Snuggles is a Snow monkey who is born in Japan. He enjoys being with his mother and his friends, and learning how to survive in the wild, and how to escape from bears. But soon it comes time when he must leave to go to the hot springs in the Japanese Alps.

Will Snuggles be able to plan ahead in to get to the hot springs before the bad storms arrive? What will he learn on the way?

SNUGGLES’ JAPANESE ALPS ADVENTURES is an adorable hard cover book with lots of beautiful photographs of snow monkeys and their nature habitat. Readers will learn a lot about snow monkeys and their annual migration to the hot springs, in addition to Bible verses that pertain to things mentioned in the book, and about how evolution beliefs have been proven wrong.

I read this book out loud to my seven year old, and then my ten year old took it and read it again, and both considered it a wonderful book and want to read the others in the series. This is a wonderful educational book for homeschoolers and Christian schools, and is a great book for your kids period. Highly recommended. 5 stars. $18.95. 45 pages.

I began writing Amish fiction because that’s the culture I knew, and my first novel, “A
Time to Live” was autobiographical. Which is common I think. From there it was by
request from “Choice Books”. A distributor who was short on Amish fiction titles at the
time.

Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your
life?

That’s a tough one. I’d probably pick my thirtieth birthday when I was out doing church
street work in our local town. I felt fulfilled and doing something worthwhile.

How has being published changed your life?

It opens doors that are tightly closed otherwise. I suppose that changes your life. Beyond
that, not as much as I had expected. But I’m not mega successful either.

What are you reading right now?

Now…now…those are secrets no one should know. Actually, the third book of
Christopher Paolini’s, series, “Brisingr”. I also peruse Amish fiction books during most
writing days. But that doesn’t quite count, I don’t think.

What is your current work in progress?

I began writing the series for 2014, “The Sisters of Lancaster County”.

What would be your dream vacation?

I’d love to spend a month or so in Europe. We were there last year, and adored the
county.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

I find an Amish community that interests me, and model characters around that. By
moving around, it adds a different flavor for me.

If you could spend an evening with one person who is currently alive, who
would it be and why?

That would be a draw between the two loves of my life, theology and romance stories.
Which translates into Dr. Hugh Ross, and Nicholas Sparks. I’d spend the evening asking
questions and listening to the answers.

What three things about you would surprise readers?

The sheer range of my interests. It’s disconcerting to most people. I have to publish under
a pseudonym for another kind of fiction I’ve written. I teach C.S. Lewis at church, but
also read Christopher Paolini at home for example. Most people I do construction work
for, don’t believe me if I tell them I’m a published author. I don’t look like I writer, I
guess.

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

Movies, travel, music, theology

What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?

The depression was the most surprising and persistent. It seems to go with the territory.
I have to watch how many hours I put in. Take breaks more often, and I’m looking at
perhaps taking Saturdays completely off, once in awhile.

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

Find something else to do….just kidding. You have to like it, I suppose, so there’s not
much you can do but practice, learn all you can, and write a lot. You really need to get in
those bad years when nothing is happening. I wish I had begun earlier.

Tell us about the book.

The Fields of Home, covers an Amish girl’s rush into the Englisha world, after she
catches her boyfriend kissing another girl. From there Susan meets Teresa, a single
unwed Englisha mother who wants her baby adopted by the Amish. From there the two
lives are intertwined until their marriages. Which takes the three books to accomplish.

What do you want readers to take away from the book?

I don’t write much beyond the goal of creating an interesting story. So if the reader loves
the story, that’s good enough for me. One of the most gratifying stories told me was by
my good friend Leon, who doesn’t read fiction, and also is too tight to buy books. But
he knows me, so he began reading in Wal-Mart, and couldn’t stop. He arrived home
late, after standing in front of the bookrack for hours, with his wife wondering what had
become of him. He told me this story, furious at not being able to lay down the book. He
vowed never to pick up another Jerry Eicher book in his life.

