clearer, and, at nighttime, even haunting, but they do.

In my story Broken Things (Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas), I have one of my four main characters, Jack Callahan, hearing someone's wind chimes off in the distance as he walks to his car. Wind chimes, to me, are so indicative of the season -- perhaps as much as the turning leaves -- and Broken Things begins in the fall of 1999. 

Book Origins

The story was first published in 2003 by Barbour Publishing. Years later, it went out of print and, with the rights mine again, I decided to update, revise, and correct any editorial oversights in the original copy before reprinting it.

However, I realized through trial and error that I couldn't self-publish and still get the professional copy I desired. The problem was solved when publisher Eddie Jones at Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas took care of the reprint side of things. The updated version of Broken Things is now available in ebook and traditional  print formats

I'm pleased with the finished product. Here's a blurb...

An old photograph prompts Allison Drake Littenberg to return to Chicago to mend fences with family members and friends, particularly Jack Callahan, the handsome cop she left back in 1969. Now, 30 years later, Jack is bitter from bad decisions and a nasty divorce. Even so, Allie prays that God will use her own broken past to touch his life – and the life of a dying, abused, and disheartened woman who, Allie realizes, is the key to unlocking answers to decades of questions.

Can she reach them both? Will God use her to successfully open Jack’s deadbolted heart? 

*      *     *

Broken Things can be purchased online via Amazon.com. Click here for details.

Big Day in May

By Andrea Boeshaar

www.andreaboeshaar.com

Follow me on Twitter: @AndreaBoeshaar

& on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/Andrea.Boeshaar

Next week, (May 7), I’ll give birth to my third and final book in my Fabric of Time series, titled Threads of Love. The very next day, my daughter-in-law will give birth to my fifth grandchild – WHOO-HOO! Unless another is chosen at the last minute, her name will either be Ashleigh Faith or Jenna Faith – my vote is for the later, that is if my vote counts.  *smile*

I had the privilege of sitting in on one of my daughter-in-law’s ultrasounds and the baby turned just at the right time and I saw her little face! I told my son, who sat beside me, that she resembles her sister Alyson (who is 2 1/2). What a thrill to get a peek inside the womb at my granddaughter! 

My granddaughter -- coming soon!

Way back in the stone ages (ha, ha…) when I delivered my three sons, ultrasounds weren't common practice unless doctors felt that there was something wrong with the baby. Epidurals weren't given on a regular basis either. Funny, how I recall my mother and mother-in-law peppering me with stories about when they gave birth to their children in hospital maternity wards – forget about that having your own birthing suite business. Back in the 1950s women had roommates! Hospitals had visiting hours. Female nurses wore white dresses and caps.

My, my, but times do change!

My great-grandmother  and her sons
(including my grandfather,
sitting in front of the dog).

In my novel Threads of Love, readers can see how much has changed since 1902, the year in which the story is set. I had so much fun writing this novel because my great-grandparents were married in the year 1900. My grandfather was born in 1906. The early 1900s are years I just can remember – not because I lived them, obviously, but because of the tales I heard from my grandfather and grandmother and others as well as the pictures I still have today.

I believe handing stories down from one generation to the next is biblical. Take a look at Psalm 78:5-7.

He established a testimony in Jacob
    and appointed a law in Israel,
which he commanded our fathers
    to teach to their children,
 that the next generation might know them,
    the children yet unborn,
and arise and tell them to their children,
    so that they should set their hope in God
and not forget the works of God,
    but keep his commandments;

While it's fact that not everything I heard from older relatives was godly, all of it worked together for God’s good in bringing me to Him. 

We learn from the past – which is why birthing both a new book and a new baby is so much more pleasant today than a century – or even 50 years ago. Wouldn't you agree?

I’d love to hear from you -- and you can win a FREE, signed copy of Threads of Love. Simply leave a comment along with your email address and you’ll be entered into the contest. I’ll select a winner on Sunday afternoon. Happy reading!

