The theme for my blog in March is “SPRING BREAK.” With the disruption of routines due to Covid, I’m not sure how many schools will have spring break this year. Traditionally, it is a week off from school, giving families the opportunity to go away and spend time together. Today I’m talking about one of my favorite vacation spots and how it has inspired me in my writing career.

We discovered this quiet cabin, called Hemlock Haven, in August 2010. Good friends own the cabin and live just a short distance away from it. My husband and I visited there and thought it would make a very nice place to vacation. Shortly after that visit, he passed away. A few weeks later, my friends invited us to stay a night at the cabin. My kids and I enjoyed it so much that we went back many times.

The cabin became our spring break getaway. It had a full kitchen, so I could take food along with us to cook. I bought groceries that would last for a couple of days, and lots of junk food and sodas. The cabin is only a couple of miles from a small town with a grocery store and a couple of dollar stores, so we didn’t need to take food for every meal. There were a couple of restaurants in the small town, and we usually ate one meal out, and picked up pizza for another meal. The grocery store had a hot case deli, and we bought a meal there each time we visited. We also started the tradition of going to an Amish bakery on the way and getting homemade bread and jam to take with us.

The cabin had a TV with a DVD player, so we picked up new movies every time we went, at least one new release and others that the kids or I wanted to see. I don’t watch TV at home, but at the cabin, I wasn’t distracted and could enjoy a few hours of watching movies. While there, we went to the dollar stores in the town nearby and bought new DVD’s on their bargain racks and watched those, also.

My favorite part of being at the cabin was sitting on the high riverbank, watching and listening to the water flow past and the wind rustling in the trees. I always thought of one of my dad’s favorite hymns, “How Great Thou Art,” when I was there. At home, we live on a busy street, so being in the woods, without another house in sight, was a real treat for me.

There was a stereo at the cabin with some albums, and I enjoyed listening to oldies’ music while sitting in the enclosed back porch. On each visit, I took my Bible, a hymnal and a notebook. I did a lot of journaling and inner reflection while I stayed there. Time away from my everyday routine cleared my head. God showed me different things about my life that I could take back home with me and work on.

The cabin retreat also inspired my writing. In 2011, a year after my husband passed away, I started a new book in an ongoing series while at the cabin. When I went home after that visit, I finished the story in three weeks. It was very emotional and had a lovely scene at the end with a memorial service, which I’m sure was inspired in part by my own loss.

During another visit, I started a short story that took place at a cabin like that one. The story morphed into a complete novel that became the first in a series.

Since my good friend lives just a short walk through the woods from the cabin, I never felt like we were totally alone there. We always tried to fit in a visit while we were there. The cabin was a secure vacation spot, not far from home, and yet it was a quiet getaway. A couple of years ago, the cabin no longer was available, but by that time, my kids had outgrown the enjoyment of spending a couple of days “unplugged.”

The cabin, Hemlock Haven, was truly a haven of rest for me during some difficult years. I’m thankful for the time that I spent there with my kids, getting to know them better, and the fun memories that we share. I’m also thankful for the inspiration that came from spending time in the beautiful, quiet setting and finding a retreat from the routines of life.

Following February’s theme of “HEARTS,” today’s featured book is When Hearts Collide by Sara Beth Williams.

Inspiration behind the Book:

The more books I read, no matter the genre, the more I am drawn to authentic, broken characters, who long for a second chance – both in love and in life. This is the essence of When Hearts Collide.  Both Lacey and Jay long for a second chance.

I remember, junior year in high school, sitting in the balcony at a memorial service for a young high school kid who died in a car accident. Many of my early drafts were recreations of that very event. The car accident, the memorial service, how the family reacted, who might have been involved. Even now, in the final draft, you’ll read images and references of the memorial service. Over the years, the car accident itself morphed into something much different. But the essence of this story is that God redeems.

I hope you truly enjoy this story full of romance, faith, forgiveness, and second chances.

About the Book:

A reckless mistake landed Jacob “Jay” Mathews behind bars, but it was his inescapable guilt that led him to God. Upon his release, with the help of a spiritual mentor and friend, he strives to move forward with his life. Determined to graduate college, get a job, and follow God’s word, the last thing Jay needs or wants is a girlfriend. Until he meets Lacey Bennett.

