Elaine Marie Cooper Author

Historical Fiction That Grabs Your Heart and Feeds Your Soul

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Review: “A Reluctant Melody” by Sandra Ardoin

January 12, 2016 by emcoop Leave a Comment

For such a complex novel filled with twists and turns, the story line of “A Reluctant Melody” remains clear, easy to follow, and captures your attention throughout.

It’s 1892 and Joanna Stewart is a young widow of twenty-six, but the circumstances and bad decisions she has made in her past have brought enough tragedy and rejection to last a lifetime. All she wants to do now is sell her home bequeathed by her late husband and start a new life, far from the accusing eyes and castigating tongues of the town. These haughty neighbors only reinforce what she already knows: Her sins are unforgivable.

Just as she finds a glimmer of hope when a buyer makes an offer on her house, she is instead forced to face the very man who ruined her life.  Instead of running away, she must wrestle with her guilt all over again, as well as the feelings of attraction she has long repressed—feelings that sent her on a downward spiral so long ago.

ARM Cover

The settings in “A Reluctant Melody” by Sandra Ardoin sweep you back in time to 1890’s North Carolina. Ms. Ardoin has done her research well, helping the reader feel the sights, sounds and pacing of the era. Every detail from clothing to hair styles to the stricter mores of the time transport a reader to another time and place.

Although the atmosphere fills your senses, it is the characters who truly shine in this complicated yet well developed story. Ms. Ardoin creates believable protagonists and antagonists who draw you into understanding the complexities of life, the ramifications of sin, and the redemption that is possible for all if they will accept it.

This is a historical I will be recommending for a long time. A five-star tale of intrigue, hope and romance. Well done!

 

Author Bio:

Sandra Ardoin_Headshot

Sandra Ardoin writes inspirational historical romance. She’s the author of The Yuletide Angel and A Reluctant Melody. A wife and mom, she’s also a reader, football fan, NASCAR watcher, garden planter, country music listener, antique store prowler. Visit her at www.sandraardoin.com and on the Seriously Write blog. Connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Goodreads, and Pinterest. Join her email community to receive occasional updates and a free short story.

 

You can enter her launch team giveaway by clicking here

Review of “Cassia” by Susan F. Craft

September 24, 2015 by emcoop 4 Comments

It’s difficult to pinpoint what I appreciate the most about Susan Craft’s latest release entitled “Cassia.” Is it the well-crafted and impeccably researched story? The amazing tale filled with love and adventure? Or the fact that the author describes the true face of evil, not falling into the unrealistic device of romanticizing pirates who seek to kill and destroy? It is each of these aspects of this third book in her series (that includes “Chamomile” and “Laurel”) that had me riveted to my kindle late into the night. I am just saddened to bid farewell to these precious characters, so skillfully created by the author.

But I applaud Ms. Craft’s satisfying finish to an amazing family saga. And I never fear that the author has short-changed us on getting the historical facts correct. Her amazing ability to blend details from the past with an enticing story for present day readers never ceases to amaze me.

Another five star novel to satisfy this historical romance reader. Well done!

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Author Bio:

Susan F. Craft best

Susan F. Craft writes inspirational historical romantic suspense. Her Xanthakos Family Trilogy includes her Revolutionary War novel, The Chamomile, which won the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance Okra Pick (re-released April 2015); its sequel, Laurel (released in January 2015); and the third in the trilogy, Cassia, (released in September 2015). Her publisher is Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas (LPC), and her literary agent is Linda Glaz of Hartline Literary Agency. To assist authors to “get it right about horses in their works,” Susan worked with the International Long Riders’ Guild Academic Foundation to compile A Writer’s Guide to Horses that can be found at www.lrgaf.org .

She recently retired after a 45-year career as a communications director, editor, and proofreader.  She currently serves on the LPC Heritage Beacon Imprint publication board and works for LPC as a manuscript editor of historical fiction.

Forty-five years ago, she married her high school sweetheart, and they have two adult children, one granddaughter, and a granddog. An admitted history nerd, she enjoys researching for her novels, painting, singing, listening to music, and sitting on her porch watching the rabbits and geese eat her daylilies.

You can purchase “Cassia” on Amazon by clicking here. Available in both Kindle and paperback.

Review: “Final Grace for Reverend G”

August 21, 2015 by emcoop Leave a Comment

I have mixed feelings about announcing the release of the third and final Life at Cove Creek novel entitled Final Grace for Reverend G. I hate for this series to end! I have been blessed by these books written by R.J. Thesman that follows a woman who suffers from Alzheimers. It has been both heartrending and a joy to follow the title character’s journey through dementia, but I would never call it depressing. It is a brilliant portrayel of the person behind the disease and I recommend the three book series to all who know someone with Alzheimers. Here is my review of book 3:

 

A brilliant word crafter, author RJ Thesman completes her Reverend G series with a story that will touch your spirit and enlighten your understanding of the disease known as Alzheimers.