How did The Pursuit of Lucy Banning get started?
I have Chicago suburban roots, but I had not heard of the Prairie Avenue Historical District until a friend of mine became a docent at the Glessner House Museum on Prairie Avenue. This house preserves the flavor of Chicago’s gilded age when the neighborhood was full of wealthy powerhouses of industry. As soon as my friend began his training, he saw the potential for the setting of a story. He is not a fiction write, but he knew my interests. It did not take us long to cook up story ideas about a daughter of a privileged family who engaged with the changing social climate of her time.

Your book is layered with historical detail. Tell us about your research process.
My docent friend, Stephen Reginald, is a history buff. He spits out the most interesting details sometimes, and before I know it, I am digging too. We both scoured the archives of the Chicago Tribune and the New York Times for headlines and language of the era. I looked for true events that serve as hooks in the stories. The Internet turns up all sorts of obscure books and historical accounts. One of my favorites was a first person travelogue written by someone who visited the world’s fair in 1893. Stephen’s work at the Glessner House Museum opened a portal into diaries and museum pieces that helped me faithfully recreate the story’s setting.

What impact did your research have on you personally?
One of the most fun research pieces I uncovered was a guide to caring for young children published in 1894. The prevailing expert advice was not to play with a baby before he or she was four months old, preferably six! I love giving a copy of this book to new mothers. On the other end of the spectrum was heartbreaking information about the desperate needs of orphans during that time period. We may think we have more sophisticated system for addressing certain social issues, but we have a long way to go.

How do you see yourself in Lucy Banning’s story?
I certainly have never been the daughter of a privileged family! However, Lucy Banning and I do share an infatuation with red velvet cake. More seriously, Lucy is looking for genuine meaning in her life, even if it means taking risks. I’d like to think I would do the same thing.

While you were writing the book, do you think it mattered that you grew up near Chicago?
Even as an adult, I’ve lived in the Chicago area for several stretches, and several siblings and their children live there. (Go Cubs!) When I was a child, visiting the Museum of Science and Industry was a wide-eyed experience for me. As a young mother, I took my kids there. I think of it as the Museum of Wonder and Curiosity. Then I discovered that the building itself was part of the 1893 world’s fair, the backdrop for my series. Little did I know I would grow up to write about events that took place in a building that held so much fascination for me.

Will we know what happens to Lucy Banning after the end of the book?
Charlotte Farrow is a secondary character in The Pursuit of Lucy Banning, and she will have her own full story next. The Dilemma of Charlotte Farrow will release in January. After that comes Sarah Cummings, who is introduced during Charlotte’s story. Lucy Banning and her family appear in all three books. Even though the main characters will change, readers can follow the next several years of Lucy’s life.

Is any part of you sorry to be finished writing The Pursuit of Lucy Banning?
Yes! I’ve been living with Lucy for three years now. I feel I know her well. Lucy has a part in the two stories to follow, and these are still in the editorial pipeline so I’ll have opportunities to visit with her again over the next few months. Beyond that, I have a picture of what happened in her life and know that she found happiness and meaning. And that brings me pleasure.

Where do you like to write?
I advocate writing by keeping your bottom in the chair, but I’m flexible about the kind of chair! Research happens at my desk where I can spread things out. Several years ago, in a thrift store, I found a wide, comfy recliner with a built-in massage feature. When I’m in serious get-words-on-the-screen mode rather than researching, I write in cushy comfort. However, I also think that writing is a consuming process, and I may solve a plot dilemma while I’m walking through the neighborhood or hear the perfect line of dialogue in my head while pulling weeds. When I’m immersed in a story, it’s hard to set it aside until I get it out of me. The writing follows me around as I go about my life.

How do you handle distractions?
Classical music—no words—helps keep my brain in a productive gear. I have a big planner where I write notes so I can let go of information or an urge to do something for the moment. Being comfortable helps with distractions, in terms of the chair, lighting, and room temperature. Otherwise my body responds to every little bothersome sensation. And it’s amazing how effective it is to simply close the door on the household noise.