*Threads of Love will be available after May 8th in traditional print and e-book formats. Ask for it at your favorite bookstore or order it online!

A Grammy's Influence

By Andrea Boeshaar

In early February I had the most wonderful visit with my son, daughter-in-law, and my fabulous grandkids in upper Michigan. My son is a pastor at a church in a small community on Lake Superior. In the summertime, the tiny town is thriving with vacationers and fishing enthusiasts, but in the winter it's frozen and quiet.

My daughter-in-law home-schools my granddaughter who's 7 -- 7 going on 16. There aren't many other little girls at the church they pastor and my son mentioned that Anna really needs friends with whom she can talk and giggle. She's really struggling at times with feeling isolated. She goes a lot of places with my daughter-in-law and participates in some of the ladies' activities. But for Anna it's not the same and she misses her friends in Milwaukee.

On Saturday, I attended a Bible study that my daughter-in-law leads once a month at a quaint coffee house. My daughter-in-law did a great job -- and what a great place that coffee house is! With its rustic motif, books, and photos from local artists along with the perpetual smell of freshly brewed java, it's one of the most inspiring places I've entered in a long while. 

My granddaughter, Anna, came along, but got antsy halfway through the study, so she and I walked around. I told her about the books I write and how I get my stories. She asked numerous questions and I answered them. We looked at some chapter books for her age group and suddenly...suddenly a spark entered her blue eyes.

"I'm going to write a book, Grammy. Like you!"


"Go for it." I smiled. My granddaughter is full of big ideas -- like getting her own cell phone. 

"And I'll be on the cover, okay?"

"Sure. It's your book." My smile grew.

We got home that day and Anna set to work. She wrote an entire notebook page -- the first page of her book. I typed it up on the computer and, you know what? Her story is pretty good. It's about a little girl who's getting bullied at school by a mean girl named Melissa.

During my visit, Anna wrote two more pages. I hope she'll continue writing her book because this grammy can't wait to see it in print!

What's Happening in 2013?

By Andrea Boeshaar

 All politics and apocalyptic theories aside, what’s happening in 2013 is the release of the last book in my Fabric of Time series. Each novel in the series moves up a generation, beginning in 1848 and ending in 1902.

The idea for this series came when I coordinated our Eikaas-Fluge family reunion in the late 1990s – that’s right. Almost 20 years ago! When the team at Charisma House and its fiction division, Realms, was interested in my idea, I rejoiced!!! Family is so important to me – dysfunction, quirks, and all. So I began to research and write. The novels in my series are brand new stories, published by Charisma Media within the last year.

My great-grandparents were married in 1900. Both had emigrated from Norway with hopes of living a better life. Sounds relevant for even today, doesn’t it?

We all have a history. However, I understand why some people choose to abandon their pasts because of things that have happened – bad things, embarrassing things, difficult things. But I also believe that if we ask God to heal our wounds and help us forgive and forget the ugly, we can accept and embrace our histories – even write about them. After all, God uses everything in our lives to mold and shape us into the people that He wants us to be.

And we know that for those who love God 

all things work together for good, 

for those who are called according to his purpose. 

                                             (Romans 8:29 ESV)

Threads of Hope (January 2012)

The year is 1848, and Kristin Eikaas has traveled from Norway to Wisconsin with dreams of a new life. But when she arrives, she finds one disappointment after another. Worse, her superstitious uncle now believes that his neighbor’s Oneida Indian wife has put a curse on Kristin. Everyone knows the Sundbergs put spells on people…

Everyone except Kristin. Her run-ins with Sam Sundberg only prove that he is a good man from a Christian family. But when her uncle discovers she’s been associating with Sam, his temper flares. To escape his wrath, Kristin gratefully accepts a job as the Sundbergs’ house girl, finding solace at the family’s spinning wheel.

In the time Sam and Kristin spend together, their friendship develops into much more, and Sam prays about a match between them. But opposition threatens to derail their newfound love. Will they have the courage to stand up for what is right—even against their own families? 