Final Grace for Reverend G is the third and final segment that details the journey of dementia that impacts the Reverend as well as those who love her. The three book series, including The Unraveling of Reverend G and Intermission for Reverend G, is written entirely from the point of view of a former minister who now suffers from dementia. Although her story is fiction, author Thesman has done her research well and clearly depicts the physical, spiritual and emotional odyssey of brain cells rapidly declining and destroying the main character’s ability to function.

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This third book covers the later stages of this illness. While I expected to find this final episode extremely painful, it also provided moments of hilarity that had me laughing out loud. Mostly, it elicited tears from this reader as my heart ached for each and every character whose loss I felt deeply.

This entire series deserves five plus stars. I would recommend the story of Reverend G to every family whose loved one has dementia and to every caregiver who will ever work with Alzheimers patients. It is a truly uniquely look at this illness, that will open the eyes of many. Bravo, to author Thesman!

Links to order:

Through CrossRiver Media: Click here

Amazon: Click here

 

Author Bio:

RJT - pic for 2nd book

RJ Thesman has been a writer since she flipped open her Red Chief tablet and scribbled her first story. As the author of Life at Cove Creek Series, Thesman speaks on the subject of caregiving and what to do when life unravels. Thesman is also a certified writing coach and Program Director at GateWay of Hope, a nonprofit organization that helps hurting women. Thesman enjoys teaching workshops and helps beginning writers birth their words. She is the mother of an adult son and enjoys reading, gardening and cooking – especially anything with blueberries. Thesman lives in the heartland of Kansas with her son and an elderly cat.

 

 

Book 1:                                                                   Book 2:
Intermission Rev G Cover

 

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Author Alice Wisler Interview and Review: Under the Silk Hibiscus

March 19, 2015 by emcoop 5 Comments

Short Synopsis of Under the Silk Hibiscus:
During World War Two, Nathan and his family are sent to Heart Mountain, an internment camp in Wyoming for Japanese-Americans. Nathan’s one desire is to protect the family’s gold pocket watch, a family heirloom brought over from Japan. He fails; the watch is stolen. Struggling to make sense of his life in this land of “freedom” as the only responsible man of the household, Nathan discovers truths about his family, God, and the girl he loves.
Interview with Alice J. Wisler:
Tell us the story behind writing Under the Silk Hibiscus.
Friends in town have parents who were in internment camps during World War II and after hearing a few of their stories, I wanted to learn more about that time in our history.  I grew up in Japan, and yet had not read much about Japanese-Americans that  were forced to camps in 1942 because they looked like the “enemy” (i.e., they were of Japanese descent).  The research I did for the novel was mind-boggling and thought-provoking.  I got to interview one woman who was in a camp in Arizona. In addition to Under the Silk Hibiscus being a novel (fiction), I want others to grasp the history (truth) and have an understanding of what transpires when we let fear and prejudice overtake us.
Give us a glimpse of how your writing journey began.
From the time I was six, I loved to create stories.  My first and second grade teacher in our one-room school house in Kyoto, Japan, encouraged me.  She let me read my stapled-stick-figure-illustrated booklets to the class.
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We have in common that we write both nonfiction and fiction. Has combining these two genres been a challenge for you? If so, how?
 
I started off with fiction.  I used to write love stories on Saturday afternoons when I was in middle school.  But when my son died in 1997, I found non-fiction to be what I needed to write.  I wrote a lot of articles for grief and bereavement magazines.  My devotional, Getting Out of Bed in the Morning, is dear to me because it is about grief and loss—such a huge part of my life.   I don’t think writing both types of books has been a challenge.  So many writing techniques are similar for both of them.
Do you have current writing projects you are working on?
Always.  Fiction and non-fiction.
How can readers connect with you?
Please follow me on Twitter
Facebook Author Page
and my blog, The Patchwork Quilt
 
UnderTheSilkHibiscusCover
 My Review of Under the Silk Hibiscus:

Some historical novels are merely entertaining while others carry you on a journey of insight into human nature and the power of God to transform. Under the Silk Hibiscus fits into the latter category and transports a reader to a Japanese internment camp during World War II.

This novel is the story of a teenage boy of Japanese descent. Although an American by birth, he is forced into a world where he is under suspicion solely based on his family’s heritage.  His entire world is shaken with loss and grief as he is forced into the role of keeping the remnants of his family intact.

With endearing characters and a story that unfolds with both realism and hope, this novel by Alice J. Wisler earns an enthusiastic five stars.

Author Bio:

Alice Wisler has authored four novels published by Bethany House:  Rain Song (Christy Finalist), How Sweet It Is (Christy Finalist), Hatteras Girl and A Wedding Invitation, and Still Life in Shadows by River North/Moody. Her devotional, Getting out of Bed in the Morning:  Reflections of Comfort in Heartache (Leafwood), covers the many losses we face and how God sustains us through each one.  Under the Silk Hibiscus, released by Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas, is her latest novel and first historical.