If someone else were sitting at your desk right now, what would they see?
A visitor to my office would see multiple attempts at organization, some of which are actually useful! I have several racks for folders and papers, and only I know what qualifies for which rack. I insist on colorful, fun folders. A couple of binders hold manuscripts in progress or research. I expect a visitor would be curious about the various notes I have taped up around my desk, some of which are information I refer to because I can’t remember otherwise, and some of which are inspiration, both to keep my writing on task and my heart in a settled place.

When you’re working on a project, how do you keep the immensity of it from getting you down?
Writing a book does seen scary! I break things down. I don’t set out to write a novel. Rather, I set out to complete the next task that may become a part of the novel. The task may be working out a knot in the plot, or writing the next scene, or beefing up research. I focus on doing the next thing that needs doing.

How do you choose between ideas you’d like to write about?
That’s a great question, because I always have more ideas than time to write about them. I’ve had fun with the Avenue of Dreams series, which begins with The Pursuit of Lucy Banning, because I discovered a place I did not know about. That surprise factor launched my imagination. I’m sure I’ll be looking for the same experience in the future and be eager to pass it on to readers.

Lucy Banning lives on the exclusive Prairie Avenue, next door to the Pullmans and other rich and famous families of the late 1800’s. She’s engaged to marry an up-and-coming banker from a respected family. But Lucy knows that if she marries Daniel, she’ll be expected to give up her charity work—and her dreams. Right now, Lucy is keeping secrets from her family, and going to college, something frowned upon for women of respected, well-to-do families.

Will is an unconventional young architect who has just recently moved to Chicago, and is working on designs for the upcoming 1893 World’s Fair. He makes Lucy dream of living life on her own terms. But will she be able to break away from her family’s expectations? Will she ever be loved for the woman she is, instead of the woman she’s expected to be?

THE PURSUIT OF LUCY BANNING is the first book I’ve ever read by Ms. Newport, but I’m sure it won’t be the last. I think this is the first historical I’ve ever read set in the opulent area of Chicago featuring a character as bold, secretive, and set-in-her-mind as Lucy. She is fearless, brave enough to risk her parents’ wrath, and willing to forge her own trail.

Lucy is a character that could have been real. Set around real life events and real life families, the story could have happened as it told. There is a secondary story involving a maid, Charlotte, who has her own struggles and secrets. THE PURSUIT OF LUCY BANNING is recommended if you love historicals, and especially those featuring the more well-to-do city dwellers. $14.99. 290 pages.

Memoirs are not generally a genre I enjoy reading, but HIKING THROUGH caught my attention. I’ve always been fascinated by the Appalachian Trail and one of my sons have mentioned wanting to someday hike the trail, so I thought this book sounded interesting.

Paul Stutzman’s wife, Mary, died of breast cancer – a disease I was unfortunate enough to get and battle, but so far, with the Lord’s help, I’m in ‘remission’. A year after Mary’s death, Paul quit his job as a restaurant manager and took to the Appalachian Trail to work through his grief, and his sense of abandonment by God. He started in Georgia on a rainy day, at the trail head.

HIKING THROUGH is a recounting of Mr. Stutzman’s journey, spiritually, emotionally, and physically, and it is utterly fascinating. There were some things included that didn’t have much to do with the journey (did it matter that his parents left the Amish when he was three and became Mennonite?) but the information was interesting and did solve some curiosity I had about his last name. Most interesting to me, was the actual hike itself, and the experiences he had on the trip. Pictures are included which were great visuals.

HIKING THROUGH is a great book, one that my son requested to read (as soon as I get the review written), and one that will go on my keeper shelf when he finishes. Highly recommended. If you have any fascination about the Appalachian Trail, just happen to like memoirs, or have suffered the loss of a loved one to cancer and wonder how others got through the grief, then HIKING THROUGH is a book you’ll want to read. $13.99. 332 pages.

When you marry, you imagine married life will be so different than it is. You envision long, leisurely walks through the mall, holding hands, while you shop and he helps you find that amazing outfit. But in reality, you shop—he goes gets it. Or maybe your dad did the cleaning and you imagine your husband will willingly scrub the kitchen floor and the shower. But he doesn’t even seem to notice when they need attention.