Threads of Faith (October 2012)

Julianna Wayland is running for her life! She hides in a crate on London’s dock, only to be loaded onto a ship bound for America. During the voyage, she becomes acquainted with Captain Daniel Sundberg who assuages her fears of sea-faring men. He’s not at all what she expected. By the time they reach New York’s harbor, Julianna’s certain she’s in love with him. The only problem is Daniel has plans for himself – plans that don’t include her.

Daniel Sundberg intends to say a last goodbye to his dying father in Manitowoc, Wisconsin and make sure his mother and sisters are well-taken care of, then get on with his life – a life he’s lived apart from his biological family. 

Threads of Love (Coming in May 2013)

It’s 1902 and Emily Sundberg considers herself a proper school teacher of the Twentieth Century. But a decade ago, she behaved more like a tomboy than a young lady. So when the neighbor’s grandson came to visit one summer, they became fast friends and Emily even got her first kiss. Unfortunately, Jake Edgerton told all the local boys. Rumors circulated, the taunts and teasing began. Emily caved from embarrassment and guilt. She wasn't ever able to confront Jake about the incident either. He’d returned to Fallon, Montana and she never saw or heard from him again. Over the years she’d worked hard to prove to her former classmates and the people of Manitowoc, Wisconsin that, despite past mistakes, she really was a decent, upstanding young woman, one befitting of a school teacher. But even with the passing of time, Emily’s never forgotten Jake and how he nearly ruined her life…

And now he’s a U. S. deputy marshal and he’s back in town!

The Next Big Thing Blog Hop -- Interview with Andrea Boeshaar

Thanks so much to Wisconsin author Lily Silver who tagged me in 

The Next Big Thing Blog Hop. 

I thought this might be fun so I agreed to participate. For this multi-author promotion, I've decided to give readers a sneak peek at my upcoming novel -- as well as my books already on store shelves and available as ebook downloads.

Here's the interview:

 What is the title of your next book?

         Threads of Love, which will be released in May 2013
                  (Isn't this cover GORGEOUS!?)

 Where did the idea come from for the book?

          This series is based on my Norwegian heritage and
          my family history (fictionalized!). Threads of Love
          is book 3 and the last novel in my Fabric of Time series.



       

 Books 1 and 2 are now available in both traditional print AND ebook formats. 

Threads of Hope (book 1) 

Threads of Faith (book 2)

What genre does your book fall under?

          Christian/Inspirational historical romance

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your latest series?

          Follow the journeys of first Kristin in 1848 (Threads of Hope), 

          then Julianna in 1877 (Threads of Faith), and finally Emily in 1902 (Threads of Love) 

          as these women weave a tapestry of love, honor, and family unity into life's Fabric of Time.

          Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency? How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

         It's published by Realms -- a division of Charisma Media and I can usually write a 75.000 
           word novel in 6 to 9 months time. That is, if life doesn't get in the way.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

My last series, Seasons of Redemption, was published by Realms/Charisma Media.

Who or What inspired you to write this book?

For my Fabric of Time series, my Norwegian heritage inspired me. For my Seasons of Redemption series I was inspired to write stories set during and just after America's Civil War. I thank God Almighty for giving me the gift of writing. 

What else about your book might pique the reader interest?

My latest series, Fabric of Time, is primarily set in Wisconsin. My grandmother, an art and reading teacher in Tigerton, Wisconsin, painted a picture of Manitowoc's harbor. Many family members said the scene was "dark," and after my grandfather died, no one wanted it. But secretly I had always coveted the painting. It's no Monet, but my "Nana" painted it. It's hanging on the large wall in my stairwell and I treasure it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now it's time to pass the baton to 2 additional author-friends so they can tell you about their amazing books. Their posts, which will have the same title as this one -- The Next Big Thing Blog Hop -- and will be live on their blogs soon, so please check them out! 