When fervent prayers for reconciliation between her divorced parents go unanswered, and her older sister tragically dies, Lacey questions how God could allow such tragedies to befall her family. Turning her back on her past and God, she focuses on her future. College and theater are her ultimate goals; falling for the one type of guy she swore to avoid—a Christian—is not. No matter how much she wants to resist, Jay is irresistible.

As their relationship deepens, Jay struggles with Lacey’s unresolved anger and her unwillingness to even discuss faith. All he wants to do is reveal how God changed his life, but doing so would mean revealing his status as an ex convict. Finally, as she begins to rekindle her faith, past secrets collide, threatening to destroy everything they’ve built. Now, Jay must rely on his faith more than he ever has before. Can they learn to forgive—or is their relationship fractured beyond repair?

Excerpt:

A special extended Valentine’s Day excerpt: – They’re on a picnic for Valentine’s Day.

Jay reached for his backpack and dug out a spiral-bound notebook from the bottom. “I want to show you something,” he said in her ear. Carefully, with her body still leaning against his, he placed it on her lap and flipped it open.

“What’s this?”

“When I finally enrolled in college, I made a list of things I’d never done before. Stuff I’d always wanted to do that I didn’t get to do as a kid.”

“Why?” She flipped through the pages, finding most of them blank. Then she flipped back to the list he’d made.

“I didn’t even know my dad. He left when I was two or three. After that, my mom—let’s just say, she was not on the list for Mom of the Year.” He bit the inside of his cheek. “Anyway…” He leaned to the side, resting on one elbow. A small rock beneath the blanket cut into his skin so he readjusted. “I didn’t have the opportunity to do much of anything as a kid, even in foster care. Living with my half-brother Patrick later on, it was a stable situation, but all he did was work.”

 He cleared his throat, his glance darting away, focusing on the way the grasses bent with the wind. That much was true, in a sense. He frowned, contemplating where Patrick might be now. Was he still here in California?

“I’m sorry.” Compassion shone in her eyes.

Jay held a palm to her cheek, letting her hair brush over his skin. “After I met Matt and found Christ, I was really motivated to make a better life for myself in every way possible. So, I did. And I made this list as part of that effort.”

He swallowed and clamped his mouth shut. Too much rambling could lead to disaster. He was already treading across thin ice bringing up his past at all.

Lacey studied the list, which spanned a few pages. After reading the first page, she glanced up at him with a grin. “We’ve done a lot of these things together.” He nodded once, his head resting against the palm of his hand. “Ice skating, bike riding, going out to ice cream, going to the river, eating out at a nice restaurant…” A gust of wind blew through her hair and ruffled the pages of the notebook. She smoothed them open again. “You never did any of these things when you were younger? Not even with foster families?”

He readjusted, sitting upright again. “I never had the money to take girls out to ice cream or restaurants. I didn’t hang out with that kind of crowd anyway. If I went out, it was to a party to get drunk.”

“I didn’t know you used to drink… Why didn’t you have money? Didn’t you say you worked during high school?”

He exhaled slowly, carefully, an itching fear climbing up his spine. “I had a job at a library, yeah, but it was only part-time. Before I was old enough to work, I ran with the wrong kind of people, and was invited to a lot of parties, even at such a young age.” He pushed back the acid-like feelings of disgust. He hated thinking about the old him, the old way of life. I am a new creation in Christ. “But I stopped all that. I never want to go back to that kind of lifestyle again.”

The pinch between her brows inferred she seemed doubtful of the details of his story—and much too curious. He clamped his mouth shut again, lest he carry on a bigger lie. This was not why he had brought the notebook to show her.

What, did you think she wouldn’t have questions for you?

With a mental fist, he pounded down the doubts, pushed the notebook aside, and cradled her in his arms. Her fresh, familiar scent of coffee, and a hint of watermelon shampoo mingled with the smell of earth around them. “Every date we’ve been on means the world to me. Not just because I am finally experiencing new things in life, but because I get to experience life with you.”