Maybe the man you married is no where near what you imagined your Prince Charming would be like, and you’re wondering if you made a terrible mistake. If so, then WHY CAN’T HE BE MORE LIKE ME? is the book you’ve been looking for.

Poppy Smith shares her own real-life courtship and experience with her husband, Jim, trying to merge different cultures, religions, and expectations in this humorous book. Also included are questions with space for your answer, asking your ideas about your relationship, what you expected, etc.

WHY CAN’T HE BE MORE LIKE ME? is the perfect book for a new married couple, or even one that’s been married awhile but are struggling in their relationship. This book will help you see things in a new light.

When my husband saw this book, he laughed, stating, “What, do women really expect their husbands to be their clones? Marriage is made to compliment. I’m strong in areas where you’re weak, and vice versa.” And he’s right. Married couples usually compliment each other in different areas. But sometimes it takes awhile for a woman to learn that—to let her unrealistic dreams of what marriage would be like. If you are newly married or wondering if you made a mistake in your marriage then pick up a copy of WHY CAN’T HE BE MORE LIKE ME?. It will offer practical tools to help you learn to accept and enjoy your mate, resulting in a stronger, happier marriage. $12.99. 215 pages.

Historic Pennsylvania echoes with the drumbeat of conflicted love….

Promise of Time – Ellie Lester has lost her husband, Martin, in the Civil War. Now, she’s struggling to move past the grief. Martin’s cousin, Theodore is a deserter of the southern army, and he’s looking for refuge in Martin’s home. But when he arrives, he finds Ellie hiding runaway slaves in her cellar. Ellie is hesitant to help him, until Theo threatens to inform others about her nighttime activities. Will two individuals on different sides of the war come to find love?

Promise of Yesterday – Marylu Biloxi works as a servant in Pennsylvania years after the War between the States, but she dreams of a home of a family of her own. She doesn’t figure she’ll ever marry though, at least until Chester Jones comes through the door on an errand. Chester’s tongue has been cut out by cruel master, so he can’t talk, but he can communicate just fine. Still, he has a lot of wounds to heal from. Will Marylu and Chester be able to find their hearts desires?

Promise of Tomorrow – Jack Kelly and Alaina Morrison have long planned to wed, but Jack is convinced he needs to have stable income to provide for her and their future family. Alaina only wants his love—not things. But the differences keep growing and seem insurmountable. Will Jack and Alaina solve their problems before a life together becomes impossible?

PROMISE BRIDES is a collection of three previously published (with Heartsong Presents) stories by S. Dionne Moore. Each of these stories stand alone, but were republished in one full sized book collection.

I enjoyed reading all these stories. They are piqued my interest, being a unique set of stories, and not the same as the others I’ve read recently. I usually have a favorite story in these types books, and I think my favorite in this collection is Promise of Yesterday because Marylu had unexpected Sass and Chester was as mischievous as they come. It made for a fun story. If you like Barbour’s collections, or just like historicals, you’ll want to read PROMISE BRIDES. $7.99. 383 pages.

Historical romance? Because I have a passion for history. I love to ferret out little known facts and build a story around them. My father’s passion for history, especially the Civil War era, was strong. I remember him sitting in his reading room surrounded by stacks of magazines. Civil War Times was his favorite. This apple didn’t fall far from the tree.

Cozy mystery was a genre I wrote because I enjoy nothing better than sitting down with a good mystery. However, had I known how tough it is to write a mystery, I would have started with an easier genre! Still, the process was an eye-opening learning experience that forced me to rethink the way I plotted books. Even so, what I learned trumped the difficulty of writing the stories.

How has being published changed your life?

Dead. Lines. Gone are the days writing at a leisurely pace, taking off days, even weeks, before feeling the need to sit and write a couple of more pages before the next vacation. Now it is a matter of discipline. I write everyday unless there is an emergency that requires my attention. I have a daily word count goal of 2500 words that I can usually manage in two or three hours. On a bad day it might take me four. But this change, the discipline of it, is not all a bad thing.

What are you reading right now?

Well, right now. Nothing. I’m on a deadline.

What is your current work in progress?