Loree Lough
Liz Tolsma

Also, check out the other authors I blog with on The Barn Door blog. And don't forget to peruse my personal blog on which I interview other authors of Christian and inspirational fiction. Everything Writerly.

IT'S HERE! Threads of Faith, book 2

It's always a thrill for me to receive my free books from my publisher, an indication that my novel will soon be released to bookstores. Yesterday was the official release date of my book, THREADS OF FAITH, book 2 in my series Fabric of Time.

Here's a blurb: 

Julianna Wayland is running for her life! She hides in a crate on London’s dock, only to be loaded onto a ship bound for America. During the voyage she meets Captain Daniel Sundberg, and by the time they reach New York’s harbor, she is certain she’s in love with him. The only problem is, Daniel has plans for himself—plans that don’t include her.

As Julianna struggles to find her place in a new world, will trouble from her past derail the life she is looking for?

What's fun about this historical romance set in 1878 is primarily twofold. First, Daniel, the hero, is the estranged son of Kristin and Sam, the characters in book 1, THREADS OF HOPE. Estranged? you ask. But why? Well, you'll have to read the book and find out.  

Secondly, I did gobs of research for this book on sea-faring ships that sailed from one country to another. I learned about the Black Ball Line, a fleet of ships that set records sailing from London to New York -- the fastest, I believe, being 15 or 16 days. I also researched Great Lake clippers and learned that clippers sailed both the oceans and on the Great Lakes. The Cutty Sark, for instance, was a clipper built for tea trade and sailing from China to London. On the Great Lakes, clippers were built much the same way as sea-going ships, but with smaller rudders so they could maneuver the shallower waters.

Wisconsin Maritime Museum in Manitowoc, WI

Manitowoc, Wisconsin, the city in which much of my story takes place, was known as "Clipper City" in the 1800s because of its highly-regarded ship manufacturers. I thank the volunteers at the Wisconsin Maritime Museum for helping me in my research. 

As for the story itself, there are a lot of twists and turns and more fun by the way of surprises -- and, of course, romance!

Here's what a few other best-selling authors said about it.

“Andrea Boeshaar gets to the heart of God’s healing grace in a way readers can carry into their own lives.” —Louise M. Gouge, award-winning author of The Gentleman Takes a Bride

“Andrea Boeshaar plucks the home strings with her newest historical romance. As a Wisconsin historian, I am well pleased with her efforts to make life at the dawn of our state authentic.”—Lisa Lickel, award-winning author of A Summer in Oakville

“Andrea Boeshaar’s story pulled me back into the middle 1800s. I didn’t want to put it down until the last page.” —Lena Nelson Dooley, author of Maggie’s Journey and the Will Rogers Medallion Award–winning Love Finds You in Golden, New Mexico

“Andrea’s talent for weaving genuine characters, vivid descriptions, and a compelling story line together drew me into the story from the first page, and I felt Kristin and Sam’s heartaches and joy.”—Sally Laity, author of Remnant of Forgiveness, and co-author of Rose’s Pledge

“Andrea Boeshaar weaves timeless themes of honor, equality, and mercy in this tender love story.” —Kacy Barnett-Gramckow, author of The Genesis Trilogy

*     *     *

Additionally, I want to thank those authors who took the time to endorse my book. And a big "thank you" goes to the fiction team at Charisma Media/Realms as well as my editors Lori, Deb, and Debbie.

THREADS OF FAITH is an important and memorable book to me for many reasons and it's one of the best stories I've written to date. My hope is that readers will agree!

AND NOW FOR A BOOK GIVE-AWAY!

To be entered into a drawing in which you could win a free copy of THREADS OF FAITH, please leave a comment on this blog post. I'll pick one winner tomorrow!