In 1999, she founded Daniel’s House Publications (in memory of her four-year-old son Daniel), an organization to help fellow bereaved parents. She teaches Writing the Heartache workshops and Writing the Psalms workshops both online and at conferences across the country. The workshops stress the value and benefits of writing from pain and loss for healing, health, and hope.

In 2012, she and her husband started a business, Carved By Heart, where they carve log cabin mailboxes, memorial plaques/remembrances, house number signs, bird feeders, rustic clocks, and other home décor.

Although Alice grew up as missionary kid in Japan, and traveled the world, she’s now settled with her husband, three children and the handsomest boxer you’ve ever seen, in Durham, NC.

Alice is offering a Kindle copy of Under the Silk Hibiscus to one blessed winner! Leave a comment on this blog with your email address and you will be entered in the drawing.

Celebrating — One Hundred Reviews!

November 1, 2014 by emcoop 4 Comments

Perhaps other more well-known authors are used to it. But this not-on-the-New-York-Times-Bestseller-List author is grateful beyond words. My one hundredth review of Fields of the Fatherless posted this week on Amazon. Even better, the reviews tally up to 4.8 out of 5 stars.

God is so gracious and has blessed Fields of the Fatherless beyond anything I might have hoped for. He is the one I give credit to for this milestone and for the awards this book has won.

I want to thank each of you who have read this young adult fiction and responded to the story. Your positive reflections about Fields of the Fatherless have touched me deeply. Some readers offered criticism and I am grateful for that as well. Authors who shut their ears to the voices of critics are not allowing themselves to grow in their craft. May I never be so caught up in “my own way” that I will not listen to input from others.

Thank you, thank you, readers and reviewers! I cherish you and am honored to write books that both entertain and teach something about the history of this great nation. And if you are inspired to grow stronger in your faith through the words that I write, I am truly blessed beyond measure.

Movie Review: Alone Yet Not Alone

June 17, 2014 by emcoop 4 Comments

It’s a rarity to hear about a movie that is not only historical but has a Christian theme. Add to that “based on a true story,” and I was ready to pack my purse and go. So when “Alone Yet Not Alone” opened in my hometown, my husband and I headed to the matinee.

The movie was set in the wilderness of Pennsylvania in 1755 during the French and Indian War. It involved a family that had escaped troubles in their homeland of Germany to find a better life in the New World. They just didn’t realize the danger nor the terrible price they would pay for freedom. Some family members are killed by native Americans while the two young girls in the family are taken hostage to live among the Indians. The two girls are joined by dozens of other children of white families who have been kidnapped as well.

The story is based on the two young daughters, Barbara and Regina Leininger, and their struggles to survive as they cling to their Christian faith. It is inspiring and, at times, heartbreaking.

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The script is very well written, allowing a viewer to follow along in the sometimes-complicated tale involving several opposing sides, including the British, the French and several different native tribes. I very much liked that the script showed both good guys and bad guys—each national group had its heroes and villains. And while many of the scenes depicted could have been very gruesome, the filmmakers chose their edits wisely. You knew that terrible things occurred but they were not in your face.

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The cinematography was extraordinary. I was totally swept up in the vistas that showed examples of the primitive beauty of early America.

 

The song “Alone Yet Not Alone,” sung by Joni Eareckson Tada, was actually nominated for an Academy award but, through efforts to have it removed on a technicality, it lost its bid to be a nominee. The title song was so effective as an integral part of the story line, which only made the much-publicized exclusion of “Alone Yet Not Alone” from the Oscars in the song category even more upsetting. How often does a winning Oscar song have such an important place in a movie plot? Oscar should bow his metal head in shame.

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Now to the critical part: The acting. Most of the characters were wonderful, with actors and actresses giving great justice to the characters they depicted. The children portraying younger Barbara and Regina, as well as the group of young ones taken hostage, were excellent in their roles. One of my favorite scenes involved twin little boys. I will not explain further, but take note. It is precious.

 

The men portraying the native Americans, especially Ozzie Torres, were outstanding. Jenn Gotzon had a small but memorable role as Lydia.

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Most of the adult actors were wonderful with the exception of the critical role: Barbara Leininger. What were the producers thinking? This was a character that should have shown a woman emotionally, perhaps physically, scarred from ten years in captivity. Instead we have actress Kelly Grayson looking like she had spent ten years in a Hollywood spa. Forgive my bluntness, but I have seen better acting in community productions.

 

One of the weaknesses in Christian filmmaking in the last ten years has been the acting. But several recent releases such as “October Baby,” “Heaven Is For Real” and “God’s Not Dead” have proven that there are quality actors and actresses that can, and will, do justice to Christian films. It behooves Christian filmmakers to pick their actors wisely. They should be striving for excellence in every aspect of their productions.

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I would have given this film, five out of five stars. But I’ll rate it 4.5 for the lead role let-down.

 

 

 

 

 

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