She giggled as he eyed her lips and captured them in a sweet, lingering kiss.

“I’ve enjoyed every minute of getting to know you,” he breathed between kisses. “And I don’t want to stop anytime soon.”

She leaned away at last and studied the pages of his notebook. “So, does this mean you want to travel the world with me?”

“I can dream.”

“Let’s not rush things.”

He laughed and kissed her again. “You are special to me,” he murmured, burying his face in her hair.

“You are, too.”

He kissed her one last time before she turned and refocused on the water, leaning back against his chest.

About the Author:

Sara Beth Williams is a wife, mother of two daughters, and temporary caretaker of a lovable old lady pit and a spunky Pomeranian-Shih Tzu mix. She lives in Northern California. When she’s not held hostage by the keyboard, she enjoys music, teaching, reading and spending time with her family. She is all about connecting with readers! Find her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Goodreads and Bookbub.

Receive a FREE short story when you sign up for her newsletter.

Where to find Sara Beth Williams:

Amazon / Goodreads / Bookbub / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter

 Website / MeWe

Anchor My Heart, the sequel to When Hearts Collide, will be released on March 16.

PRE ORDER PRIZE PACK GIVEAWAY: ANCHOR MY HEART

Enter to win a grand prize pack full of books and bookish swag. THREE winners will be chosen total. All chosen winners will be invited to join me on a Zoom coffee or tea date.

Pre Order Anchor My Heart HERE

Click here to find out all the info you need to enter to Win

It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of Momo, who came to us a few years ago by way of a feral cat mom, and who found a forever home with my nephew and his wife.

You first met these two kittens a few years ago. Born last May to a feral mother cat, the kittens survived a fiery start. We brought them into our home and tamed them.

They found a forever home with some of our family.

The male tiger-striped one is Momo, after the pet lemur from the Avatar cartoon.

And the female gray one is named Eevee, from the Pokemon.

As you can see, both Eevee and Momo are happy and healthy in their forever home.

In keeping with February’s “HEARTS” theme, today’s featured book is entitled, Her Traitor’s Heart. This historical Christian romance is set in the South just after the Civil War.

The Inspiration behind the Book:

“The inspiration behind Her Traitor’s Heart actually came from one of my New England ancestors who fought in the Civil War. After the war’s end, he was stationed in the South as part of the occupying forces. He developed a friendship with a Southern lady, and they carried on a correspondence after he returned home. Their letters were passed down in the family. As a child, I remember seeing his uniform in an old trunk in my grandparents’ attic. The uniform was moth-eaten, but when I saw his boots, I thought to myself, “Those boots were really on his feet. He wore those boots.” From that time on, my ancestor was a real person to me. Her Traitor’s Heart isn’t really my Kimball ancestor’s story, but the seeds of the story were planted years ago when I saw his tattered uniform. As I researched the Reconstruction period, I discovered that the era was filled with hardship, tragedy, danger, and courage, all of which make a great story. And creating the hero be a Yankee officer and the heroine a Southern lady who hated Yankees offered great conflict.”

About the Book:

For Coral Leigh, the Civil War took everything and everyone she loved: her fiancé, her brother, and her father. But when her mother dies of grief shortly after the war’s end, Coral’s plantation home, Elmwood, must be auctioned. Soon to be homeless, she fears becoming yet another casualty of the war.

Fortunately, help arrives in the handsome form of Clint Logan, a decorated general in the Union army and part of the occupying forces stationed near her home. When the general kindly offers her employment, Coral decides her pride isn’t worth starvation.

As love blooms between them, Coral and Clint must contend with threats worse than the scrutiny of Southern society. Disenfranchised Confederate soldiers are causing trouble around town, and Coral has to face the possibility of Clint’s death in the line of duty, along with her own social ostracization. She will have to decide if she’s ready to trust her heart’s new loyalties, even if it means forsaking everything she’s ever known.

Excerpt:

Coral’s gratitude at being rescued battled with the unpalatable fact that her rescuer wore the abhorred blue uniform of the conquering foe. While she studied him, she rubbed her aching arm, which the renegade had twisted behind her.