Three Keys to Successful Promotion

By Andrea Boeshaar

Although I’ve been a published author for almost 20 years, promotion is not my strong point and never has been. Therefore, I work extremely hard at it. In my earlier career I wrote for a mass-market romance line. The publisher promoted its line, not the authors. But in general the books did well. Then I published in the general Christian market (trade paperback). I didn’t do much in the way of promotion and felt horrified when my sales numbers were considerably less than my previous books. So when my latest series was purchased, I knew I had to hop on that proverbial band wagon and let all the world know I had a new book releasing.

But how to do that – promote?

It’s the million dollar question. Literally! Certainly writers can hire publicists and leave all the dirty work to them. The plan might work well for the author getting paid a large advance and/or one who receives large royalty payments. But for the rest of us -- *smile* -- it’s boots-on-the-ground publicizing and that means digging in our heels and building a platform (a collection of readers who follow you and will buy your book). I’m a hard-worker so no problem there, but I’m also a simple person. I need the basics before my creative juices start to flow. So, after brain-storming with several trusted friends and reading oodles of articles on promotion, I’ve boiled the whole process down to three basic, but successful, principles (or “keys”).

1)     Web Promo

A)   Get yourself a website. I’m always amazed when I hear about published authors who don’t have websites. In today’s techno-world, a website is crucial. I would suggest not creating one yourself, either, unless you’re a professional web-designer. I created mine on Network Solutions. It was as easy as creating a blog. www.andreaboeshaar.com

B)    Establish yourself on social networking sites like Facebook & Google +. Get your name out there!

C)    Invest in a Facebook Ad. This is a reasonably-priced option, as you’re charged per click and you can decide how much to spend and how long to run your ad.

D)   Create a blog – and keep up with your posts. There’s nothing worse than clicking onto an author’s blog and seeing his or her latest post is from six months ago. (Which reminds me…)

E)    Guest blog on other authors’ web sites. This is great way to introduce yourself to new readers.

F)    Peruse online radio programs, like those on Blog Talk Radio http://www.blogtalkradio.com/. Hosts are always looking for interesting guests (like authors!).

G)   Write an e-newsletter. If you choose not to blog, a monthly or seasonal newsletter might be an option to keep in touch with readers. Even if you’re not currently contracted, it’s important to remind readers that you have novels available for purchase. I’ve learned that readers aren’t always current on our current projects. One sweet lady stopped me in church a few weeks ago and said a friend just gave her my book Wisconsin Weddings (the 3-in-1 story collection was released in 2007).

2)     Hardcopy promo

A)   Write a press release, announcing your new book and fax, mail (or email) it to local magazines and newspapers. Local media enjoys write-ups about hometown talent.

B)    Magazine and Newspaper Ads. These are sometimes costly, but an ad in such magazines as Romantic Times or the Romance Writers Report (if you’re an RWA member) can be advantageous.

C)    Send out postcards. I like to use VistaPrint.com. The printing is fast and affordable. What’s more, it’s user-friendly. Even I managed to upload all four book covers in my series. Then I mailed them to bookstores and readers across the country.

3)     Personal Appearances

A)   Contact book clubs and writers groups. Schedule times when you can speak to these organizations in your area to encourage books sales.

B)    Contact the producers of local morning shows. Again, the hometown talent thing goes a long way.

C)    Book signings. Contact book stores and let them know you’re available to sign copies of your novel. Sometimes bookstore owners will ask you to do a short talk about yourself and how you began your writing career.

D)   Attend writers conferences. This is an important piece, as there’s nothing like face-to-face contact with other writers. Remember, writers are readers too – and they do things like write book reviews.

So there you have ‘em – three basic keys to promotion. They are as simple as building blocks. However, these keys are vital to opening the way to top-dollar book sales. In this day and age, publishers demand and expect authors to do more than their fair share of marketing.

Her Lilac Blouse Complimented Her Eyes --- MY FOOT!

Ah, the male mind. What woman can truly comprehend its complexity? As an author of romantic fiction, I certainly try – quite a feat, although having a husband and 3 sons helps.