A Heartbeat Away is a historical romance set in Sharpsburg, MD before, during and after the Battle of Antietam (or, if you’re in the south, The Battle of Sharpsburg). When a band of runaway slaves brings Union-loyal Elizabeth “Beth” Bumgartner a wounded Confederate soldier named Joe, it is the catalyst that pushes her to become a nurse during the Battle of Antietam. Her mother’s mysterious good-bye gift is filled with quilt blocks that bring comfort to Beth during the hard days and lonely night of the Battle of Antietam, but as she sews each block, Beth realizes there is a hidden message within the pattern. When she learns Joe’s secret, the quilt’s message is put to its greatest test–but can betrayal be forgiven?

How do you choose your settings for each book?

I often discover little known facts in my travels or research of an area. When I land on something that piques my curiosity I try to find research books on the subject. For example, in A Heartbeat Away, Joe’s secret revolves around Lee’s Special Order 191, a lost order mean for D.H. Hill, that instead landed in the hands of the Union’s General McClellan. There is a great mystery surrounding the how and why such an order could have been carelessly left in a field wrapped around three cigars. . .

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

Writer’s write, and don’t be afraid of critiques, they truly will help you grow as a writer, but only if you open yourself to them.

Tell us about the book Promise Brides.

Promise Brides is a compilation of three historical. Promise of Tomorrow was a 2011 Carol Award Finalist and is set in Johnstown, PA during the terrible flood of May 1889.
Love is the same, no matter when, no matter where—it never comes without sacrifice. Theodore risks capture for Ellie, but will their hope for a future together be defeated? Can Marylu trust Chester, or is she asking for another broken heart? Will Alaina and Jack find common ground, or will flood waters destroy any possible future? Enjoy three romances from the historic state of Pennsylvania.

Life is messy. Cluttered. Disorganized.

Companies downsize. Relationships end. Trauma hits. When chaos hits, everyone has choices. We can crawl into bed and pull the covers up over our heads and ignore the problem. We can call it the worst time of our lives, and dream and talk about the good old days, wishing for the way things used to be, and resend the changes forced on us. Or we can realize that the sun still shines. Life goes on. And realize this can be a positive time in my life. I didn’t choose the crisis, but I can choose to learn through it.

MAKING SENSE WHEN LIFE DOESN’T is a book that came in my life at just the right time. We had been hit by severe trauma that took away everything. Income. Dreams. A large chunk of money. Rest. Hope for the future. It took it all, leaving us scared, disorganized…I could go on. I picked up this book and started reading it. And realized a new that what I could do is keep believing in God who allowed this into my life for a purpose. Learn from it. Take the next right step forward. And realize—there are many things I can’t do…But more important is what I can do.

MAKING SENSE WHEN LIFE DOESN’T is a book that will be staying on my keeper shelf after I share it with my husband. It is filled with encouraging stories and quotes. Stories that remind you that bad stuff happens all the time. What is important is how you handle it. Highly recommended. $12.99. 192 pages.

This is the third book in The Triple Threat Club series, and while the three heroines have collaborated before to solve mysteries . . .this time it’s personal. One of the members of the Triple Threat Club has now become the victim, and the two remaining members vow to bring the killer to justice, no matter the cost. Are they prepared to face the fact that the price might be one or both of them, as well?

Joined by an independently wealthy PI, Ophelia, who vows to see justice done, the book would have been off-kilter if not for the Scripture reference at the beginning of the book: “Leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord (Romans 12:19). That provides the necessary balance, as each of the investigators ultimately come to grips with the reality of that verse.

I’ve never read the previous books in the series, and this book can stand alone, but it might be helpful to read at least the first one to get to know the characters a little better.

I can’t say I really enjoyed the book, I felt the characters were flat, and the foreshadowing as obvious as a preteen’s mascara. Some editing could be better as questions are ended with periods, the adjective ‘fraught’ is used as a noun…and there are inappropriate, impersonal relationships to God.

As this is a work of general fiction, be prepared for numerous references to alcoholic beverages. 3 stars. 308 pages, hardcover with jacket. $26.99.