            Effortlessly holding his restless mount in check, the Yankee tracked the deserters’ progress until they disappeared around a bend in the road. After returning his revolver to its holster, he swung a long leg over the stallion’s rump with practiced ease.

            Good manners dictated Coral should thank the officer for saving her life, though her pride rebelled at being indebted to a member of the despised Federal army. Nevertheless, she forced herself to meet him as he strolled toward her, holding the stallion on a tight rein.

            “I remember you from this morning, though I regret that we should meet again under such unfortunate circumstances, ma’am.” His clipped New England speech jarred her sensibilities, sounding foreign to ears accustomed to the slow, soft drawl of Southern aristocrats. “Are you hurt?”

            “Fortunately, no. I offer my sincere thanks for your intervention.”

            “My apologies for not arriving in time to prevent the whole incident. You could have been badly hurt.”

            Coral shrugged, turning away from the officer. That her initial scrutiny couldn’t find fault with his appearance or character only increased her irritation. Admitting some Northerners might have commendable qualities which she could admire made hating all Yankees unconditionally more difficult. In her present state, she wouldn’t consider the possibility that she might be wrong.

            The officer moved a step closer, doffing his cavalryman’s hat in a graceful bow worthy of a ballroom floor. “General Clint Logan, ma’am. At your service.”

            Coral acknowledged his introduction with a slight nod. “Miss Coral Leigh.”

            Settling his hat low on his head once more, he turned his attention back to her face. “Miss Leigh, I truly regret the treatment that you suffered at the hands of those ruffians. Deserters like those make travel for honest folk hazardous. I hope it won’t be long before we’ll have order restored.”

            Reaching into the wagon, Coral plucked her bonnet from the floor where it had fallen when the renegade hauled her off the seat. She adjusted her hat over her chignon, tying the ribbons as she swung about to face the general. “I suppose such lawlessness is an inevitable result of the war. We’ll have to live with the anarchy for as long as it takes to restore order.”

            “Do you have far to travel? Would you like an escort? I’d be happy to accompany you to provide protection for the rest of your journey.”

            “Thank you, but I don’t want to take you out of your way.”

            “You wouldn’t be. As a member of the occupying force, it’s my duty to protect civilians.”

            Coral breathed deeply to bite back her impatience at the officer’s insistence of aid. His chivalry made it difficult for her to decline his offer, when her nerves were stretched to the snapping point. She struggled to maintain a show of courtesy. “Again, I appreciate your kind offer of help, but it’s not necessary.”

About the Author:

Colleen Hall wrote her first story in third grade and wrote as a hobby all during her growing-up years. In “Her Traitor’s Heart” she was able to combine her love of writing with her love of history. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband, horseback riding, reading, and browsing antique stores. She lives in South Carolina with her husband and family, one horse and three very spoiled cats.

Website: www.colleenhallromance.com

Twitter: @ColleenGHall

FB: @ColleenHallRomance

Buy Link: https://www.anaiahpress.com/product/her-trator-s-heart/22?cp=true&sa=false&sbp=false&q=false&category_id=2

Today I’m sharing one of my favorite winter soup recipes:

Cabbage, Pulled Pork and Potato Soup

I created this recipe using leftover BBQ pulled pork. At first, I only added cabbage to it. Then the last few times I added diced potato. I like it even better, and it’s more filling that way.

Just so I can have this soup, I buy a pork roast every couple of months. The first step is to make it into BBQ pulled pork. I don’t have the original link, but any seasoned pulled pork recipe will do.

After the pork is cooked, I add all of the ingredients into a large Crockpot and cook on low for 8-10 hours.

Ingredients:

1 small head of cabbage

2 cups leftover BBQ pulled pork

4 medium potatoes, diced

7 cups water

6 beef bouillon cubes

1 8 oz. can tomato sauce or 15 oz. can diced tomatoes

Instructions:

Combine all in large Crockpot. Cook on Low for 8-10 hours until potatoes are done. May add additional water or broth if soup is too thick.

This soup yields 10 servings. It freezes well.