Still, I don’t think like a guy. Case in point, I would have once described, in great length, a woman’s attire as she strode into a room at the very point when the handsome hero gets his first glimpse of her. In his viewpoint, I’d elaborate on details of each article of her clothing.

Well, I’ve since learned that if I’m writing the scene from a male’s point-of-view, he wouldn’t likely notice how her lilac-colored blouse complimented the hue of her violet-blue eyes.

Some men might, yes. But most men – particularly alpha heroes – probably would not.

To illustrate this point, I conducted my own personal survey. That’s right. I emailed my grown sons. I consider them “alpha” males, so I asked them if they’d noticed the clothing their significant others wore the first time they’d met (shirt, jeans, skirt, dress, etc). My sons’ replies were as follows:

“Mom, are you kidding me?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Mom, is this for one of your books?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~

“You don’t want to know what we noticed, Mom. We’re dudes, ok?”

~~~~~~~~~~

So much for the lilac-colored blouse complimenting her eyes.

Of course, I can recall the clothing my sons’ girlfriends wore when I first met them. One gal was in Army fatigues with her hair pulled back into a tight bun, as she and my son had just come from their weekend duty. Another was casual, wearing jeans and a tee shirt. Another had on a cute jumper and wore her hair all curled and femininely cute.

But, realize this: I was “the mom” checking these new girlfriends out – and I’m a writer who is trained to notice details.

The average guy is not.

But I went ahead with my survey anyway and asked the top alpha male in my household. My husband. He said that when we met he first noticed my blue eyes. Then he noticed that I had a pretty smile. (Aw…okay, he gets to eat supper tonight.)

My point is this: be true to your characters. If you’re in your male character’s POV, then think like a guy. And men, don’t snicker. You’ve got the same problems – women’s points of view. Sometimes I’ll pick up a book written by a male writer and find I just cannot get into the story because I can’t relate to the female character. She doesn’t think like I do – or any woman I know, for that matter. And I love it (NOT) when male writers assume that just because she’s a woman their female characters can have mood swings to fit the scenes and/or plotlines. No, male writers still need to do character charts and all their characters should have believable motivations. Not all women kill somebody simply because it’s that time of the month.

 

But never fear, all you bewildered bards, Gender Genie is here! That’s right. There is a website dedicated to help writers check their characters’ points of view. Simply copy and paste a scene into the Genie Gender and it’ll come back telling you whether its orientation is male or female.

Of course, Gender Genie is a computer-generated program so it doesn’t have the corner on character viewpoints. However, it is a tool. Authors are the ones who need to know and understand their characters’ thoughts and the motives behind their actions.

So now I’m curious what readers say. Has the viewpoint of the opposite sex in any book(s) you’ve read really bugged you because he or she just didn’t think like a guy or girl would – or should?  I’d love to hear from you.

Can Christian Authors Change the World?

I am stick to my stomach!

I am repulsed beyond repulsion!

I cannot believe what I read last week.

Two medical ethicists working with an Australian university have written a post in the Journal of Medical Ethics that if abortion of a fetus is allowable, so should be the termination of a newborn.

That’s right! If you missed your chance to have an abortion, then just have the newborn killed! And, we’re not even talking about throwing babies in the fire to worship Baal!

Here is more of what they said:

“Alberto Giubilini with Monash University in Melbourne and Francesca Minerva at the Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics at the University of Melbourne write that in ‘circumstances occur[ing] after birth such that they would have justified abortion, what we call after-birth abortion should be permissible.’”

They want to change the name of such a “procedure” to “after birth abortion” instead of infanticide because it 

“[emphasizes] that the moral status of the individual killed is comparable with that of a fetus (on which ‘abortions’ in the traditional sense are performed) rather than to that of a child.”

You must read this article NOW at this link: 

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/ethicists-argue-in-favor-of-after-birth-abortions-as-newborns-are-not-persons/

Why am I making such a big deal, other than the obvious reasons this is INSANE and WRONG?

In the past year I have read blog post after blog post from our own authors here at Charisma and many of their own personal blogs. In these posts we have raised questions of what is the responsibility of authors of Christian fiction? How much of the Christian worldview should we put in our stories? How far do we go to “compromise” the Gospel in our fiction in order to be relevant to non believers who might read out books? Or, should we stay comfortably within our realm of safe Christian fiction readers?

As published Christian authors, we can help to shape and mold public opinion. Writers have for centuries represent the forefront of cultural change mostly for the worse. But, we can do the opposite. We can write blog entries, essays, emails, Tweets, and, yes, stories that champion the kind of values that our culture has lost. We can be salt and light in the world, raising the beacon of Truth to a world steeped in darkness and evil. If we don’t speak up; if we don’t put into words our outrage over such changes in society, then God will hold us accountable for every letter, every word, every paragraph that was put forth for the world to see that failed to raise the light of Jesus Christ.

What do you think? What is our responsibility as writers of stories that champion Truth? What can we do to help reshape a broken culture?

Book Give-way Contest!

From now until Sunday I'm running a book give-away contest on my personal blog Everything Writerly. Below are the specifics.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Announcing my first book give-away in conjunction with my brand new historical romance release, Threads of Hope. It's easy to enter, just leave me a comment below, completing the following sentences:

My favorite time of day to read a good book is ______________. The reason is__________________.

Fill in the blanks. You can enter as many times as you want to.

On Sunday afternoon, January 29th, I will randomly select TWO winners from the list of comments below. In addition to receiving a free copy of my book, Threads of Hope, winners will receive a special surprise gift, designed to enhance their reading experience.

So let me know about your reading habits and you could be the winner of a signed copy of Threads of Hope along with a surprise gift.       

Good luck, everyone!

BE SURE TO LEAVE ON COMMENT ON EVERYTHING WRITERLY. Comments left on this blog won't be entered into the drawing. 

What Makes the Perfect Christmas Gift?

Why, books do, of course!

I know I may be jumping the gun, so to speak. But I'll tell you why: I’m extremely excited about my new novel, Threads of Hope. It’s book 1 in my Fabric of Time series and it’ll be released next month. For a pre-celebration of my book, I’m giving readers a little taste of what they can expect.

First, just look what a few endorsers had to say about it.

Andrea Boeshaar plucks the home strings with her newest

historical romance. Not only does she tell a ripping good tale

about émigrés from Norway in early settlement times, she

also draws from her own family history. As a Wisconsin historian,

I am well pleased with her efforts to make life at the

dawn of our state authentic. A worthy addition to Ms. Boeshaar’s

delightful body of work.

—Lisa Lickel

Award-Winning Author of A Summer in Oakville

Andrea Boeshaar’s story pulled me back into the middle

1800s. Her knowledge of the history of the times and her

strong, three-dimensional characters kept me in the story.

The feuding reminded me of Romeo and Juliet, but with an

ending I liked much better. Human frailties were dealt with

head-on with wisdom winning in the end. An excellent read

that I didn’t want to put down until the last page.

—Lena Nelson Dooley

Author of Maggie’s Journey, Book One of the McKenna’s

Daughters Series, and the Will Rogers Medallion Award–

Winning Love Finds You in Golden, New Mexico

Threads of Hope is a beautifully tender story of the way God

works in the lives of His own to teach lessons of forgiveness

and love. Andrea’s talent at weaving genuine characters,

vivid descriptions, and a compelling story line together drew

me into the story from the first page, and I felt Kristin’s and

Sam’s heartaches and joy. It touched my heart, and I highly

recommend this book.

—Sally Laity

Author of Remnant of Forgiveness

and Coauthor of Rose’s Pledge

And now I’d like to present a few sample pages of Threads of Hope.

Uncle Lars steered the wagon around a sharp bend in the

rutty road. He drove to the top of a small hill, and Kristin

could see the blue Lake Michigan to her left and farm fields to

her right.

Then a lovely white wood-framed house came into view. It

didn’t look all that different from the home they’d just past,

with dormers, a covered front porch, and stately pillars bearing

the load of a wide overhang. She marveled at the homestead’s

large, well-maintained barn and several outbuildings. American

homes looked like this? Then no wonder Mr. Olstad couldn’t

wait to own his own farm!

Up ahead Kristin spied a lone figure of a man. She could

just barely make out his faded blue cambric shirt, tan trousers,

and the hoe in his hands as he worked the edge of the field.

Closer still, she saw his light brown hair springing out from

beneath his hat. As the wagon rolled past him, the man ceased

his labor and turned their way. Although she couldn’t see his

eyes as he squinted into the sunshine, Kristin did catch sight of

his tanned face. She guessed his age to be not too much more

than hers and decided he was really quite handsome.

“Do not even acknowledge the likes of him,” Uncle Lars

spat derisively. “Good Christians do not associate with Sam

Sundberg or any members of his family.”

Oh, dear, too late! Kristin had already given him a little

smile out of sheer politeness. She had assumed he was a friend

or neighbor. But at her uncle’s warning she quickly lowered her

gaze.

Kristin’s ever-inquiring nature got the best of her. “What is

so bad about that family?”

“They are evil—like the Martins. Even worse, Karl Sundberg

is married to a heathen Indian woman who casts spells on the

good people of this community.”

“Spells?” Peder’s eyes widened.

“Ja, spells. Why else would some folks’ crops fail while Karl’s

flourish? He gets richer and richer with his farming in the

summer, his logging camps in the winter, and his fur trading

with heathens, while good folks like me fall on hard times.”

“Hard times?” Peder echoed the words.

“Ja, same seed. Same fertile ground. Same golden opportunity.”

Uncle Lars swiveled to face the Olstads. “I will tell you

why that happens. The Sundbergs have hexed good Christians

like me.” He wagged his head. “Oh, they are an evil lot, those

Sundbergs and Martins. Same as the Indians.”

Indians? Curiosity got the better of her, and Kristin swung

around in the wagon to get one last glimpse of Sam Sundberg.

She could hardly believe he was as awful as her uncle described.

Why, he even removed his hat just now and gave her a cordial nod.

“Turn around, niese, and mind your manners!” Uncle Lars’s

large hand gripped her upper arm and he gave her a mild shake.

“I . . . I am sorry, Onkel,” Kristin stammered. “But I have never

seen an Indian.”

“Sam Sundberg is not an Indian. It is his father’s second wife

and their children. Oneida half-breeds is what we call them.”

“Half-breed, eh?”

Kristin glanced over her shoulder and saw Peder stroke his

chin.

“Interesting,” he added.

“How very interesting.” Kristin couldn’t deny her interest

was piqued. “Are there many Indians living in the Wisconsin

Territory?”

“Ja, they trespass on my land, but I show my gun and they

leave without incident. Sundberg brings his Indian wife to

church.” He wagged his head. “Such a disgrace.”

“And the Territory officials do nothing?” Mr. Olstad asked.

Uncle Lars puffed out his chest. “As of three months ago, we

are the State of Wisconsin—no longer a territory.” Uncle Lars

stated the latter with as much enthusiasm as a stern schoolmaster.

“Now the government will get rid of those savages once

and for all.” He sent Kristin a scowl. “And you, my liten niese,

will do well to stay away from Indians. All of them, including

our neighbors, the Sundbergs. You hear, lest you get yourself

scalped.”

“Ja, Onkel.”

*     *     *

Threads of Hope is available for pre-order at amazon.com. CLICK HERE for details. In the meantime, all 4 books in my series called, Seasons of Redemption are available now in both traditional print and e-book formats. CLICK HERE for more info.

Remember: Books make great Christmas gifts! Have a safe and merry Christmas, everyone!

~AKB